Detroit Is Putting Level 2 Chargers On Streetlamps

File this under interesting idea, though managing load will be interesting, as it seems Detroit is putting Level 2 chargers on street lamps. One of the biggest problems for electric vehicles in cities is charging them. Cities should be where EVs shine because they become more efficient at slow speeds and in stop-and-go traffic than gas cars. But the problem is how to charge them.

The City Charging Problem

It is pretty nasty in cities; many people park in the street, and garages typically either don’t have chargers or have a limited number that isn’t sufficient for EV owners. There have been efforts to put inductive coils in parking places, but not only is that very expensive, but since you have to take out the asphalt and then drop the inductive wireless car charger into the pavement, most EVs can’t even charge wirelessly, making the move pointless.

Even people with single-family suburban homes often don’t have garages or garage space, forcing them to charge on the street. Only to find the cords are trip hazards, and the city or Homeowners Associations will fine you if you drape a cord over your sidewalk. And if you install a charger outside, you may find that, when you are away from home, other EV drivers use your charger for free power.

This means that even though EVs are perfect for cities, they perform poorly there due to the lack of charging infrastructure.

Chargers In Streetlamps

However, streetlamps are already wired for power, and placing a Level 1 charger in one would be relatively simple. Detroit is doing this with Level 2 chargers, though, which likely means they’ll need to rewire the Street Lamps with higher gauge wiring and increase the power output of the transformers using them because Level 2 chargers typically require 50+ AMP service, depending on the charger.

Now, Level 2 chargers charge in hours, not minutes, but when parking on the street for work or while at home, the car is in place for hours, much like it would be if you were using this same technology in your garage, potentially making it very convenient.

With this rollout, Detroit is potentially turning into one of the friendliest EV cities in the world, and the cost should be far less than having to dig up the streets or set up dedicated city charging stations. The issue with dedicated charging stations is that they use Level 3 chargers but still require some time to charge the car. They are often placed near shopping centers or movie theaters where people tend to leave their cars for extended periods, often long after the charging process is completed, leading to lines at these stations that move very slowly.

As a result, this streetlamp solution could be not only far cheaper to install than dedicated Level 3 charging stations, but it should also work better because there would be far more chargers, and leaving your car there for hours is a given, not a problem.

Wrapping Up: Looking AT EV Creativity

When Tesla came to market, they put in dedicated Level 3 charging stations but often found people left their cars charging for extended periods, leading to poor charging experiences. These stations are typically outside, not inside, in many cities where the land is far less expensive. People who live in cities need these chargers more because most can’t charge their cars at home, and if they try, they may be cited as a trip hazard.

Detroit's placement of Level 2 chargers in streetlamps is a creative workaround that relatively inexpensively places the chargers where people are likely to park, making the city a far better place to drive an EV. With this move, Detroit moves to become one of the leaders, at least in the US, for making EV ownership far more convenient and practical.

Rob Enderle is a technology analyst at Torque News who covers automotive technology and battery development. You can learn more about Rob on Wikipedia and follow his articles on Forbes, X, and LinkedIn.