The largest electric vehicle (EV) charging station in Western Pennsylvania was recently installed in Pittsburgh.
The station, in the city’s Second Avenue Parking Plaza, includes 15 dual-hose Level 2 chargers. The chargers can fully charge a vehicle in six to eight hours and can charge 30 EVs simultaneously.
By 2026, the Second Avenue Parking Lot will be the city’s main electric fleet charging depot. A total of 70 electric vehicles will be charged.
Currently, the city operates 26 fully electric sedans and recharges them using five level 2 solar charging units. With the completion of the new charging station, the solar units are to be installed throughout the city for public use.
By the end of 2023, the city plans to install multiple charging sites and purchase 70 additional EVs. This will help the city reach its goal of converting to a 100 percent fossil-fuel-free fleet, increasing vehicle electrification, and reducing transportation-related emissions by 2030.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection awarded the city a $135,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive grant for the charging station, and the Pennsylvania Energy Authority awarded the city a $189,403 COVID-19 Restart Grant.
The Environmental Protection Agency awarded the city a $2.8 million Targeted Airshed Grant.