Reels and Bollards
EV Charging Hardware
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
Project Description
The environmental benefits of plug-in electric vehicles will become widespread only if an infrastructure for charging, wayfinding, and incentives is in place at a scale that can compete with the ubiquitous gas station.
The options for EV charging hardware present opportunities for integration with specific sites, facilities, and communities that far surpass the level of integration currently possible with the liquid fuel pump. CGD’s design services for EV charging hardware are grounded in the following principles:
1. Charging hardware will embody state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, and cost-effective technology compatible with current power delivery sources.
2. For enclosed parking structures and exterior light poles, EVspecific charging outlets and/or overhead retractable inertial reels are recommended.
3. For street and unsheltered lot parking, ground-mounted bollards are recommended.
4. The industrial design of charging hardware will feature forms and iconography that both enhance the user experience and respect the aesthetic values of a specific community.
Gas, 1940, oil on canvas, by Edward Hopper
Mobil’s early integration of corporate logo with pump architecture, as immortalized by
Edward Hopper, provides a useful paradigm for an envisioned union of the illuminated E
logo with a retractable charging unit.
Hi-Tech / Low-Tech “Smart” connectors on overhead inertial reels merge EV technology
with existing mechanics to form safe, easy-to-use charger couplings along
Main Street.
Neon-inspired Perimeter and Sub-surface Illumination combine with the E icon to define a
charging unit concept for a garage or light post. Retractable cable keeps the charging interface
from contact with wet pavements and dirt.