Curbside Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging
Example of Level 2 EV charger installed on a utility pole
Project Description
Seattle City Light is installing and operating public Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at curbside locations throughout the city of Seattle. City Light is offering this service to provide near-home EV charging for residents who cannot access off-street parking to charge their vehicles.
What will this service provide?
This service will provide public Level 2 EV charging next to the curb in residential neighborhoods in Seattle. Seattle City Light will install, own, operate, and maintain the EV chargers. Because these chargers are public, anyone who drives an EV will be able to park on the street next to the charger and charge their vehicle. The chargers will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be reserved.
The Level 2 EV chargers installed under this program will provide up to 9.6 kilowatts (kW). The infrastructure can provide a typical EV with over 30 miles of range per hour of charge time. Level 2 EV chargers are frequently used for multiple hours at a time, such as when a car is parked overnight at home or while the driver is at work.
How much will this service cost?
Drivers will need to pay a per kilowatt-hour (kWh) fee to use the chargers. The current cost to charge at a City Light Level 2 charger is $0.21 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). One kWh provides a typical EV with enough energy to travel over three miles. The fees are designed to pay for the electricity, operations, maintenance and repair costs while offsetting the initial purchase and installation costs.
Why is this service being offered?
Many Seattle residents must use street parking near their homes. Older single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, and houseboats frequently do not have off-street parking like a driveway, garage, or parking lot. It is usually very difficult or not possible for residents to provide their own EV charging when parking on the street.
This project will directly support the Transportation Electrification Strategic Investment Plan by helping to expand at-home and near-home charging for multifamily residents. Currently, there is a lack of access to EV charging for multifamily units. Expanding at-home and near-home charging solutions for multifamily residents in environmental justice communities will increase equitable access to transportation electrification as 52 percent of City Light’s customers are renters and a majority live in multifamily properties.
The City of Seattle set a goal to reduce transportation emissions 83% from 2008 levels by 2030. Residents can accomplish much of this with low-emission travel by public transit, biking, walking, and other options; however, many will still rely on personal vehicles for some of their trips. Seattle City Light is installing these chargers as part of a more extensive portfolio of transportation electrification investments and services to help the utility's service area transition to zero-emission electric transportation options.
How did City Light select the charger locations?
City Light selected the charger locations through an opt-in process. More than 1,800 requests were received in Summer 2022. A panel of subject matter experts from City Light and Seattle Department of Transportation reviewed each request based on a number of criteria such as location, number of requests in a given area, availability of infrastructure, and property type.
In Q4 2022, City Light mailed project information fliers to the property owners or homeowner associations for each property adjacent to and across the street from each proposed EV charging station location. Recipients were encouraged to respond to an online survey to voice support or opposition to the charger and were able to ask questions or provide feedback. City Light staff responded to all questions and feedback for those who provided email addresses for responses.
How soon will the charging locations be available for use?
Construction is slated to begin as early as April 2023. City Light anticipates 50% completion of the charging sites by the end of May, with the remaining sites completed by the end of fall. Each charging site was designed based on its own individual location with 12 planned to be installed on wood poles, 6 on new steel poles, and 13 sites installed on stand-alone pedestals. The plan is for each site to be made available as construction is completed.
*Locations are noted by blue icons.
Complete list of locations – all addresses listed are within the City of Seattle.
- 300 block W Mercer St
- 4000 block E McGilvra St
- 1700 block N 46th St
- 1600 block NE 143rd St
- 300 block N 45th St
- 400 block NE Maple Leaf Pl
- 1700 block NW 57TH St
- 3900 block Whitman Ave N
- 500 block 20th Ave E
- 4200 block Stone Way N
- 300 block Pontius Ave N
- 1100 block 13th Ave
- 7000 block 17th Ave SW
- 1300 block 12th Ave S
- 6000 block 16th Ave SW
- 4700 block 35th Ave S
- 1700 block 15th Ave
- 600 block 7th Ave S
- 4800 block Fauntleroy Way SW
- 1900 block Fairview Ave E
- 1400 block S Hill St
- 1700 block S Forest St
- 4800 block California Ave SW
- 2100 block California Ave SW
- 700 block 143rd St
- 100 block Bellevue Ave E
- 3600 block Dayton Ave N
- 200 block MLK Jr Way S
- 2900 block Fuhrman Ave E
- 500 block Valley St
- 500 block W Olympic Pl
Suggest a Public Charging Station Location
Help us understand your EV charging needs as we plan out the network for new public chargers in the Seattle City Light service area. Suggest a new location, or see what others have suggested and click on the heart if you agree.