Seattle Plans 200 New Public EV Chargers Despite Slowing U.S. Electric Vehicle Sales

Seattle is moving ahead with a significant expansion of its electric vehicle charging infrastructure, announcing plans to bring another 200 public charging stations to city streets as part of an effort to make EV ownership more practical for residents without private garages or driveways, according to MyBallard.The project represents the next phase of an earlier rollout that brought 58 charging units to 31 sites between 2023 and 2024. Seattle City Light and the city's transportation department will oversee the expansion, with particular attention given to apartment-heavy neighborhoods where residents often lack convenient places to plug in their vehicles overnight.Rather than choosing every location in advance, Seattle is inviting residents and building owners to recommend potential sites through fall 2027. Officials will evaluate submissions in successive rounds of roughly 40 to 50 locations, weighing factors such as neighborhood population, existing charging availability, nearby commercial activity, and the number of households that could benefit. Areas historically underserved by public investment will also receive consideration.The report says that each station will offer Level 2 charging with a maximum output of 9.6 kilowatts, translating to roughly 30 additional miles of driving range per hour under typical conditions. The equipment will come in several configurations, including freestanding units and chargers mounted to existing utility poles. Drivers will be able to use the stations without booking ahead, although access will depend on availability.Engineering and planning work is expected to get underway in spring 2027, followed by the first installations later that year. Individual sites should require approximately two weeks of construction. The expansion will be financed through Seattle's voter-approved transportation levy alongside funding from the municipal electric utility.The investment comes during a difficult period for the broader U.S. electric vehicle industry. According to Cox Automotive, Americans purchased approximately 263,000 new EVs during the third quarter of 2026, a 39.5% decline from the same period last year, when buyers rushed to take advantage of expiring federal tax incentives. EVs represented approximately 6.4% of new vehicle sales during the quarter, down from more than 10% a year earlier, although sales improved sequentially throughout 2026.Tesla remains the dominant manufacturer, accounting for more than half of U.S. EV purchases, even as its own quarterly sales declined roughly 20% year over year. The figures highlight the challenge facing the industry: public charging networks continue to expand even as consumer adoption has slowed considerably from its previous pace.