Researchers from Penn State have developed a framework to use streetlights as a charging option for electric vehicles. They installed 23 streetlight charging units in Kansas City and Missouri to test their framework, collecting data from each unit for a year.
Electric vehicles incur lower fuel costs and reduce carbon emissions, but they are a practical option only if drivers have convenient ways to charge their EVs. People living in urban areas often find EV charging difficult due to lack of infrastructure.
The researchers worked to solve this issue and found that streetlights emerged as a better alternative than traditional charging stations. Apart from convenience and accessibility, streetlights were cost-effective and time savers for EV users.
Inspiration for the project
“The motivation for this work comes from the fact that many apartment and multi-unit dwelling residents, particularly in urban and downtown areas, lack access to dedicated home EV chargers, since they don’t have the privilege of owning a garage,” said Xianbiao “XB” Hu, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering…