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Voltpost and EVSE bet on next-gen lamppost charging for US cities

Building EV chargers in cities can be painfully slow, so Voltpost is now scaling its next-generation lamppost charger, which is designed to be installed in hours, not months, with EVSE.

Voltpost launched the Air, a lamppost EV charger designed to bolt onto existing streetlights and parking lot poles, last fall. Installed high up on the pole (instead of at ground level like the original Voltpost charger), Voltpost Air can be deployed in just a few hours, transforming everyday lampposts into curbside charging spots without the need for major construction.

The Voltpost Air, which is Build America Buy America compliant, will now be built at scale across the US in partnership with EVSE LLC, a Connecticut-based EV charging hardware manufacturer. AT&T provides the connectivity, and the system is designed to work with Voltpost’s software platform, which manages charging for public agencies, utilities, and private customers.

The idea behind lamppost charging is simple: Cities already have poles and power, so use them. Voltpost’s approach focuses on scalable deployments in dense areas where adding traditional EV chargers can be slow, expensive, or politically messy.

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A key component of EVSE’s hardware is its patented AutoCoil retractable cable system. The cable automatically retracts when not in use, which helps protect it from vandalism and storm damage – two common problems for curbside charging equipment. EVSE says it’s been testing the technology in projects across the US. You can see it in action below:

Top comment by Craig Merrow

Liked by 11 people

Neat! That's a clever way of securing a charge cord when not in use. Glad to see Voltpost is continuing to move forward!

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Alongside the product launch, Voltpost also announced that James Everley has joined the company to lead business development. Everley previously worked at ubitricity, a company known for bringing lamppost EV charging to Europe and, more recently, parts of the US.

“By uniting the strengths of EVSE and Voltpost, we can ensure that cities, companies, and utilities deploy chargers efficiently and reliably,” said Everley. “We are excited about how this strategic partnership accelerates our deployment plans to make charging accessible nationwide.”


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Avatar for Michelle Lewis Michelle Lewis

Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at michelle@9to5mac.com. Check out her personal blog.