Move over, Supercharger network.
EV charging networks have been fast expanding across U.S. roads and highways over the past year, led by the likes of Electrify America, Tesla, and Chargescape, to name a few.
In a sign of the times, they’re now also blossoming in cities, sometimes in unexpected ways, such as turning streetlights into chargers for your electric vehicle.
Voltpost, a New York City-based startup, just announced it’s now partnering with AT&T to provide lamppost and curbside internet-connected chargers across Michigan and the Metro Detroit area.
The partnership is mainly aimed at enhancing the efficiency and connectivity of the EV charging infrastructure, the companies said. Having internet connection lets Voltpost know immediately when a charger goes offline, allowing for quick remedy.
AT&T, for its part, said the partnership aligns with its goal to help business customers reduce 1 billion metric tons of CO2 by 2035 through connectivity-backed solutions, such as fiber, 5G, and Internet of Things (IoT).
Volpost says it can install a lamppost charger in under two hours, without extensive construction work or extensive permitting processes. However, its AC Level 2 lamppost chargers receive electricity from street lighting grids, which means longer charging times.
Still, EV drivers gave positive feedback to a pilot program initiated by the New York City Department of Transportation last year.
The lamppost EV chargers feature either two or four charging ports. Volpost also provides an app allowing drivers to map available charger locations, track charging, and make payments.
Voltpost has already installed nonconnected chargers as part of pilot programs in several cities, including New York and Chicago.
Energy and transportation officials have given their support for the development of curbside charging within cities.
San Diego-based Beam Global has also launched a concept involving the retrofitting of streetlights with EV chargers. However, Beam also relies on wind and solar energy to power its chargers.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.