Photo: Electrify America
Electric cars are well on their way to becoming the preferred means of transportation, but there’s still the question of EV charging networks. People are wondering whether there will be enough charging locations and how it will all work out. That is why various cities in the U.S. are devising strategies for future local charging networks, and Pittsburgh is one of them.
There are currently only 35 public EV charging plugs, mostly in the Downtown and Oakland areas, and Pittsburgh officials are looking to change that. The newly-released Public EV Charging Strategic Plan outlines an ambitious goal of adding more than 200 such EV charging plugs by the end of 2025, with the main target of eventually reaching up to a total of 2,000.
According to this Plan, it’s not just about extending the charging network, but also about making charging points more accessible for people in Pittsburgh. This means that each Council District is set to have four plugs and that every household is close to both Level 2 chargers or DC fast chargers. More specifically, Pittsburgh citizens would need no more than 10 minutes to either walk up to a Level 2 charger or drive up to a fast one.
Level 2 chargers are the ones that take longer to charge, with a full charge delivered in about six hours or more. Fast chargers, in turn, require only about half an hour for an almost full charge.
As far as capacity goes, Pittsburgh officials have taken into consideration three possible scenarios, based on how many EVs are expected to be on the roads in upcoming years. And, in the most optimistic one, 75% of all cars would be electric, by 2030.
In drafting this strategy, officials have also considered the financial impact it would have on the people of Pittsburgh. “This means establishing appropriate pricing structures for public chargers as well as a dedicated fund to cover operational costs that allows us to invest in new chargers throughout Pittsburgh.”, said Principal Resilience Planner, Rebecca Kiernan.
By expanding its public EV charging network, the city of Pittsburgh aims to meet the target of 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.
According to this Plan, it’s not just about extending the charging network, but also about making charging points more accessible for people in Pittsburgh. This means that each Council District is set to have four plugs and that every household is close to both Level 2 chargers or DC fast chargers. More specifically, Pittsburgh citizens would need no more than 10 minutes to either walk up to a Level 2 charger or drive up to a fast one.
Level 2 chargers are the ones that take longer to charge, with a full charge delivered in about six hours or more. Fast chargers, in turn, require only about half an hour for an almost full charge.
As far as capacity goes, Pittsburgh officials have taken into consideration three possible scenarios, based on how many EVs are expected to be on the roads in upcoming years. And, in the most optimistic one, 75% of all cars would be electric, by 2030.
In drafting this strategy, officials have also considered the financial impact it would have on the people of Pittsburgh. “This means establishing appropriate pricing structures for public chargers as well as a dedicated fund to cover operational costs that allows us to invest in new chargers throughout Pittsburgh.”, said Principal Resilience Planner, Rebecca Kiernan.
By expanding its public EV charging network, the city of Pittsburgh aims to meet the target of 50% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.
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