Prague Rolls Out 150 EV-Ready Street Lamps to Build Charging Network from the Ground Up

Street Lamps That Double as Chargers

Prague's city council has approved a project to install around 150 'EV-ready' street lamps this year as part of the Czech capital's e-mobility strategy. Developed in collaboration with Technologie hl. m. Prahy, the city's municipal technology company, the lamps are designed to make future charging station deployment fast and inexpensive.

Each EVR (Electric Vehicle Ready) lamp connects directly to the power distribution network, bypassing the typical low-voltage lighting circuit. This means a charging point can be added later without digging up the street or laying new cables. Each lamp supports up to 2×22 kW of charging power — enough to add roughly 150 km of range per hour of charging.

The Bigger Picture: 6,000 Lamps by 2030

The 150 lamps approved this year are a small slice of a much larger plan. Prague installed 143 EV-ready lamps in 2024 and aims to reach 1,500 by the end of 2026. The long-term target is 6,000 EV-ready lamps by 2030.

The targets are driven by Prague's charging infrastructure development plan, which projects up to 180,000 electric vehicles on the city's streets by 2030. That would require approximately 4,500 charging stations — and lamppost chargers are one of the most cost-effective ways to reach that number.

Why Lamppost Charging Works for Cities

Lamppost charging solves a problem that plagues dense European cities: where to put chargers when most residents park on the street. Purpose-built charging stations require dedicated real estate, electrical connections, and planning permission. Lamppost chargers use existing infrastructure — the lamp is already there, and the power cable already runs to it.

The approach has gained traction across Europe. London has deployed thousands of lamppost chargers through providers like Ubitricity, and several German cities are piloting similar schemes. Prague's approach is distinctive because the city is pre-wiring the lamps during routine lighting upgrades rather than retrofitting them later, which significantly reduces per-unit cost.

What This Means for Tesla Owners in Czechia

For Tesla owners in Prague, lamppost chargers are best suited for overnight topping up rather than rapid charging. At 22 kW, an overnight session adds over 250 km of range — more than enough for daily commuting. The chargers complement rather than replace the Supercharger network, filling the gap for residents who lack private garage charging.

Prague's programme is also a signal that Czech municipalities are taking EV infrastructure seriously. With EU CO2 fleet targets tightening in 2025 and 2030, cities that invest in charging now will be better positioned to absorb the wave of EVs that automakers are required to sell.