WASHINGTON (7News) — A light went off in Jeff Prosserman’s head when he noticed there were missed opportunities for adding more electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

He is the co-founder and CEO of Voltpost, which retrofits light posts to install EV charging stations, using the existing electrical infrastructure.

“By doing this, we can significantly reduce the costs, the timing, and physical footprint of charger deployment. The interconnection process is with us pulling a single cable bundle through the existing conduit, dropping the power down from overhead, and connecting that to the grid,” Prosserman said. “That process can save tens of thousands of dollars, and install within just a few hours with no construction and trenching.”

Soon, Voltpost will build 16 chargers into D.C. light posts, thanks to a grant from the city.

The D.C. Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) recently awarded $609,000 in grants split among three companies dedicated to building EV charging stations: Voltpost, it’s electric, and PowerUp America.

“The grants are intended to offset the upfront equipment and installation costs associated with expanding EV charging access. One of the selected grantees, Voltpost, plans to install chargers on existing utility poles. Using existing infrastructure can reduce installation costs and deployment timelines compared to traditional charging stations, while also helping serve residents who may not have access to private driveways or parking lots for home charging,” a DOEE spokesperson said in a statement. “This investment aligns with Mayor Muriel Bowser’s continued commitment to modernizing transportation infrastructure, expanding clean energy access, and supporting the District’s climate goals.”

PowerUp America CEO Josh Turner told 7News that this grant money goes a long way to meet the growing demand in D.C., providing the spark needed to build 10 EV chargers.

“EV adoptions continue to grow; we’re seeing it as a national trend. In that, we will see the urban areas built out. But grants like this just help us accelerate infrastructure to make more of an impact today,” Turner said.

Prosserman echoed this sentiment, saying, “Having that convenient and affordable charging access where people park today becomes critically important to ease the transition from gas to electric.”

The third company winning the grant, which is electric, has specialized in building curbside chargers, having already installed one in D.C.

“We won because we are the only company in the U.S. that offers a curbside solution that works for cities, with hardware that any EV driver can use. We are building curbside charging so it can scale in U.S. cities,” an it’s electric spokesperson said in a statement. “For this grant, we’re also exploring how solar infrastructure can be used to power EV charging stations, through a collaboration with Skyhook.”

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation found more than 20 % of new cars bought by D.C. residents were electric vehicles, a rate that was second only to California.

However, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) reports the city owns only 6 total ports at two locations across the city.

There are more than 1,000 privately-run chargers, but the CEOs who spoke with 7News said there are hurdles to building more stations.

“There’s a lot of permitting and a lot of other things you have to deal with to get from A to B,” Turner said. “The District, just because of its location, tends to be higher in power costs than across the river. If you go into Virginia, some of those rates are more competitive. You see a lot of infrastructure providers logically say, ‘Hey, let’s go where the power is cheaper.’”

Prosserman added: “We’re working closely with Pepco, the Department of Energy and Environment, as well as other local agencies in order to find ideal sites for the chargers to be deployed. Working with government agencies and utilities is a slow process, and making sure we create alignment both with local level, the general public, people living on the streets, plus the utilities and the agencies, and factoring that all into the ideal site assessment to deploy.”

These grants are not funded by city taxpayer dollars. Instead, they come from settlement money won by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) against Volkswagen after the company violated the Clean Air Act.

This money was distributed to all states, Puerto Rico, and D.C., and can only be used for environmental mitigation actions, like building more EV charging infrastructure.

“The program is funded through the District’s allocation from the Volkswagen settlement, meaning no District tax dollars are being used beyond staff administration time. EV drivers using the charging stations will pay charging fees, which are expected to cover electricity costs and ongoing operating expenses of the grantee partners. Additionally, the chargers will generate revenue through sales tax and other fees on electricity,” a DOEE spokesperson said in a statement.

Turner said grants like this supercharge the effort to keep up with demand in a way that eases the burden for companies.

“Our goal is to not just get chargers in the ground, but to partner with the community,” Turner said. “We have initiatives in place to continue to reinvest the money from those chargers into more infrastructure. Our goal is to really make a meaningful impact in the community.”