Mayor Lurie, Board of Supervisors Secure $5 Million for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie and the Board of Supervisors today secured a $5 million grant from the California Energy Commission to install new electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The grant, along with a $2.8 million match from the city, will fund the installation of 403 new electric vehicle charging ports at city-owned facilities and enable fueling an additional 800 light-duty electric vehicles, equivalent to roughly 40% of the city’s non-public safety light-duty fleet. With the approval of the legislation, the City Administrator’s Office will begin designing plans, purchasing the chargers, and installing them.

San Francisco was one of the first cities in the United States to develop a sustainability plan nearly three decades ago, now called the Climate Action Plan. Under Mayor Lurie’s leadership, the city opened the first 24/7 publicly accessible electric vehicle charging site in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. The city has continued to be a leader in innovative climate solutions, celebrating the launch of several San Francisco companies leading the way in clean energy—including It’s Electric, which unveiled the city’s first curbside electric vehicle charging stations, Redwood Materials, which announced a new research and development facility, and Intersect Power, a clean energy company that established its headquarters at 140 New Montgomery.

“We all need to do our part to support the environment—and the city is leading the way,” said Mayor Lurie. “This grant will allow us to increase the share of zero-emission city vehicles from 8% to nearly half of our fleet—that’s real momentum. Whether you drive, walk, bike, or take the bus, our city is moving toward cleaner transportation.”  

“San Francisco has led the way tackling climate change, from sea level rise planning to green building standards to setting ambitious goals for a zero-emission fleet. Unfortunately, until now, we haven’t had the infrastructure needed to charge electric cars at scale,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “With this grant and our fleet assessment, we now have the knowledge and ability to install over 400 chargers across the city to power city vehicles. We estimate this will meet 40% of charging needs for the city’s common fleet and is a win-win because it’s good for the environment and lowers ongoing operating costs. I thank my team at fleet management for their foresight and their leadership in planning for and securing this grant, as well as our partners at the SF Environment Department for their work with us on the proposal.”

“For San Francisco to reach its climate goals we need to address auto emissions, and electrifying our city fleet is part of that,” said Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman. “In my time on the Board I have worked to expand EV charging infrastructure citywide, and this investment is an important step toward a cleaner, fully electrified municipal fleet. We’ve made real progress, but we still have much more work ahead to meet the urgency of the climate crisis.”

"Since the day I took office, I have been in support of the city's transition away from fossil fuels and towards climate resilience,” said District 7Supervisor Myrna Melgar. “From reducing gas guzzling machinery to investing in green infrastructure, I am proud of the work we have done to reduce the carbon footprint of San Francisco. This grant is another step in the right direction of leading by example to make the climate a top priority for our city."

San Francisco has set ambitious goals to minimize the impacts of climate change and build a more resilient city. Released in 2021, the Climate Action Plan establishes a goal for San Francisco to be an all-electric, net-zero emission city by 2040. The San Francisco Environment Department is currently working with the community on the 2025 update to the Climate Action Plan.

San Francisco has taken measures to transition its vehicle fleet, as well as support private EV adoption, but reaching a fully zero-emission light-duty fleet requires additional charging infrastructure and funding for additional ports. Today’s grant helps address this problem by adding charging infrastructure at 36 different city-owned facilities, serving 15 city departments.

Currently, 8% of all non-public safety light-duty city vehicles are zero-emission, either electric or hydrogen. The City Administrator’s Office estimates that the 403 new level two charging ports will enable the city to service at least 800 additional electric vehicles, or an additional 40% of the city’s light-duty non-public safety fleet.

In the last several years, the fleet management division of the City Administrator’s Office has accomplished key milestones to fast-track the transition to electric. Last year, fleet management worked to establish the first-ever citywide term contract for zero-emission vehicles—and all new non-public safety light-duty vehicles that San Francisco purchases will now be zero-emission. 

Recently, fleet management won a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to work with a specialized consulting firm to create a roadmap to a zero-emission light-duty fleet. The work on the roadmap begins this summer and is slated to be completed by spring 2027.

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made in the last few years to advance electrification and support the city’s climate goals. But we have a long way to go. This grant prepares us for a greener future for the city’s fleet,” said Don Jones, Director of Fleet Management. “Electrification is a citywide project with citywide impacts, and I want to thank both the California Energy Commission and our city partners for supporting this work.”

“Electrifying our city isn’t just about cleaner air—it’s about building a healthier, more equitable San Francisco for the next generation,” said Tyrone Jue, Director of the San Francisco Environment Department. “Over the last two years, we’ve helped five city departments bring in over $10 million to drive climate solutions. From transitioning our municipal fleet to expanding public EV charging, we’re laying the foundation for a city that leads with innovation, justice, and care for community."