Boston has unveiled plans to install hundreds of public curbside EV chargers across the city. The initiative, part of Boston’s “Recharge Boston: Boston’s Zero Emission Vehicle Program,” aims to ensure that every household is within a 10-minute walk of a public EV charging station or EV car share.
Currently, many EV chargers in Boston are located at condos, hotels, public garages, high rises, and shopping centers. While these chargers are publicly accessible, they are not free to use, often requiring payment of a parking garage or entrance fee. The new program seeks to address this issue and make EV charging more convenient for residents.
The city has selected two companies, Brooklyn-based Itselectric and Jersey City, NJ-based Greenspot, to install the curbside EV chargers. While the contracts have not yet been finalized, sources speaking to the Boston Globe anonymously indicated that the agreements would run for 10 years.
Itselectric specializes in installing Level 2 charger posts that derive power from nearby private buildings, providing a passive income stream for the building owners. When EV drivers sign up with Itselectric, they receive a portable EV charger registered to their account, allowing them to plug in and charge at any Itselectric charger in Boston and beyond.
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Greenspot, on the other hand, focuses on EV charging for “multifamily living” and also shares revenue with building owners. The company installs both Level 2 and DC fast chargers with built-in cables.
This innovative business model means that the city does not have to bear the cost of installing the curbside EV chargers. Eric Bourassa, transportation director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, highlighted the significance of Boston’s initiative, stating that it will test whether the market can support private sector companies seeking to profit from charging.
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“We are still in the early days of figuring out the right business model. Cities need to test and see how these things work,” Bourassa told the Globe.
