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Washington, D.C. wants to expand public access to EV charging across its neighborhoods and recently gave $600,000 in grants to three startups to make that happen.
From lightpost to curbside, soon residents of D.C. will be able to charge their EVs while they’re parked. It’s part of the city’s plan to modernize transportation infrastructure, expand clean energy access and support what the district says is its goal to be carbon neutral by 2045.
Retrofitting Lightposts
Light-post EV charging company Voltpost is one of those startups that received a grant from the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment. Under the one-year pilot, Voltpost CEO Jeff Prosserman told WJLA-TV the company plans to integrate EV charging into 16 lightposts on D.C. streets and parking lots.
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Prosserman said retrofitting existing lightposts enables it to “significantly” reduce the cost, time it takes to build a charging station and its footprint. All that is required is pulling a single-cable bundle through the existing conduit, dropping the power down from overhead and connecting that to the grid, he said.
“That process can save tens of thousands of dollars and install within just a few hours with no construction and trenching,” Prosserman said.
Pull Up To Charge
In addition to using lightpost to charge EVs, D.C. tapped start-up It’s Electric to install, operate and maintain sixteen curbside EV chargers serving two adjacent parking spaces in eight locations across the city.
EV car owners will be able to pull up to any of the spots and charge for a fee. These single-port Level 2 chargers do require users to bring their own charging cable. District residents can request a free cable by visiting the It’s Electric app.
By bringing EV charging to parking spots and lightposts, the district said it is trying to overcome a major obstacle to growth — a lack of homes with private garages.
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Many D.C. residents live in apartment buildings with street-only parking, and D.C. officials have said the hope is this will make EV ownership more viable to residents who can’t charge at home. PowerUp America received the third grant to expand its charging footprint across the district, reported WJLA.
Second Only To California
The grants come as demand for electric vehicles continues to surge in the District. D.C. has consistently ranked second for EV sales, behind California. In Q4 of 2025 EVs accounted for 20% of all new registered vehicles in the district, according to trade group the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
Behind some of that demand are financial perks offered by the local government including residential charger installation rebates and reduced vehicle registration fees, gasoline prices above the national average that make EVs more attractive and a demographic of residents who tend to care about their impact on the environment, Kelley Blue Book executive editor Brian Moody told WTOP-TV.
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