Streetlights as Charging Stations

One of the changes that will have to come if electric vehicles are ever to become standard is dramatic expansion of public charging facilities. But what if charging stations were as common as …streetlights?

That’s the idea behind Berlin start-up ubitricity. The company, which was founded in 2008 has come up with a simple, cost-effective way of upgrading existing streetlights into power providers for EVs. The system includes billing systems and e-car charging cables and also allows users to charge their vehicles with their own electricity.

Siemens and French utility EdF have invested in the company, which raised 20 million euros in its latest financing round. It has partnered with carmaker Honda.

Ubitricty’s technology is already being deployed in London, with New York and Berlin soon to follow.