Mayor London N. Breed, along with Supervisor Aaron Peskin, today introduced legislation to expand the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in San Francisco parking facilities and unveiled a roadmap to achieve 100% emission-free transportation by 2040. The newly announced initiatives are designed to reduce transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions, which account for 46% of the City’s overall emissions. 71% of the City’s transportation emissions come from private cars and trucks.
“In order to meet our climate goals and improve the air we breathe, we need to electrify public and private transportation,” said Mayor London Breed. “We know that one of the biggest barriers for people considering driving an electric vehicle is access to charging, so we want to make sure our City has the charging infrastructure that’s needed. Whether you’re parked at the grocery store to run errands or getting ready to leave the City for a road trip, you should be able to find a spot to charge—and get to your destination without having to use fossil fuels.”
“San Franciscans want to reduce our collective carbon footprint, and we want to make it easier for everyone to be a part of the solution,” said Supervisor Aaron Peskin. “By including a lower rate in our proposed TNC Traffic Congestion Tax for electric vehicles, by transitioning our public Muni fleet to electric and by requiring more charging station opportunities, we’re giving San Franciscans options and incentives to go green. Of course we’d like to see walking, biking and public transit prioritized, but if San Franciscans are going to drive, we hope they go electric.”
EV Charging in Commercial Lots and Garages
The proposed legislation is the first in the nation to require commercial parking lots and garages with more than 100 parking spaces to install EV charging stations in at least 10% of the parking spaces. Parking facility owners would be required to install the EV charging stations by January 1, 2023, and will be encouraged to work with EV charging providers to do so. The ordinance will apply to approximately 300 commercial parking facilities throughout the City.
EV Charging in Municipal Lots and Garages
In addition to increasing charging stations on privately owned land, the City will invite EV charging station providers to submit proposals to deploy EV charging stations in up to 38 municipal parking facilities that are accessible to the public. This initiative could result in the installation of 340 new charging ports, which would increase the City’s publicly accessible EV charging network by 44%. Since 2009, the City has installed over 200 EV charging stations in municipal parking facilities and at the San Francisco International Airport. The Port of San Francisco is issuing a Request For Qualifications (RFQ) to expand the Port’s EV Charging infrastructure. The current RFQ focuses on four Port sites that could result in the installation of 40 new charging stations along the waterfront.
As of July 16, the City is collecting responses from interested EV charging providers via an Intake Form on the Department of the Environment’s website: https://sfenvironment.org/electricmobilitysf
EV Roadmap to Achieve Zero-Emission Transportation
Mayor Breed also unveiled an EV Roadmap that sets a goal of 100% emission-free ground transportation by 2040. The Roadmap lays out a plan for the City to reduce the financial and information barriers that are preventing people from adopting EV technologies. The Roadmap offers solutions and actions the City can take to electrify private sector transportation, decrease total vehicle miles traveled, reduce gasoline and diesel-powered cars on the road, and increase adoption of zero emission vehicles.
Mayor Breed’s approach to electrifying transportation is designed to work in concert with San Francisco’s longstanding Transit First policy. The City recognizes that the best way to reduce congestion and emissions from the transportation sector is to get people out of cars, and onto public transit, bikes or sidewalks. The EV Roadmap represents a collaborative partnership between several City agencies, including the San Francisco Department of Environment, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, and the Port of San Francisco, other regional and state government agencies, and stakeholders from the private sector.
“If we are to meet the City’s ambitious climate action goals, we need to pursue every sustainable energy practice available, including the expansion of electric vehicles,” said San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan L. Kelly, Jr. “We are happy to work with Mayor Breed and our fellow City departments on innovative legislation that will move San Francisco toward a cleaner, greener, healthier future.”
“While we continue to get people out of their cars and onto transit, bikes and our sidewalks, we must transition any remaining vehicles on San Francisco’s roadways off of fossil fuels and onto renewable energy,” said Debbie Raphael, Director of the Department of the Environment. “A renewable energy supply is more than just a checkbox in San Francisco’s climate action strategy, it catalyzes even greater emission reductions.”
“San Francisco has long been a national leader when it comes to protecting the environment and we are extremely proud that Muni operates the greenest transit fleet of any major transit agency in North America,” said Ed Reiskin, Director of Transportation, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. “Our ongoing efforts to attract people to transit, bike and other sustainable modes must move in tandem with these emission reduction strategies to ensure that we are on the path to 100 percent emission-free transportation in San Francisco.”
“We are excited to issue an RFQ to expand electric vehicle charging stations along the waterfront,” said Elaine Forbes, Executive Director of the Port of San Francisco. “The Port will be looking for proposals up and down the waterfront; ensuring equitable access to charging stations all along Port property, from the northern waterfront down to our southern Waterfront.”
San Francisco has successfully reduced its greenhouse gas emissions 36% below 1990 levels and has a goal of being carbon neutral by 2050. CleanPowerSF, which is operated by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, is essential to helping the City meet its ambitious climate action goals. CleanPowerSF has enrolled 360,000 customers and provides electricity for 80% of the City. Additionally, Mayor Breed has introduced legislation to transition large private commercial buildings to 100% renewable electricity.