Austin City Council approves measure to expand public charging stations

AUSTIN (KXAN)-- Due to the growing interest in electric vehicles, Austin City Council took steps Thursday to ensure the City of Austin has a "robust network" of public charging stations, according to a news release from the city.

The council voted to direct the city manager to develop a plan for the equitable distribution of public charging stations, including direct current (DC) fast charges and Level 2 chargers, which the city said are more common in homes and workplaces, the release said.

The resolution, brought by District 7 council member Leslie Pool, aligns with the goals of the Austin Climate Equity Plan- which calls for reaching net-zero community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 as well as the distribution of a mix of public charging stations throughout the city, the release said.

“Making charging stations, especially fast chargers, more accessible throughout the city might nudge people who may be on the fence about electric vehicles to make the switch,” Pool said. “Having more access and more users will go a long way toward reducing our use of fossil fuels community-wide.”

The number of electric vehicles in Austin grew by nearly 40% over the last year, according to data provided by nonprofit Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliances (TxEXTRA).

With the council's vote, it directed the city manager to coordinate with local and regional partners on the initiative, as well as establish priorities for an initial three-year implementation phase of the plan, the release said.

The council expects a progress report with timelines by mid-September, the release said.