Electric vehicles (EVs) are cheaper to run than gasoline-powered cars and can help reduce pollution, but one major barrier keeps many people from making the switch: charging.
For people who live in apartments or crowded cities, installing a home charging station isn’t an option, and public charging spots can be hard to find.
Without easy access, EVs remain out of reach for many potential drivers.
Researchers at Penn State believe they’ve found a solution hiding in plain sight—streetlights.
Since most streetlights are already powered and owned by local governments, the team saw an opportunity to turn them into cost-effective, convenient, and equitable EV charging stations.
To test their idea, they worked with partners in Kansas City, Missouri, including the Metro Energy Center, local utilities, and the National Renewable Energy Lab.
Together, they retrofitted 23 streetlights with charging units and studied how well they worked over the course of a year.
The results were promising. Compared to traditional EV charging stations, the streetlight chargers were much cheaper to install, because the infrastructure already existed.
They were also faster. Unlike large charging hubs where many vehicles draw power at the same time, streetlight chargers usually serve just one car at a time. That means more consistent charging speeds and less waiting around for drivers.
Another benefit was accessibility. Streetlights are often located near on-street parking in busy neighborhoods, which makes them convenient for both local residents and visitors.
For apartment dwellers without garages, this kind of setup could finally provide a reliable way to charge their cars at night or while they’re out running errands.
The researchers didn’t just test the chargers; they also built a framework that other cities can use to decide where and how to install streetlight charging stations. The framework looks at demand, feasibility, and overall benefits.
To predict demand, the team used artificial intelligence models trained on data such as land use, traffic volume, nearby businesses, and station density. They also included equity as a key factor, making sure that chargers would be fairly distributed across diverse communities rather than concentrated only in wealthier areas.
Environmental benefits were clear, too. Since cars were already parking near streetlights, retrofitting the poles meant there was no need to build new lots or structures, reducing both cost and environmental impact. Fewer gasoline miles driven also translated into lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Looking ahead, the researchers plan to improve their models by including more detailed socioeconomic information and weather data.
Weather is especially important, as extreme heat or cold can affect battery performance and energy use.
Socioeconomic data will also help identify communities that currently lack access to EVs, ensuring that future infrastructure plans support inclusivity and adoption.
By reimagining something as ordinary as a streetlamp, the Penn State team has shown how cities might expand charging networks quickly and affordably. If scaled nationwide, this idea could light the way toward wider EV use and a more sustainable future.
