Urban electric vehicle charging infrastructure faces street-side solutions

As electric vehicle adoption grows, urban residents without private garages face significant challenges regarding charging accessibility. In Spain, approximately 70% of the vehicle fleet—roughly 9 million cars—is parked on the street, creating a potential mobility gap between those with private parking and those without.

Experts from McKinsey and companies like It's Electric suggest utilizing existing urban infrastructure to solve this issue. Proposed solutions include installing charging points on street lamps or connecting to the electrical supply of nearby buildings to reduce infrastructure costs.

While high-power superchargers from networks like Tesla and IONITY address long-distance travel, urban charging requires widespread, accessible street-side options. Pilot projects, such as those in San Francisco, are testing curb-side charging to assist apartment dwellers. In Madrid, public charging points exist via the city's Geoportal, though coverage does not always align with where residents typically park.