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Electric Vehicles (EVs) create less greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution than traditional gasoline-fueled vehicles. EV drivers benefit from better fuel economy and financial incentives, and contribute to cleaner air and better health for the community. To learn more about Electric Vehicles, including incentives, where to buy, and information on getting home charging equipment installed, check out resources provided by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center.
The City recognizes the importance of EV infrastructure along with other sustainable modes of transportation such as walking, biking, and taking public transportation. There are several City-owned public charging stations throughout Cambridge. Please visit the bottom of this webpage for a bullet list of available charging stations in the City.
If you are a private property owner with a parking space looking to install EV charging, or would like to suggest that your landlord install EV charging in the driveway where you rent, here is a link for Eversource utility customers that includes preferred manufacturers and installers contact information.
The City has developed an online map tool for collecting suggested EV charging locations throughout the City. We will use the input gathered from this map tool, as well as additional factors, to determine the location of future charging stations. Here is a link to the online map tool.
If for any reason you can't use this map tool, contact ccreagh@cambridgema.gov and include a street and cross street where you would like to see an EV charger installed and we will manually add it to the map.
Effective April 15, 2025, the City of Cambridge will increase fees for public use of City-owned electric vehicle charging stations. Under the revised fee structure:
Since the rates were last set in 2018, the City has significantly expanded its EV charging network. The new rates reflect actual electricity rates and costs associated with station operations and align with fees charged in neighboring communities.
March 2025: Electric Vehicle drivers can now park and charge their vehicles at four new charging ports located at Robert Paine Park at the corner of Saint Mary Road and Amory Street in Mid-Cambridge.
The City of Cambridge is currently working to expand our network of EV chargers. We have identified several potential sites for installation in 2024 and 2025. The City has a goal to increase access to electric vehicle chargers and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Installing electric vehicle chargers helps us achieve these goals.
Please use this link to view a map of the locations that we are currently considering for EV charger installation. In addition to those sites shown in the map, we are also considering other locations for future years. Please note that the locations in the above map are subject to change. To receive construction updates for planned installations, please sign up for our e-newsletter. To sign up, scroll down this webpage to where it says Get Plugged In and enter your email address.
The City of Cambridge has a pilot permit program to allow residents who do not have access to off-street parking to charge electric vehicles. Please read below for more information on how to apply for the annual permit, the cost, the requirements, and areas that are eligible for the application
How To Apply: Please use this link to access the online application
Cost: The cost of the annual permit is $200
Requirements for obtaining a permit:
Requirements for maintaining a permit: Please use this link to access the online application which includes the requirements for maintaining a permit
Full policy: Please use this link to access the full policy
Cable protectors: Please use this link to see different suggested cable protectors
Areas that are eligible: If you live within 1/8 mile of an existing city-owned street side EV charging station, you are not eligible for the pilot application. Please use this link to see a map of eligible areas. Other locations that are not eligible include major pedestrian routes and streets with separated bike lanes.
This law is specific to the City of Cambridge and was signed by the Governor in December 2022. The Right-to-Charge law is for owners of units in Condo and multi-family buildings. The law gives owners the right to install EV charging in their building at the owners expense. EV charging systems must be installed by a licensed and qualified electrician or contractor.
Some possible issues may arise in the interpretation of the law, including a desire to have EV charging installed in a particular deeded parking space, where there could be significant engineering constraints. The law indicates that using common parking spaces for transition to EV charging, as long as the space is available to all building residents, could alleviate this problem. Additionally, the law does not seem to solve the problem of the potential need to upgrade a buildings' electrical capacity to handle the new electrical load as a result of the installation of EV chargers.
Please use this link to download a PDF copy of the law text.
The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles Program (MOR-EV) provides rebates for buying or leasing Electric Vehicles (EVs). The rebate program includes:
Here is a link to the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles program. If you have additional questions, see the FAQ about the MOR-EV program at this link.
Due to the changing priorities of the current federal administration, please check the Alternative Fuels Data Center for the most up-to-date information.
Instant Rebate: EV buyers can claim the $7,500 federal tax credit rebate as cash savings at the point of sale. Buyers no longer have to wait and file the credit during the following tax season. Under the new rule changes, the car dealer submits the paperwork to the IRS and the IRS then pays back the dealer.
Income Cap: The income cap rules have not changed.
Tax Liability: Buyers no longer have to owe at least $7,500 in taxes to receive the rebate. With the new rule changes, families, and individuals with no tax liability can get the full tax credit rebate at the point of sale.
Made in America: To be eligible for the tax credit vehicles must:
Leasing: It is easier to qualify for a tax rebate when leasing an electric vehicle. It has no North America assembly requirements, no price cap, and no income restrictions. Dealerships collect the rebate. Then, the savings are often applied in the form of savings at the beginning of the lease. Please note that leases have limits on mileage and are basically long-term rentals. When the terms of the lease are up, you must return the vehicle to the dealer.
Buying Used: Buying a used EV does qualify for the tax credit rebate. The amount is smaller though, it is worth 40% of the sale price, with a cap of $4,000. It must be the first time that the vehicle has been sold as a used vehicle since mid-2022. And, you have to buy it from a dealership.
Remember to read your contract carefully to ensure that you receive the tax credit. Also, be sure that the vehicle meets the requirements at the federal www.fueleconomy.gov website.
Thanks to all who joined! The City held the 3rd public meeting with folks from the City's Community Development Department, Department of Public Works, and Traffic, Parking, and Transportation on June 13th, 2024 to provide updates on the construction schedule, securing funding, and future locations. The virtual meeting included a presentation that began at 5:30pm on Zoom and left plenty of time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation. Please use this link to review the PDF slide deck.
The City held the 2nd public meeting with folks from the City's Community Development Department, Department of Public Works, and Traffic, Parking, and Transportation to on May 24th, 2023 to discuss our approach to install additional electric vehicle chargers on City streets and in municipal parking lots. The virtual meeting included a presentation that began at 5:30pm on Zoom and left plenty of time for questions and answers at the end of the presentation. Please use this link to watch a recording of the virtual presentation. If a passcode is required, please use: zCdq!&3r
Please use this link to review the PDF slide deck.
The City of Cambridge hosted a public forum to discuss the EV charging station Pilot Program on January 12, 2022. Here is a link to the PDF presentation.
The City of Cambridge Community Development Department and Department of Public Works presented an update to members of City Council at the Health and Environment Committee Hearing in November, 2021. An accessible version of the presentation is available at the following link:
To accommodate EV drivers who do not have access to a driveway for charging at home, Cambridge offers City-owned Level 2 charging stations throughout the city. Effective April 15, 2025 the cost is $0.28 per kWh drawn and a flat fee of $0.15 per hour while plugged in. All other parking fees and rules still apply. To see other charging stations in the ChargePoint network located throughout the region, click here. The Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center also has a map of charging stations made by other manufacturers.
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