As electric vehicles (EVs) become more mainstream in the United States, a significant barrier to widespread adoption remains: the lack of accessible, reliable charging infrastructure. While EVs are becoming increasingly popular among urban residents, the ability to easily charge these vehicles—especially in cities—has been a major concern. “Charge anxiety” is replacing the old concern of “range anxiety,” and many city dwellers interested in EVs find themselves discouraged by the lack of charging options in their neighborhoods. To address this, several innovative startups are bringing charging solutions to the streets, with the aim of filling the charging gap in urban environments.
The Rise of Opportunity Charging: Street-Level Solutions
In cities across the U.S., startups are coming up with creative ways to put EV chargers where they are most needed: on the streets. These companies are transforming everyday urban infrastructure—such as lampposts and parking meters—into charging stations, making it easier for residents to power their EVs without relying on private garages or dedicated charging stations.
It’s Electric: A Scalable Model for Curbside Charging
One of the standout startups leading this charge is It’s Electric, based in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The company offers a novel solution to curbside charging by tapping into the existing electrical supply of nearby buildings. This approach, which uses Level 2 chargers, allows for about 25 miles of range to be added per hour. Though slower than fast chargers, these units are designed for overnight parking, work commutes, and short-term errands, making them ideal for urban environments.
The unique aspect of It’s Electric is that it requires no utility company involvement, which is usually a significant barrier for new charging installations. Instead, the company installs chargers in a way that avoids the need for large infrastructure upgrades, such as digging trenches or building new substations. The company is already operating curbside chargers in Boston and California, with plans to expand to other cities like Detroit, Los Angeles, and Jersey City, N.J.
Connected Kerb: Transforming Streets for EV Charging
A British-based company, Connected Kerb, is also making strides in the U.S. with its bollard-style curbside chargers. The company has already installed over 8,400 units throughout the U.K. and plans to add 8,000 more chargers in the coming year. Connected Kerb’s chargers are designed to be as unobtrusive as possible while providing high-quality charging services. The company is currently in talks with the New York City Department of Transportation for a partnership to bring its solution to the city’s streets.
The vision behind Connected Kerb is to offer cities a scalable and accessible solution for increasing charging infrastructure, especially in areas where space is at a premium. By integrating charging into existing street infrastructure, Connected Kerb’s model is poised to significantly reduce the space and land requirements typically associated with traditional charging stations.
Gravity: Charging Trees for Rapid Charging
Another exciting innovation comes from Gravity, a New York-based startup that has developed ultra-fast chargers capable of delivering up to 500 kW, making them among the fastest chargers available today. These chargers, installed in a parking garage on Manhattan’s West Side, have the potential to recharge EVs in as little as 10 minutes, addressing one of the most critical pain points for EV owners: long charging times.
Building on this success, Gravity aims to take its technology to the streets with its "charging trees." These overhead structures would dangle charging cables directly over parking spots, providing rapid charging without taking up valuable ground space. The company’s chargers tap into available grid capacity across blocks or groups of buildings, offering a flexible solution that can be scaled based on demand. Though still in early stages, Gravity hopes to deploy these rapid charging trees across U.S. cities, transforming street-level parking into efficient charging hubs.
Voltpost: Lampposts as Charging Stations
Voltpost, another player in the curbside charging game, has taken a different approach by turning existing lampposts into charging stations. This minimizes the installation cost and time, as the infrastructure already exists. By retrofitting lampposts with charging capabilities, Voltpost is able to reduce the need for new electrical infrastructure while also making the most of urban spaces.
Already active in pilot programs in cities such as New York and Detroit, Voltpost is expanding to additional cities including Chicago, Michigan, Illinois, and Massachusetts. This concept promises to be one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to rapidly scale charging infrastructure across cities.
Challenges Ahead: Policy, Regulations, and Funding
While these startups are providing creative solutions, they are not without challenges. One of the biggest hurdles they face is navigating local regulations, zoning laws, and obtaining necessary permits for curbside installations. Additionally, charging infrastructure requires significant upfront investment, which can be an obstacle without the proper funding or incentives.
A critical part of the solution lies in the federal government’s $7.5 billion funding for public EV charging stations as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. This funding is intended to support the deployment of infrastructure, but policy changes or lack of support for these startups could impede their growth. In addition, with the potential change in government leadership, there is uncertainty about the future of EV incentives and subsidies, which could affect the pace of EV adoption and the development of charging infrastructure.
The Future of Urban Charging
Ultimately, the success of these curbside EV charging startups will depend on their ability to scale quickly and navigate the complex regulatory environment. As demand for EVs continues to grow, it will be essential for cities to adopt flexible, innovative solutions to meet the charging needs of their residents. The startups leading the way in curbside charging are offering promising alternatives that not only make EV ownership more accessible but also provide cities with scalable infrastructure solutions that can grow with demand.
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