Every transport technology depends on its own infrastructure — whether a runway, a railway, a road or a petrol station. For electric vehicles, that infrastructure takes the form of charging points, which may be located within charging stations or installed independently. Now, an innovative initiative could multiply the number of charging points almost indefinitely by making use of an asset that already exists on every city street: public lighting.

A team of researchers at Penn State University has proposed converting urban streetlights into electric vehicle chargers. Meanwhile, progress in charging methods is redefining how the next generation of charging networks will look and operate.

The concept, developed by researchers at Penn State University, is as simple as it is practical. It involves harnessing existing infrastructure — streetlights already connected to the electrical grid and located next to parking areas — to lower installation costs and accelerate deployment in dense urban environments.

And it is no longer just a laboratory idea. The team has already conducted a pilot project in Kansas City, where twenty-three streetlights were adapted using the new technology. The system has demonstrated competitive charging speeds and reliable performance.

As part of the trial, researchers identified high-demand areas where public parking spaces are frequently used. They then assessed the technical and electrical feasibility of connecting to existing municipal power lines. In distributing the charging points, the project also prioritised under-served neighbourhoods with fewer private charging options.

Imagine having a petrol station on every street corner — an impossible scenario. Yet if this project succeeds, cities could achieve something close: virtually unlimited charging points without the need for new large-scale infrastructure.

The next phase of research will include a socio-economic and meteorological model to assess each neighbourhood’s mobility patterns and temperature variations, since extreme heat or cold can affect battery range and, consequently, local energy demand.

The evolution of electric mobility depends not only on increasing the number of charging points, but also on improving the underlying technology. Some of the most promising developments include:

• Bidirectional charging (V2G – Vehicle to Grid): vehicles can not only draw energy from the grid but also return it when required, helping to stabilise supply.
• Ultra-fast charging: new systems capable of delivering several hundred kilowatts drastically reduce charging times and make long-distance travel easier.
• Wireless charging: using inductive transfer or magnetic resonance, vehicles can recharge without physical connectors, improving convenience and reducing wear. Trials are already under way on roads that can charge vehicles as they move.
• Artificial intelligence for energy management: AI algorithms analyse consumption patterns, electricity prices and renewable energy availability to determine the most efficient charging times. This helps balance grid demand, reduce costs and maximise the use of solar or wind power.

All these innovations are converging in the development of smart grids — systems that enable two-way communication between vehicles, chargers and the wider electrical network. This allows charging to be automatically scheduled based on demand, grid conditions or even weather forecasts.

In this new model, charging stations are evolving into true energy hubs — optimising electricity flows between vehicles, the grid and renewable sources.

If you would like to learn more about how renewable energy and large-scale battery systems are converging, take a look at our article on the new generation of megabatteries.

Source:

• New Atlas