San Francisco residents can now choose where EV curbside chargers go

San Francisco has set up a permanent citywide program for curbside EV charging, replacing the small pilot it ran starting in 2025. The city's transportation agency is now accepting applications from charging companies that want to install public chargers on city streets. Residents can weigh in too, using the city's ChargeUp SF map to suggest streets or public locations where they'd like to see a charger installed.

This matters most if you live in an apartment or condo without a driveway or garage, since that's long been one of the biggest barriers to owning an EV in a dense city. More curbside chargers near your block could make going electric more realistic even if you can't charge at home.

The rollout will take time. Charging companies first need to qualify for a permit, then scout locations, work with utilities, consult with neighborhoods, and get a separate permit for each individual site. San Francisco's goal is to have 100 curbside charging stations installed by 2030. The city already tested this approach with a pilot that began in April 2025 at 55 Fillmore Street, run with three charging companies — it's electric, Urban EV, and Voltpost. That trial helped the city work out details like utility hookups, site selection, and charger design, and showed that talking with neighborhoods ahead of installation matters. If you want a charger near your home, the new map is where to make that request known.