Seattle will add up to 200 curbside EV chargers by 2030

Seattle plans to install up to 200 new curbside Level 2 EV chargers by 2030, aimed at people who live in apartments and have nowhere to plug in. Residents can suggest locations through the Seattle City Light portal until fall 2027, InsideEVs reports.

The plan in brief:

• Who it is for: areas near multifamily housing that do not have curbside chargers yet, plus communities hit by pollution and underinvestment. A “walk score” favours spots near shops and parks, which tend to get more use.
• Timeline: sites are picked in batches of 40–50; design and permitting start in spring 2027, installation from fall 2027, about two weeks of construction per site, all online by 2030.
• Money: about $21 million from the $1.55 billion transportation levy voters approved in 2024, plus $2 million from Seattle City Light.
• Today’s chargers: a 2023–24 pilot put 58 chargers at 31 locations. They were used about 45,000 times in the past year, according to SDOT, and cost $0.21 per kWh at up to 9.6 kW.

Our take: this is the unglamorous infrastructure that actually decides whether renters buy EVs. More than half of Seattle homes are apartments or condos, often without off-street parking, so many owners end up paying more at DC fast chargers. A 9.6 kW Level 2 post adds roughly 50–60 km (30–40 miles) of range per hour for a typical EV, enough to top up overnight on the street. 200 chargers is modest for a city this size, but letting residents choose sites is the right way to place them. If you can charge at home instead, our home EV charger guide and EV battery care guide explain how to charge well.