Burlington will increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations available in the city by six times over the next seven years, thanks to a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The grant went to Burlington Electric Department, which plans to use the money to install 153 Level 2 and 47 Level 3 fast chargers at about 85 public sites throughout Burlington. Darren Springer, BED general manager, said Burlington will go from having three Level 3 fast-charger stations to having 50 fast-charger stations once the build-out is complete, which is aimed at keeping pace with EV demand through 2030.

Level 2 charging stations typically take a couple of hours to fully charge a vehicle, while Level 3 charging is typically completed in about half an hour. These are estimates and exact times will depend on the vehicle and battery type.

A charging station outside Burlington Electric Department headquarters, as seen on Aug. 29. 2024.

“This generational investment in the electrification effort in Burlington will make EV charging more accessible in our city, including for renters, Burlingtonians residing in areas of our community identified as disadvantaged under federal economic justice criteria, and those visiting our local Burlington businesses,” Springer said in a statement. “We thank our federal delegation for their support of investment in EV charging and the U.S. Department of Transportation for this critical funding.”