“My commute dropped from 45 minutes to 23 minutes when I gained access to the HOV lane in my VW ID.4.”
— Sabina Moore, Finance Procurement Manager, Central Procurement Division, City of Phoenix
Charge@Work Spotlight: City of Phoenix
Powering Phoenix’s Sustainable Future with Workplace EV Charging
The City of Phoenix, AZ, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the U.S., is committed to sustainability and innovation. Partnering with Charge@Work, the city implemented a comprehensive workplace EV charging program at key municipal facilities to support and encourage employee EV use.
A leader in workplace charging
As the fifth largest metropolis in the United States, the City of Phoenix is committed to cleaner air in their community through increased use of electric vehicles (EVs). Since 2011, the City has provided charging ports for employees to plug in their EVs at the Adams Street Garage, the City’s main parking facility. Today, more than 140 employees regularly charge their EVs throughout the workday. With resources offered through Charge@Work, the City now plans to install new charging stations at the City of Phoenix Police Department Crime Lab and enable more employees to charge at work.
By the Numbers
9
Level 2 charging ports installed
22
Level 1 charging ports installed
140
Average users per workday
Finding Purpose
Employers are installing charging at workplaces for many reasons, from reducing carbon emissions from employee commutes to providing an amenity that will attract and retain employees. For the City of Phoenix, a central goal is to reduce smog and improve local air quality. Maricopa County is in non-compliance with federal air pollution standards,¹ and it received an ‘F’ for its air quality from the American Lung Association.²
This is not just a health issue—pollution also impacts economic development. Due to the already poor air quality from vehicle emissions, nearby manufacturing and industrial facilities are required to install scrubbers and filters to reduce pollutant emissions,³ increasing their cost of doing business. The City views providing charging as a key strategy to reduce smog-forming emissions and to ensure that employees’ EVs can charge when solar energy production peaks in the middle of the day. Offering workplace charging makes it easier for the City’s employees to drive EVs and sets an example for how other employers in Phoenix can also encourage their employees to drive electric.
A popular amenity
To encourage employees to drive electric, the City located the chargers close to the building entrance within the parking garage, a desirable location. Employees also charge for free, pay discounted monthly parking fees, and can use HOV lanes on highways, a state incentive available to all Arizona residents. To further promote EVs, the City provides EV ride-and-drive events for employees. These events offer an opportunity for employees to drive an EV and experience the technology for themselves. The most recent ride-and-drive saw 68 employees participate—but currently, the City must strike a balance with how much to promote the chargers due to oversubscription.
“Here in the Southwest, we have a lot of solar energy. Workplace charging takes advantage of that clean electricity by fueling up vehicles during daytime’s peak production hours”
— Karen Apple, Electric Vehicle Program Manager, City of Phoenix
Lessons for Installation
The City plans to use support from Charge@Work to install new charging stations at the City of Phoenix Police Department Crime Lab, a satellite office with a large number of employees who commute by car and have no available workplace charging. Although only eight EVs currently park at the Crime Lab, the City predicts that by providing charging, more employees will make the switch to drive electric—as occurred once chargers were added to the Adams Street Garage. For this new expansion, the City will pay close attention to three takeaways from their previous experience installing charging infrastructure:
1: Ensure the level of charger installation is appropriate for the number of EV drivers, available electrical capacity, and budget.
Right-sizing the City’s charging installation started with assessing the number of EV drivers and where they park across all their facilities, which is tracked by the City. Once the Adams Street Garage was identified as the specific site, the City then assessed available electrical capacity and considered budgetary constraints.
The City opted for mostly Level 1 chargers because they are far cheaper, use less electrical capacity, and serve the needs of most commuters by providing roughly 20-40 miles of range in eight hours. The Level 2 chargers they chose to install, which can serve employees who have a longer commute, are non-networked, meaning they lack features such as the ability to monitor usage and set pricing but are less expensive and do not require monthly subscriptions to operate.
2: Future-proof charger installation to the extent practicable.
When making electric capacity upgrades, consider adding more capacity than immediately needed, which will allow for future growth. Making the investment up front obviates the need for expensive retrofits down the line.
3: Leverage all available resources to install charging equipment.
The City utilized funding from their local utility to install five Level 2 charging ports in the Adams Street Garage in 2024. Many employers can find incentives from their utility, state government, or federal government. The City is planning to leverage Charge@Work’s free site assessment, electric capacity assessment, and additional resources as they look to expand EV charging at their facilities.
