***PRESS RELEASE***
San Francisco’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Curbside Pilot Program Delivers the First Public Curbside Chargers
In a major expansion for EV charging in San Francisco, it’s electric becomes the first to install public chargers on the curb through the City’s new EV Curbside Charging program.
San Francisco, CA – Today, Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman joined the San Francisco Environment Department (SFE), San Francisco Public Works, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) to celebrate the installation of the first curbside EV chargers in San Francisco under a new pilot program. The two new Level 2 chargers, installed by it’s electric, located at 55 Fillmore Street, right outside of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) building, represent a significant step forward in expanding access to EV charging infrastructure for San Francisco’s drivers. These pair of chargers are the result of a collaboration between it’s electric and the City – including SFE, SFMTA, and Public Works
“Making it easier to drive electric vehicles is a critical step towards achieving our climate goals,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “These curbside EV chargers are the first of many, and I want to thank it’s electric for working with us to bring this innovation to our streets. By streamlining our permitting process with the new Emerging Technology Permit, we’re making it faster and easier to deliver clean energy to our communities.”
In the last two years, one third of car sales in San Francisco were EVs. As EV adoption has grown, so too has the City’s effort to install charging. Today, the City has 1,152 publicly accessible charging ports, an increase of 470% since 2019. The expansion of EV charging to the curb opens a new frontier of potential for convenient, publicly accessible charging, which will help the City reach its goal of 1,760 publicly available EV chargers by 2030.
“California’s 2035 EV mandate is quickly approaching, and San Francisco must be ready,” said San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman. “That’s why I have been working with the San Francisco Environment Department and SFMTA to identify what it will take to scale up curbside charging. With the first chargers now being installed this week in Duboce Triangle, we’re taking an important step toward getting the infrastructure needed for an all-electric future. I’m grateful to Mayor Lurie, it’s electric, SFMTA, and SF Environment for moving this forward.”
As the newest option, curbside charging joins other established pathways, like off-street parking and garage charging, to deliver convenient charging solutions to residents and businesses. In March, San Francisco welcomed charging company Revel’s first West Coast project, a 12-unit DC fast charger plaza in the Mission. In 2024, the City welcomed Electrify America’s indoor, 20-charger plaza in the SOMA neighborhood.
“This is what climate innovation looks like—public-private partnerships that turn good ideas into real-world impact,” said Tyrone Jue, Director of the San Francisco Environment Department. “Through Yes SF, our city welcomed it’s electric as one of our inaugural climate tech partners. Today, that collaboration delivers San Francisco’s first curbside EV chargers. It’s a small but powerful step toward an all-electric future that’s equitable, accessible, and rooted in our neighborhoods.”
It’s electric is a private company that partners with property owners to utilize untapped electricity supply, enabling the installation of compact, user-friendly chargers without the need for extensive street work or direct utility connections. This behind-the-meter connection also bypasses the utility, adding no additional stress to the electrical grid, and allows for much faster installation, minimal disruption, and equitable access to support the city's sustainability goals.
“Cutting the ribbon on San Francisco’s first curbside EV chargers is incredibly exciting. This milestone is a testament to the City’s commitment to prioritizing equitable infrastructure as SF looks to the future,” said Tiya Gordon, COO of it’s electric. “San Francisco has run an impressive process to launch this pilot, and we are honored to reduce the complexities of charging for existing SF EV drivers, and to open the door for EV adoption for drivers who were hesitant due to concerns about where they could charge. And our work continues, even after the ribbon is cut —we’re collecting and sharing data from this pilot with the City to help shape a comprehensive, citywide policy for broad, scalable curbside EV charging.”
This model provides drivers with affordable charging options while offering property owners the opportunity to earn monthly passive income. Through partnerships with cities, it’s electric manages the installation, operation, and maintenance of chargers at no cost to municipalities or building owners, aiming to seamlessly integrate into the urban landscape while providing a convenient charging options for EV owners.
"We applaud it’s electric’s nationwide commitment to using IBEW electricians to install their chargers, and we are proud to host their first curbside chargers outside our offices in San Francisco. IBEW Local 6 has been an active part of electrifying transportation for over 130 years in San Francisco. We continue those efforts as we train the next generation of electrical workers to install the charging infrastructure needed to power the transition to clean, emission-free, electric vehicles. This is a monumental task; IBEW Local 6 and our signatory contractors are up to the challenge,” said John J. Doherty, Business Manager – Financial Secretary of IBEW Local 6.
The new chargers dispense 7.6 kW, adding about 25 miles of range per hour, and are open to the public. For drivers without an Area S permit, charging is limited to 2 hours from 8:00 am-9:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Building owners and drivers who want to see a charger on their block can join it’s electric’s waitlist.
“Environmental stewardship is in our DNA,” said Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “We’ve made Muni the greenest fleet in North America, and we’re excited to be partnering with other city agencies to make driving in electric vehicles another environmentally friendly option for getting around San Francisco. No matter how you travel around the city, you should be able to do it in a way that’s gentle on our planet.”
“Curbside charging provides a welcome option for people who drive electric vehicles,” said Carla Short, Director of San Francisco Public Works whose team facilitated the permitting process to allow installation of the EV charger infrastructure in the public right of way. “This collaborative initiative demonstrates San Francisco’s continued commitment to advance environmental sustainability.”
San Francisco’s EV curbside pilot expects to work through the remaining demonstration pilot submissions to determine the feasibility of more projects. Data evaluation and lessons learned will inform recommendations to establish a more permanent curbside charging permitting process. For more information on the City’s Curbside EV Charging Pilot Program, please visit sfgov.org/ev-curbside
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