Seattle lets residents choose sites for 200 new curbside EV chargers
Seattle is soliciting public input to select locations for up to 200 curbside Level 2 electric vehicle chargers by 2030. The initiative, funded by a $1.55 billion transport levy, targets apartment dwellers lacking home charging. Residents can submit proposals until autumn 2027. Installation begins later that year, prioritizing areas with high pollution and limited existing infrastructure to improve equitable access to EV charging.
Key points
- Seattle’s city-owned utility and transport department are opening applications for residents to suggest sites for 200 new curbside Level 2 EV chargers.
- The program is funded by a $1.55 billion transport levy and aims to assist apartment residents who typically lack off-street parking or home charging options.
- Residents can submit site suggestions until autumn 2027, with the city selecting locations in batches of 40 to 50 starting in January 2027.
- The Level 2 chargers deliver up to 9.6 kilowatts, adding approximately 30 miles of range per hour, and cost $0.21 per kilowatt-hour on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Site selection prioritizes areas near apartment buildings, shops, and parks, as well as communities with high pollution and a history of underinvestment.
- The plan expands a successful pilot that installed 58 chargers at 31 sites, which recorded 45,000 uses in the past year.
Seattle has launched a public consultation process to determine the locations of up to 200 new curbside electric vehicle chargers. The initiative, managed by Seattle City Light and the city’s transport department, targets residents in apartment buildings who often lack access to off-street parking or home charging infrastructure. Applications for site suggestions are open until autumn 2027, allowing community members to influence the placement of this new infrastructure.
The project is funded through a $1.55 billion transport levy and builds upon a previous pilot program that installed 58 chargers across 31 sites. That pilot demonstrated strong demand, with the chargers being used 45,000 times over the past year. The new chargers will be Level 2 units capable of delivering up to 9.6 kilowatts, sufficient to add roughly 30 miles of driving range per hour. Users will pay $0.21 per kilowatt-hour, with access operating on a first-come, first-served basis without reservation options.
Installation is scheduled to begin in autumn 2027, with all units operational by 2030. The city will select sites in batches of 40 to 50, starting in January 2027. Priority will be given to areas near apartment complexes that are distant from existing chargers, as well as locations close to shops and parks. The selection process also favors communities with high pollution levels and a history of underinvestment, aiming to distribute the benefits of electrification equitably across the city.
Sources
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