Getting Started with City EV Infrastructure: A 2 Phase Approach that Scales

Your City Needs Public Charging. Here’s Where to Start.

You know your city needs EV charging today or will sooner or later. EV adoption is accelerating, and your city should prepare for the influx of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that will require proper infrastructure for daily commuters, business fleets, and travelers passing through.

Even though most charging happens at home today, forward-thinking cities recognize that community members need charging beyond the home. Renters in apartments or single-family homes need access to convenient Level 2 charging. Landlords may not be ready financially or knowledgeable enough to understand current residents’ needs or prepare for future EV-driving tenants. Local business fleets may lack the know-how to install the right EVSE at their parking lots.

City leaders and community enthusiasts have the power to shift the narrative and prove we can be ready for electrification today. By establishing actionable plans and investing in public EVSE, they can build charging networks that show citizens electrification is here and ready for them.

The Three Keys to Getting Started

So you have the enthusiasm and are committed to the ongoing process of preparing your city for adopting electric vehicles. Let’s get started with these three key components to building EV infrastructure successfully to keep people mobile in this new electric era.

1. Get Feedback from the Community

The first step is understanding what your residents actually need beats assumptions every time. Survey apartment dwellers about their charging challenges. Talk to local business owners about fleet needs. Ask current EV drivers what gaps they see in your charging network.

2. Work Closely with Your EV Infrastructure Providers

Partner with charging companies, utilities, and installers from day one. They understand the technical requirements, permitting processes, and maintenance needs. These partnerships will be crucial as you scale.

3. Drive Electric Yourself

To champion electric vehicle adoption, you need to understand what being an EV driver is like daily. If buying isn’t feasible, rent one for trips or connect with local EV owners who’d share their experiences. Stay in tune with the lived experience you’ll be shaping.

This process works better with others. Learn from experts and leaders from similar cities who’ve successfully introduced EV charging infrastructure. Work with organizations like the Electrification Coalition, Veloz, or Forth Mobility who help cities plan robust, accessible charging networks. You will likely have something to teach them too and will foster a feeling of growth and excitement as more and more places go electric.

The Level 2 Strategy: Start Smart, Not Big

The biggest hurdle for many cities is building a sustainable plan that starts with low cost and risk but grows with EV demand. An iterative approach gets you started quickly while providing real value.

Find the public places where people already gather regularly. Town centers, shopping plazas, parks, and other community centric locations are great places to start. From there you start small by installing a set of well placed and reliable Level 2 chargers (delivering 10 to 30 miles in 30 minutes) in these prime locations to keep cost low but still show commitment to EV drivers.

Why Level 2 First?

I recommend Level 2 charging over expensive DC Fast charging because it:

• Reduces initial costs of electrifying your city
• Integrates with daily behaviors when done well
• Serves apartment dwellers who can’t afford home charging hardware

People already go to the gym for 30 minutes to several hours multiple times per week. They grocery shop weekly or bi-weekly. They work for 8 hours a day. These are all natural charging opportunities that will cover daily commutes and will make DC Fast charging only necessary for out-of-town travel or quick top-ups.

This benefits drivers who can’t charge at home and businesses that now offer a new amenity bringing additional foot traffic.

The Two-Phase Approach

I strongly advocate for more Level 2 charging in the city. While super fast DC Fast chargers can get all types of buzz from various parties, they can be a costly first step for many communities. I think a two phase approached to installing charging infrastructure that begins with Level 2 charging will be more sustainable in the long run. Here’s how it could work:

Phase 1: Install Level 2 charging in busy areas where people stay 1-2 hours. This shows citizens it’s possible to drive electric by demonstrating that charging exists where they shop, eat, work, and play.

Phase 2: Evaluate the EV charging experience (which you’ll understand as an EV driver!) and determine whether you need more Level 2 stations or can add DC Fast charging near transit corridors and shorter-stay locations.

This approach is adaptable, but the core idea remains: do something small that works well and is reliable, then build more as demand grows.

What Phase 1 Actually Looks Like

Budget: Typically $10,000-$50,000 for initial deployment of multiple Level 2 chargers

Timeline: 6-12 months from planning to activation

Scale: 4-8 Level 2 charging ports across 2-4 high-traffic locations

Key locations to consider:

• Parks and recreation centers
• Libraries and college campuses
• Downtown retail and dining districts
• Near major employers

Success metrics to track:

• Utilization rates (sessions per month per charger)
• User feedback scores
• Local EV registration growth
• Business foot traffic increases

Common Concerns Addressed

You and your stakeholders will likely have some important questions to answer as you implement your plan. Here are some common ones we can address now.

“What if demand doesn’t materialize?” Start small with 4-6 chargers. Low initial investment means low risk. Level 2 chargers have 10+ year lifespans, so you’re building for future demand too.

“How do we justify costs to taxpayers?” Frame it as economic development. Charging stations attract EV-driving visitors and residents, support local businesses, and position your city as forward-thinking. Many grants and incentives are available to offset costs.

“What about maintenance and operations?” Partner with experienced charging providers who handle maintenance contracts. Most modern chargers have 95%+ uptime rates and remote monitoring capabilities.

Your Next Steps

1. Form a stakeholder group including local government, businesses, utilities, and community members
2. Identify 3-4 potential locations for Phase 1 charging
3. Connect with charging providers to understand options and costs
4. Research available grants and incentives in your state
5. Drive an EV to understand the user experience firsthand

Phase 1 isn’t about solving every charging need immediately. It’s about proving to your community that electrification is practical, convenient, and ready for them today. Once you establish that foundation, Phase 2 expansion becomes much easier to plan and fund.

Your electrified city starts with these first few well-placed Level 2 charging stations. The question isn’t whether to begin–it’s deciding where you’d like you and your community members to start charging first.

Next in this series: We’ll explore how successful cities have built community support and engagement around their EV infrastructure projects.