Streetlight Charging: Urban Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Solutions

In the U.S., 64% of electric vehicle (EV) owners have a convenient Level 2 home charger to take advantage of low nighttime electricity prices. This matches the fact that 70% of Americans live in single-family homes, which often come with a garage or driveway that makes it easy to install a private charger.

However, people living in multi-unit dwellings such as apartments or condominiums face challenges in accessing nighttime EV charging. As EVs become more popular and affordable, the U.S. plans to increase EV adoption to reduce CO2 emissions. Expanding the charging network, especially in densely populated areas to serve commuters and residents of multi-unit dwellings, is key to this effort.

Various charging options

Fast charging stations can charge an EV's battery to 80-90% in 20-30 minutes. These charging stations are strategically placed near highways for long-distance travel or in parking areas for drivers to shop or get a cup of coffee. For daily commuters and short-distance drivers, home charging is more convenient. Adding 20-30 minutes to the charging time is often impractical, making home charging a better option. This need for fast charging is even more pressing for residents of multi-unit dwellings, where private chargers are less feasible.

Europe’s population density brings its own complexities to EV charging. With a similar population to the United States but half the land area, Europe faces unique challenges due to its older cities and apartment-based lifestyle. In the United Kingdom, for example, 24% of the population does not have a private parking space. In central London, that number jumps to 46%, making access to charging points a significant barrier to EV adoption.

Innovative streetlight charging solution in London

In 2016, London piloted a project in Kensington and Chelsea to convert streetlights into EV charging stations. This involved upgrading fuses to safely deliver power without disrupting the grid. The conversion process was quick, taking only 1-2 hours per streetlight, and involved minimal infrastructure changes, leaving only a concealed charging socket and sign. The area later added 540 streetlight chargers and 110 fast-charging stations, bringing 94% of residents within 300 feet of a charger.

Widespread adoption and expansion

The UK now has 8,000 streetlight and pole-mounted charging stations. Local requests guide new installations, ensuring expansion as demand warrants. The concept is gaining ground in continental Europe, with Berlin already having 200 streetlight chargers installed and plans for 800 more. Solutions include poles and wall-mounted boxes for public parking areas, often with profit-sharing and maintenance agreements to encourage private installation.

In Europe, these charging stations usually require drivers to bring their charging cable. The charging stations operate with two power options via a smart charging cable, offering a renewable energy subscription, or billing per kWh via a mobile app.

Pilot program in Los Angeles and national expansion

Los Angeles leads the U.S. in EV ownership despite having half the population density of London. The city faces similar charging challenges due to a high percentage of its population that rents and many people living in multi-unit buildings. A major push began in 2019 with the installation of 130 streetlight charging stations, followed by LED streetlight upgrades. The plan is to add 150 chargers per year, supported by grants and private investment.

Other US cities like Melrose, Massachusetts, and New York are exploring similar streetlight and pole-based charging solutions, with New York planning to install 10,000 roadside chargers by 2030.

A bright future for EV charging

The UK has over 53,000 public charging points by 2023, with the potential for significant growth through streetlight retrofits. The US Department of Energy estimates that 27,500 fast chargers and over 600,000 Level 2 chargers will be needed to support the projected 15 million EVs by 2030. With 26 million streetlights across the country, there is a huge opportunity to leverage this innovative charging method.

Streetlight retrofits offer a fair, efficient and environmentally friendly charging solution, especially for residents of multi-unit dwellings. This approach is expected to become a cornerstone of national EV promotion, ensuring convenient charging for all. Power Integrations supports transportation electrification with highly integrated power conversion solutions. Our efficient and reliable products for EV charging include the InnoSwitch3-AQ switching IC family for high-voltage auxiliary power supplies and the SCALE-iDriver high-power gate driver IC for high-speed DC chargers .

Related reading:

1. InnoSwitch3-AQ enables compact and efficient flyback design for 800V electric vehicles

2. Use PI's SCALE-iDriver series gate drivers to simplify product design

For more information about PI, please visit power.com or click to read the original article.