Council approves expanding public charging stations in Austin for electric vehicles
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin City Council has approved a measure to expand public charging stations for electric vehicles in Austin.
The Council voted Thursday to direct the City Manager to develop a plan for the equitable distribution of public charging stations. This would include DC fast chargers and Level 2 chargers, which are more common in homes and workplaces.
The Council has also directed the City Manager to coordinate with local and regional partners and to establish priorities for an initial three-year implementation phase of the plan. The Council expects a progress report with timelines by mid-September.
District 7 Council Member Leslie Pool's resolution aligns with the goals of the Austin Climate Equity Plan, which calls for reaching net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 as well as the distribution of a mix of public charging stations throughout Austin, says the city.
A more immediate challenge of the climate plan is the goal of reducing our use of fossil fuels to nearly zero by 2030.
MORE COUNCIL NEWS
- City to install temporary solar lighting on trail near Rainey Street before start of SXSW
- City announces pay package for Austin Police Department
- City of Austin interim city manager announces key leadership changes
Initial cosponsors joining Pool on the resolution were Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Members Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, José 'Chito' Vela, and Alison Alter. Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis and Council Members Vanessa Fuentes, Natasha Harper-Madison, and Ryan Alter also signed on as cosponsors.
The number of electric vehicles in Austin has grown by nearly 40% over the past year, according to data provided by nonprofit Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance, or TxETRA, says the city.
Recent federal action has opened competitive funding opportunities for the city to finance the charging stations, including $20 million of National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) funding to CAMPO, $2.5 billion in NEVI Clean Fuel Infrastructure grants, and credits up to $100,000 per charging station.