Swissvale officials announced the borough is considering the installation of curbside electric vehicle charging stations as part of a pilot program offered by Green Edge Technologies, a local nonprofit tech startup.
According to Abigail Salisbury, Swissvale borough council chair of community initiatives, the program will be the first of its kind in the Pittsburgh region should officials permit it following the adoption of a new ordinance that would legalize the use of these chargers in the right-of-way. If approved, Swissvale residents will then be able to submit their address for consideration to receive an electric vehicle charger installed near their homes so that they can then use the chargers for an at-cost rate.
"Residents began asking Swissvale Borough Council for chargers in 2021 because many homes in the community were built in the 1920s and do not have garages for EV charging," Salisbury said in a prepared statement. "People have been making do with cords draped over their sidewalks, posing potential tripping or fire hazards, and are looking for other options."
Salisbury said Green Edge Technologies picked Swissvale to serve as the first municipality to launch its pilot program with.
Founded by David Anglero and Joshua Freedman, Green Edge is vying to make electrical vehicle ownership more available to individuals with lower incomes by installing charging stations throughout a municipality so that all residents can be within a five-minute walk of a place to charge their electric vehicle.
