San Francisco’s transportation sector generates nearly half of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, the vast majority derived from private cars and trucks. These emissions drive a rapidly changing climate system which is disrupting and damaging critical infrastructure, health, and property and contribute to poor air quality, disproportionately affecting communities of color, low-income communities, seniors, and people with disabilities.
In order to achieve San Francisco’s 2040 net-zero emission goals, the city will need to invest in transit, walking and bicycling to rapidly reduce emissions as well as expand access to charging stations. The Curbside Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Feasibility Study is part of the City’s efforts to meet growing demand for EVs by facilitating the new installation of approximately 100 curbside charges as a part of meeting the need for about 1,760 public chargers by 2030 across San Francisco. Already mostly constructed, the completed network will be built on both public and private property.
The Study’s findings and recommendations should be used to guide the strategic deployment of public EV charging stations at the curb in neighborhoods across San Francisco. Curbside charging provides San Franciscans who live in multifamily homes or don’t have their own garage additional options to go electric, helping to provide more equitable access in the city.
- Completed
The Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging Feasibility Study, initiated in 2023, is comprised of a technical feasibility study that explores the feasibility of installing, operating and maintaining a curbside charging network. The study also included stakeholder and industry engagement to gather feedback from the community, stakeholders and industry to inform key findings and recommendations and funding strategies to guide the next phase of a curbside charging station network.
Examples of key findings from the study include:
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Siting of charging stations should be done intentionally as we build out the network
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The permitting and regulatory requirements in the public right of way are complex
Recommendations include:
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Expedite the permitting process and improve oversight by identifying a lead agency
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Site strategically and integrate with the multimodal transportation network
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Engage communities to ensure curbside chargers meet the transportation needs of their neighborhood
The Feasibility Study was developed by SFMTA with support from staff at Arup and SF Environment and partner agencies and is consistent with San Francisco’s 2021 Climate Action Plan and EV Roadmap.
The Study was informed by the Mayor’s Curbside Electric Vehicle Charging Pilot, which was launched in 2024 with the first charger installed in early 2025. The pilot is the City’s first step toward expanding access to curbside electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
