Retrofitting an existing lamp post with an EV charger

Not every site can afford new ducts, cabinets and civil works. A lamp-post retrofit adds EV charging by reusing the pole that is already there and already has a power feed to the kerb.

What the retrofit involves

1. Check the supply. The pole‘s existing circuit must have spare capacity. In many residential streets the available current is limited, which is why low-power AC charging (3.7–22 kW) fits best.

2. Mount the charger in or on the pole. Embedded units sit inside the pole for a clean look; retrofit units clamp on. Either way the charger becomes part of the street furniture rather than a separate pillar.

3. Metering and payment. RFID cards, QR/app start or a payment back-end are all possible; OCPP 1.6J links the charger to your management platform.

4. Compliance. Local rules on street furniture, earthing and protection apply — involve the pole owner (often the municipality or a lighting contractor) early.

Why it matters: lamp-post charging puts charge points exactly where cars already park overnight, without the cost and clutter of dedicated charging bays.

Shenzhen TDT makes embedded AC EV chargers designed for smart street lamps and lamp poles, with OCPP 1.6J and optional 4G.