Charging from street lights: Sofia takes another step towards an electric future

In March the Sofia district of Oborishte made an innovative move in support of electric mobility, beginning tests of the first charging stations installed directly in street lights. The system lets owners of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles charge overnight, while the lighting is on – between 20:00 and 08:30.

This is the first project of its kind in Bulgaria and follows established practice in several European capitals. The charging points are located in the area around the Doctors' Garden and are currently in a three-month trial period during which charging is free. After that the plan is to move to a paid service through a mobile app.

Street lights – the new charging infrastructure

The idea of using existing infrastructure such as street lighting to charge electric cars is as innovative as it is logical. Lamp posts are already connected to the electricity grid and stand in key places across the city – beside pavements, residential buildings and public spaces. That makes them an ideal candidate for conversion into slow overnight charging points.

A solution for people without garages

The big barrier for many people considering an electric car is the lack of somewhere of their own to charge. In an urban environment, especially in central Sofia, a significant proportion of residents have no access to a garage or a private yard. That makes on-street charging vital to accelerating the transition to electric mobility.

The project in Oborishte addresses that problem directly, offering a practical solution – charging your car in front of your building, with no need for new infrastructure. And although the charging speed is low, it fully covers the needs of most drivers, who park their cars overnight anyway.