BMW To Pilot “Light and Charge” Streetlights

BMW has developed street lights equipped with sockets to charge electric cars, it said on Friday, and will run a pilot project in Munich next year that uses existing local authority lighting networks.

BMW said it has made two prototype “Light and Charge” street lights which combine efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LED) with the company’s ChargeNow recharging stations for electric cars.

The Munich pilot will install the first charging lights, which can be grafted straight onto the existing local authority street lighting infrastructure. These additional charging stations can be used by as many drivers as possible, regardless of vehicle model and electricity provider, BMW said.