The much anticipated announcement of the 31 selected locations for Seattle City Light’s Curbside Level 2 Electric Vehicle Charging pilot is finally here! After receiving more than 1,800 requests from eager Seattle area community members and EV enthusiasts last summer, we had our work cut out for us. Luckily, we had a panel of subject matter experts from City Light and Seattle Department of Transportation to help narrow down the field to 31 locations based on a number of criteria such as location, number of requests in a given area, availability of infrastructure, and property type.
“The strong response from community members for this initial pilot phase has been remarkable,” said Angela Song, Transportation Electrification Portfolio Manager with Seattle City Light. “The interest in placement of the charging sites demonstrates the growing demand for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in our region.”
We’re excited to announce that construction is slated to begin as early as April 2023. We anticipate 50% completion of the charging sites by the end of May, with the remaining sites completed by the end of summer. Each charging site was designed based on its own individual location with 12 planning to be installed on wood poles, 6 on new steel poles, and 13 installed on stand-alone pedestals (picture attached). The plan is for each site to be energized individually as construction is completed, so no need to wait for a big celebration. As soon as they are ready, EV owners can start using them!
Here is a complete list of locations—all addresses listed are within the City of Seattle. A map of the sites is available and locations are noted by a blue icon.
| 300 block W Mercer St | 3900 block Whitman Ave N | 4800 block California Ave SW |
| 4000 block E McGilvra St | 500 block 20th Ave E | 2100 block California Ave SW |
| 1700 block N 46th St | 4200 block Stone Way N | 700 block 143rd St |
| 1600 block NE 143rd St | 300 block Pontius Ave N | 100 block Bellevue Ave E |
| 300 block N 45th St | 1100 block 13th Ave | 3600 block Dayton Ave N |
| 1700 block NW 57TH St | 7000 block 17th Ave SW | 200 block MLK Jr Way S |
| 1300 block 12th Ave S | 600 block 7th Ave S | 2900 block Fuhrman Ave E |
| 6000 block 16th Ave SW | 4800 block Fauntleroy Way SW | 500 block Valley St |
| 4700 block 35th Ave S | 1900 block Fairview Ave E | 1700 block 15th Ave |
| 500 block W Olympic Pl | 1400 block S Hill St | 1700 block S Forest St |
| 400 block NE Maple Leaf Pl |
Here are a few questions we anticipate the public might have:
What does it cost to charge?
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.
Who can use the charging stations?
Anyone can use the charging stations—they are open to the public. Customers may pay via the Shell Recharge Solutions cell phone app, a Shell Recharge Solutions membership RFID card, or with a credit card by calling the toll-free phone number listed on the charger. Charging network roaming arrangements allow users to pay via ChargePoint, EV Connect, and FLO cell phone apps.
Are there time limits for usage of the charging stations?
Customers may use the charging stations for up to four hours from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm every day. There are no time limits for usage overnight from 6:00 pm to 7:00 am.
Who is responsible for enforcing parking rules and regulations at the charging sites?
SDOT Parking Enforcement Officers enforce parking rules and regulations at these charging stations. Drivers that exceed the posted time limits, park without charging, or park non-EVs in the marked EV charging spaces will be ticketed or towed.
Who will maintain the charging sites?
City Light uses third-party vendors to maintain the charging stations. Contracted vendors are responsible for monitoring and repairing stations. If a station if found in need of service, a request can be sent to SCL_ElectricVehicles@seattle.gov.
For more information about the program, please visit seattle.gov/city-light/curbside-charging.