Part 1: Seattle: An Early Electric Vehicle Adopter, Still Leading the Charge

This is part 1 of a three-part series covering initiatives and programs that the City of Seattle has undertaken to advance clean transportation. Also see part 2 and part 3.

For more than a decade, the City of Seattle has been at the forefront of environmental sustainability, including clean transportation. An early adopter of alternative fuels, the city continues to create opportunities to expand clean mobility. By using a combination of plans, ordinances, pilot projects, and a robust community engagement process, Seattle has positioned itself as a leader in electrification. The city has pursued several notable initiatives and programs over the years, adding up to one of the strongest electric vehicle (EV) readiness strategies in the country.

Broadening EV Goals, Advancing EV Readiness

The 2013 Seattle Climate Action Plan and subsequent 2018 Seattle Climate Action highlight key areas to advance transportation electrification, such as ride-share and taxi services and public charging infrastructure. In addition, the 2016 Drive Clean Seattle initiative set goals to increase light-duty EV ownership to 30% by 2030 and significantly expand transportation electrification at scale through a series of specific strategies, including identifying opportunities for public/private partnerships, and piloting innovative projects to accelerate transportation electrification. Following up on those goals, the city launched a curbside charging pilot and an EV shared mobility project in late 2019 and 2020, respectively.

In 2019, Seattle also passed an EV readiness ordinance requiring all new construction, including single- and multifamily housing (often called multi-unit dwellings, or MUDs) to have the necessary infrastructure to support EV charging stations at off-street parking locations, like a parking garage. The ordinance aims to increase access to convenient charging, which remains one of the most common barriers that potential EV drivers face. In fact, public charging tends to be more expensive than charging at home, which becomes an equity issue for multifamily housing residents, especially in low- and median-income neighborhoods. The ordinance itself was driven by equity considerations, as voluntary EV charging installation historically occurs only in high-end buildings, leaving low- and medium-income residents behind. See part 2 of this case study to learn how Seattle is implementing equity measures in its vehicle electrification and clean mobility programs.

Leveraging City Resources and Partners

The city leveraged its land use and zoning codes to introduce elements of EV readiness because zoning is entirely within the municipal jurisdiction. Participation from Seattle City Light (SCL), the local municipal utility, was also key to developing the EV ordinance. The effort was led by the Office of Sustainability and Environment, with critical input from the Department of Construction and Inspections in writing the code. The latter also created a step-by-step guide for homeowners, which provides information on what people need to consider before purchasing an EV, the type of equipment required to support an EV, and how to apply for a permit to install an EV charging station.

The most important aspect of the new ordinance is the requirement that a certain percentage of parking spaces, depending on housing type, be "EV-ready," which includes the installation of conduit, wiring, and electrical capacity that can facilitate EV charging equipment. The installation must be a fully wired circuit (208/240-volt) and a 40-amp EV charging outlet. This is a step further than "EV-capable," which does not require the actual charging outlet to be installed. The city discovered that simply laying conduit, as is done with EV-capable installations, was insufficient in several instances and led to expensive retrofits at municipal parking facilities. Despite the strong EV-readiness requirements, the ordinance text has flexibility to keep the costs of installations down and includes exemptions for renovations that require adding a transformer, as well as different metering strategies for MUDs.

In addition to the technical elements, best practices can be learned from the Seattle EV readiness ordinance process. For example, the city completed a full year of stakeholder outreach prior to passing the ordinance, focusing on the developer community and property managers. This process clarified concerns, answered questions, and got stakeholder approval. As more cities evaluate the implementation of similar EV readiness ordinances, Seattle offers a good example of how a municipality can streamline processes that otherwise limit EV adoption and access.

Light-Duty Municipal Fleet Electrification

Seattle’s transportation electrification journey started in 2010, when federal funding allowed for the installation of 46 EV charging stations for the city’s municipal fleet and the creation of a three-year pilot program to provide public access to EV charging in city-owned or city-managed parking garages. The program provided an opportunity for the city to learn about the many aspects of charging infrastructure development, installation, and service management. Most importantly, it provided information on streamlining processes and how EV drivers would interact with public charging stations. See part 3 of this case study for more detail on Seattle’s municipal fleet electrification efforts.

Over time, Seattle’s aggressive municipal fleet emissions reduction strategy has become the driving force behind many of the city’s vehicle electrification initiatives. Philip Saunders, Seattle’s Green Fleet Program manager, and his team are also committed to other fleet sustainability initiatives, including the use of soy-based tires for all municipal vehicles. These tires generate less rubber debris and other toxic chemicals. "The soy tires are great because they protect our water sources, and we love our salmon," Saunders said.

Electrifying Everything

Seattle is also working to advance the adoption of medium- and heavy-duty EVs, including transit buses, school buses, refuse trucks, and ferries. Electrifying large vehicles has required a growing involvement by SCL, the first municipal utility with an EV adoption strategy across sectors. As David Logsdon, SCL’s director of electrification explained, "SCL has a primary role in supporting electrification efforts across the board." SCL is also actively planning for grid modernization and management of the projected increased load by modeling grid scenarios that integrate buildings and vehicle electrification.

Charging Ahead to 2030

Seattle’s future is electric, and in 2021, the city released a 2030 citywide plan for electrification that includes lessons learned since 2016 and specific goals for zero-emission mobility, including 100% of shared mobility and 30% goods delivery being zero-emission. A first of its kind, the Clean Transportation Electrification Blueprint will set actionable and measurable goals to remove emissions, while advancing equity and economic empowerment through vehicle electrification programs.

The blueprint is the result of a coordinated effort between several municipal departments, including the Office of Sustainability and Environment, Office of Economic Development, Department of Transportation, and SCL. The departments worked together to identify long-term goals and short-term strategies to achieve them. "It is the culmination of many years of work," said Pratt.

For municipalities that would like to replicate Seattle’s vehicle electrification successes, some recommendations are summarized below:

• Develop a plan with clear goals and leverage the efforts within the jurisdiction of the municipality to identify the low-hanging fruit for vehicle electrification. The municipal fleet is typically a good starting point. Use the zoning code or other tools entirely under municipal jurisdiction to advance EV goals and streamline permitting and compliance processes.
• Collaborate with the local utility to plan infrastructure and promote time-of-use rates that reduce the risk of demand charges, particularly for heavy-duty vehicle fleets. To any municipality, Logsdon recommends, "Plan early, and make sure you partner with the utility at every level."
• Create opportunities to expand access to EVs across sectors, including transit and car-sharing. Municipal sustainability staff can be a valuable resource to explore opportunities for partnerships within the industry and the community to initiate pilots.
• Revisit electrification goals often to ensure they incorporate the most current technologies, as well as equity considerations and opportunities for local job creation.
• Connect with the local Clean Cities coalition to learn about funding opportunities and get support with stakeholder outreach, education, and engagement activities.