'Electric Vehicle Charging in Alleyways' Seoul Introduces First Streetlight and Bollard-Type Chargers

Rapid charging, streetlights, CCTV combined in 'streetlight type', space-saving slow charging 'bollard type'
10 units to be installed by December in parking lots and roadsides of 6 districts... Over 100 units to be installed by 2025

Yangjae Eco-friendly Complex Electric Vehicle Charging Station Exterior View

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 12th that it will install 10 'streetlight-type chargers' and 'bollard-type chargers' within this year, allowing convenient electric vehicle charging even in densely populated residential alleyways such as villas and row houses.

The 'streetlight-type charger' is a slim 50kW rapid charger with an appearance similar to a streetlight, capable of fully charging an electric vehicle in one hour. It is a new type that combines various functions, including streetlights, security CCTV, and LCD displays. Additionally, the 'bollard-type charger' is a slow charger with an area of about 0.06㎡, occupying minimal space. Both types can be installed in alleyways and roadside locations, enabling electric vehicle users to charge their vehicles while visiting restaurants or multi-use facilities, or to charge near their residences on their commute, thereby enhancing charging convenience.

Seoul plans to complete the installation of 6 streetlight-type and 4 bollard-type chargers by December this year. These will be installed in priority parking spaces for residents in residential areas, roadside locations, and roadside parking lots near taxi garages in six autonomous districts, including Mapo-gu, selected through a district competition. Through this pilot project, the city will directly operate the installed chargers, evaluate their efficiency and appropriateness, and collect citizen feedback to improve the project, aiming to expand the installation to over 100 units by 2025.

Furthermore, Seoul will expand the installation of 'eco-friendly complex electric vehicle charging stations,' where eco-friendly electricity production and supply occur in one place, from the current two locations (Yangjae-Southeast area, Yangcheon-Southwest area) to at least two more by next year. The city also plans to encourage private sector participation and expand a total of over 100 public and private charging stations by region by 2025. This aims to alleviate the burden on the power grid caused by increased charging demand due to the expansion of electric vehicles.

Yoo Yeon-sik, Head of Seoul's Climate and Environment Headquarters, said, "The installation of streetlight-type and bollard-type chargers is a pilot project introduced in response to electric vehicle users' opinions that they prefer charging near their homes and that charging environments are poor in villas and row houses rather than apartments." He added, "We will continue to listen to users' opinions and create a dense charging environment centered on daily living areas at the citizens' contact points."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.