The difficulty of charging for would-be EV drivers who lack private garages or dedicated parking deters some drivers from considering EVs. That’s why an innovative pole-mounded charger from National Grid could make a difference for urban drivers who’d like to go electric.

Northeastern energy provider National Grid is deploying utility pole-mounted electric vehicle chargers in Melrose, Mass., as part of a program intended to expand EV adoption, accelerate usage, and lower installation costs.

Putting EV chargers directly on utility poles cuts installation costs by 70 percent because of the elimination of digging and other related construction activities. In partnership with the City of Melrose, a total of 16 chargers are being installed on National Grid poles throughout the city, providing charging access to those without private garages or dedicated parking.

“By deploying these EV chargers on our utility poles, we are doing our part in providing equitable access to this growing technology,” said Tara Kapila, Vice President, Growth and Marketing, for National Grid. These represent the first deployment of elevated, pole-mounted EV chargers by an investor-owned utility in the United States.

The Melrose chargers, which include a mixture of single stations and dual stations, will be located at 10 sites throughout the city where customers will use an app to lower the charger to plug in their vehicle. Data gathered from the project will be factored into future National Grid EV partnerships with additional cities and towns.

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