San Francisco Makes Curbside EV Charging Permanent to End 'Charging Deserts'

San Francisco has transitioned its curbside electric vehicle (EV) charging initiative from a pilot phase to a permanent citywide program. The move provides critical infrastructure for residents who lack private parking, removing a primary barrier to EV adoption in the dense urban center.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is now accepting applications from charging operators to install public chargers across the city. To ensure the infrastructure meets community needs, the city launched the ChargeUp SF map, a digital tool allowing residents to nominate specific streets and public facilities for installations. This crowdsourced approach supports a strategic goal to have 100 curbside EV charging stations operational by 2030.

The Path to Permanence

The permanent framework follows a testing period that began in 2025. The pilot phase studied utility connections, charger hardware designs, and consumer demand before scaling. The first two chargers of the pilot went live in April 2025 at 55 Fillmore Street. During this initial phase, the city partnered with three companies—it’s electric, Urban EV, and Voltpost—to evaluate different technical approaches to curbside power delivery.

Solving the Urban Charging Gap

For many San Franciscans, the transition to zero-emission transportation is hindered by the city's architecture. A significant portion of the population lives in apartments or condominiums without access to private garages or driveways, making traditional home charging impossible. This creates "charging deserts" where the lack of nearby power sources makes owning an EV impractical.

Tyrone Jue, director of the San Francisco Environment Department, noted that for residents without a garage or driveway, access to charging can determine whether going electric is even practical. By establishing a clear permitting path for operators and integrating resident feedback, the city intends to accelerate the shift toward zero-emission vehicles to reduce local urban pollution.

Future Outlook

As the SFMTA reviews operator applications, the focus shifts toward the physical rollout of the 100-station goal. The city will continue to monitor the ChargeUp SF map to prioritize high-demand areas. While the framework is now permanent, the speed of the rollout depends on the capacity of selected operators to navigate utility installations and the city's ability to integrate these stations into existing curbside management policies.