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An illustration of the main components of Voltpost’s lamppost charger.Image Credits:Voltpost
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If you own a single - family home , drive an galvanic vehicle can be a transcendent experience . Every dawn , when you wake up to a humankind full of possibility , your auto will be fully charged and quick to take you wherever you need to go .
But EV life is n’t nearly so flushed if you do n’t have approach to a garage or a private road .
Many EV owners in big metropolis are forced to trust on public fast courser . Some multitude have taken to stringing cable length from their homes to the curb , which can pose safety hazards . Some cities , like Cambridge , Massachusetts , have formalized the recitation , allowing people to receive permits to set up wheelchair - friendlycable protectorsthat sweep the sidewalk . It ’s an experiment that emulates some of the convenience that individual - family homeowners enjoy , but it ’s a impermanent solution , at best .
The lowly lamppost might be a good alternative : They ’re everywhere , and they have all the wiring postulate to make curbside charging seamless . One startup from New York City , Voltpost , has been working on a product that retrofits existing street lampposts to enable EV charging . On Thursday , it introduce its lamppost charger after a twelvemonth of design and development .
The machine is basically a mainsheet that track the low part of the pole , containing all the electronics and cables required to send two to four electron volt at Level 2 speeds . It ’s not fast charging , but it ’s more than enough for most people to top off overnight .
Voltpost ’s charger docks at hand level on the lamppost winding-clothes , and the retractable cable has an keystone eight feet up to keep it off the ground . The figure is modular , the company said , to make repairs and upgrade easier . Charge station handler get access to custom software that will allow them to control pricing and remotely monitor the gadget .
As is the case with just about every EV battery charger electronic connection , there ’s an app to superintend charge sessions , including payments . Drivers can also use it to reserve charger , an interesting twist on“dibs ” or “ savesies”that will certainly be a convenience for driver but could cause some friction among neighbors .
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Voltpost said its chargers are quick to install , taking an time of day to complete the process in a test with the New York City Department of Transportation . It also say that it has labor in various stages of evolution and deployment in New York , Chicago , and Detroit . The startup most recently raiseda $ 3.6 million seed roundin July .
