Electric cars are available in a variety of models and come in a wide price range. The environmental benefits of charging an electric car in Tacoma Power's service area can't be beat - almost all of Tacoma Power's electricity comes from hydro power and is nearly carbon free (97%). Go to TPU's Electric Vehicle carbon calculator to see how much greenhouse gasses you can save by driving an electric car.
Did you know that 73% of Tacoma's greenhouse gas emissions come from fossil fuel dependent vehicles? In our Environmental Action Plan, the City set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation and petroleum fuel use by registering 2,000 electric cars by 2020.
There are Multiple Charging Stations in Tacoma
The City of Tacoma owns and operates a number of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS). Level 2 (J1771) chargers available at the following locations:
- Two at the 'A' Street Garage, 110 South 10th Street
- Four at the Park Plaza North Garage, 923 Commerce Street
- Two at the Pacific Plaza Garage, 1125 Commerce Street
- Two at the Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock Street
- Eight at Tacoma Public Utilities, 3628 S. 35th Street
- Two at Cheney Stadium, 2502 S. Tyler Street
- Two at Old Town Parking, 2216 N. 30th Street
- Eight at the Center for Urban Waters, 326 East D Street
In addition to what the City operates, there are fee-based Electric Vehicle Charging Stations at more than 30 Tacoma business locations. This includes five Fast Charge Stations with multiple plugs at businesses along Interstate 5. Locations of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Tacoma and elsewhere can be found on an online data center maintained by the US Department of Energy.
Charging at City-Operated Stations Costs up to $3 per Five-Hour Session
Network specific account is required to pay for vehicle charging at these stations. Account setup and mobile application download available at http://chargepoint.com/drivers/join/. Charging costs up to $3 per five-hour charging session payable only through the ChargePoint Mobile App. Charger will shut off automatically when the battery is fully charged. Per ChargePoint account policy, initial use of the account incurs first time charge of $10; balance for future use are refunded if account is closed without further use.
Please note, in fee based parking lots and garages, a separate parking fee is due and payable according to instructions posted onsite.
Electric Vehicle Discount Program Launched in Fall 2018
To help accelerate electric car adoption, the City is organized an Electric Vehicle Discount Program in Fall 2018. This program was a pre-negotiated pricing program with local Tacoma dealerships to offer discounts on electric cars.
Interested in learning more? Explore the Electric Vehicle Discount Program for Customers or Group Buy/Lease for Dealers web pages, or contact us at electricvehicles@cityoftacoma.org.