AT&T, Voltpost bring internet connectivity to EV charging lampposts

By Nick Godt Published November 6, 2024

att voltpost streetlight charging newlabdetroit 63 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Move over, Supercharger network.

EV charging networks have been fast expanding across U.S. roads and highways over the past year, led by the likes of Electrify America, Tesla, and Chargescape, to name a few.

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In a sign of the times, they’re now also blossoming in cities, sometimes in unexpected ways, such as turning streetlights into chargers for your electric vehicle.

Voltpost, a New York City-based startup, just announced it’s now partnering with AT&T to provide lamppost and curbside internet-connected chargers across Michigan and the Metro Detroit area.

The partnership is mainly aimed at enhancing the efficiency and connectivity of the EV charging infrastructure, the companies said. Having internet connection lets Voltpost know immediately when a charger goes offline, allowing for quick remedy.

AT&T, for its part, said the partnership aligns with its goal to help business customers reduce 1 billion metric tons of CO2 by 2035 through connectivity-backed solutions, such as fiber, 5G, and Internet of Things (IoT).

Volpost says it can install a lamppost charger in under two hours, without extensive construction work or extensive permitting processes. However, its AC Level 2 lamppost chargers receive electricity from street lighting grids, which means longer charging times.

Still, EV drivers gave positive feedback to a pilot program initiated by the New York City Department of Transportation last year.

The lamppost EV chargers feature either two or four charging ports. Volpost also provides an app allowing drivers to map available charger locations, track charging, and make payments.

Voltpost has already installed nonconnected chargers as part of pilot programs in several cities, including New York and Chicago.

Energy and transportation officials have given their support for the development of curbside charging within cities.

San Diego-based Beam Global has also launched a concept involving the retrofitting of streetlights with EV chargers. However, Beam also relies on wind and solar energy to power its chargers.

Freelance reporter

Nick Godt has covered global business news on three continents for over 25 years.

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Eaton, Treehouse to boost home capacity for EV charging, energy storage

eaton treehouse ev charging news releases

Power-management firm Eaton likes to point out that when it launched in 1911, it invested in a new idea -- the very first gear-driven truck axle -- just at a time when both transportation and power management were on the cusp of dramatic change.
More than 113 years later, Eaton is again seeking to lead innovation in the current energy transition.
The power-management firm just signed a deal with Treehouse, an AI, software-enabled installation platform for electrification projects. The end goal: accelerating the electrification of homes for electric-vehicle (EV) charging, energy storage, or heat pumps, while seeking more efficiency and cost savings.
“At Eaton, we’re all-in on the energy transition and we’re making it happen at scale by delivering breakout technologies and industry collaborations needed to delight customers and make it more accessible and affordable,” says Paul Ryan, general manager of Connected Solutions and EV Charging at Eaton.
The partnership will ensure consumers are provided with accurate and fast pricing, as well as access to licensed electricians to deliver code-compliant installations, the companies say.
The collaboration also integrates into Eaton’s “Home as a Grid” approach, which supports the two-way flow of electricity, enabling homeowners to produce and consume renewable energy when they need it, Eaton says.
“For more than a century, power has flowed in one direction—from centralized power plants into homes,” the company says. “Today, there’s a new reality thanks to solar, electric-vehicle charging, energy storage, digitalization, and more.”
Projects to change homes and EVs into energy hubs have multiplied recently.
Last month, Nissan joined ChargeScape, a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) venture that is already backed by BMW, Ford, and Honda. ChargeScape’s software wirelessly connects EVs to power grids and utility companies, enabling consumers to receive financial incentives for temporarily pausing charging during periods of high demand. Eventually, consumers should also be able to sell the energy stored in their EVs’ battery back to the power grid.
In August, GM announced that V2G technology will become standard in all its model year 2026 models. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk has hinted that Tesla could introduce V2G technology for its vehicles in 2025.

Cars

Costco partners with Electric Era to bring back EV charging in the U.S.

costco ev charging us electricera fast station 1260x945

Costco, known for its discount gas stations, has left EV drivers in need of juicing up out in the cold for the past 12 years. But that seems about to change now that the big-box retailer is putting its brand name on a DC fast-charging station in Ridgefield, Washington.
After being one of the early pioneers of EV charging in the 1990s, Costco abandoned the offering in 2012 in the U.S.
While opening just one station may seem like a timid move, the speed at which the station was installed -- just seven weeks -- could indicate big plans going forward.
Besides lightening-speed installation, Electric Era, the Seattle-based company making and installing the charging station, promises to offer “hyper-reliable, battery-backed fast charging technology in grid-constrained locations.”
Its stalls can deliver up to 200 kilowatts and come with built-in battery storage, allowing for lower electricity rates and the ability to remain operational even when power grids go down.
If that sounds like it could very well rival Tesla’s SuperCharger network, it’s no coincidence: Quincy Lee, its CEO, is a former SpaceX engineer.
Costco also seems confident enough in the company to have put its brand name on the EV-charging station. Last year, the wholesaler did open a pilot station in Denver, this time partnering with Electrify America, the largest charging network in the U.S. However, Costco did not put its brand name on it.
In an interview with Green Car Reports, Electric Era said it was still in talks with Costco about the opening of new locations. Last year, Costco said it was planning to install fast chargers at 20 locations, without providing further details. It has maintained EV-charging operations in Canada, the UK, Spain, and South Korea.
Meanwhile, the wholesaler’s U.S. EV-charging plans might very well resemble those of rival Walmart, which last year announced it was building its own EV fast-charging network in addition to the arrangements it already had with Electrify America.

Cars

Is DC fast charging really that bad for your EV’s battery? We asked the experts

Charging a Chevy Blazer EV

It's commonplace to hear about best practices for ensuring that your EV's battery remains in top condition for the longest period of time. Chief among those is to only charge your electric vehicle to 80%. Also common, however, is the idea that DC fast charging your EV all the time degrades the battery in a way that can impact range.

That prospect is made even worse by the fact that range is already an issue when it comes to electric vehicles. Range anxiety is one of the biggest downsides of buying an electric vehicle, considering the fact that EVs take longer to refuel and there are far fewer charging stations than there are gas stations. And when you only charge your vehicle to 80%, you'll only get four-fifths of the range that the manufacturer advertised.