Melrose, MA is the first city on the East Coast to implement pole-mounted electric vehicle chargers. National Grid worked with the city of Melrose to install 16 chargers in 10 places around town, a public charging solution particularly beneficial for EV owners who don’t have access to a garage or private parking space with charging.
These stations reduce installation costs by 70% as compared to traditional ground stations. Access to space and wiring is relatively easy since cars can parallel park as normal and charging can occur from a power source from pre-existing infrastructure. Since the chargers are mounted above, cables don’t interfere with pedestrians and spacing doesn’t interrupt adjacent bike lanes.
To use the charger, EV drivers scan the QR code on the pole using the AmpUp app which activates one of the two J1772 connectors. The charger lowers itself so you can plug in. Parking is limited to three hours and the stations charge at up to 9.6kW, which is about the average expected speed of Level 2 stations. Drivers pay only for electricity costs, which currently rates at $0.25 per kWh.
As noted, it’s important that cities implementing these charging stations plan and collect data to determine if they’re successful. The chargers are also relatively easy to move to a different location, which is another perk with the way they are mounted.
For mass EV adoption to sweep across communities in the United States, a reliable charging infrastructure is vital. Charging EVs is a challenge in most cities and pole-mounted chargers could provide the convenience and access that drivers are looking for to make the switch to electric. While some worry that charger parking space could take away from pedestrian sidewalks and bike lanes for cyclists, pole-mounted chargers may prove to be a viable solution for city dwellers with cars and the need for a place to charge.
