Voltpost, a startup that turns existing lampposts into EV chargers, has officially launched its first public charging site in Oak Park, Illinois. The curbside charger, installed in partnership with the Park District of Oak Park and utility ComEd, brings easy, affordable EV charging access right to the neighborhood.
Instead of building entirely new charging stations, Voltpost retrofits existing lampposts with a modular Level 2 charging platform. That means less construction, lower costs, and quicker deployment – Voltpost says its EV charger can be installed on a lamppost in minutes. It’s controlled via a mobile app, and it’s designed to serve public spaces like curbs and parking lots, as well as private locations like university campuses and apartment complexes.
“The deployment of a Voltpost charger in Oak Park will expand EV charging access for the local community and help catalyze the transition to sustainable transportation,” said Voltpost CEO and cofounder Jeffrey Prosserman. “This builds on our work in New York and Michigan, and it’s a step toward scaling our platform nationwide.”
Voltpost says its approach is more sustainable and equitable, since it’s using infrastructure that’s already there instead of building from scratch. And it opens up EV charging to more people who don’t have a private driveway or garage.
Kassie Porreca, president of the Park District Board of Commissioners, said, “Ensuring the residents of Oak Park benefit from affordable access to EV charging infrastructure is vital to fulfilling our commitment to serving the needs of our community.”
Najwa Abouhassan, senior manager at ComEd and a liaison for the 2c2i climate tech initiative, said this project connects innovation with community impact. “We’re proud to support Voltpost’s mission to bring sustainable, street-level charging to the places people live and work.”
With this first public site now live, Voltpost says it’s aiming to expand across the country, turning more streetlights into smart charging hubs for EV drivers.
In 2023, Voltpost participated in the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Studio program, a collaboration between the NYC DOT and Newlab. In its pilot, Voltpost installed chargers on lampposts at Newlab in Brooklyn and in a DOT parking lot. The chargers were installed in an hour, operated with a high uptime, and got positive feedback from EV drivers.
Read more: This lamppost EV charger just went commercial in the US
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