Vehicle Electrification

Electrifying both municipal and community vehicles is a major goal in our Green Worcester Plan. According to our most recent Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory 2020 - 2023, transportation accounted for 16% of municipal emissions and 31% of community-wide emissions.

Electric vehicles (EVs) produce no tailpipe emissions, helping to reduce both greenhouse gases and particulate pollution. As the portion of electricity coming from renewable energy sources continues to grow, the overall carbon footprint of EVs continues to decrease—unlike gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. That's why we're committed to expanding public EV charging access for residents and visitors while also transitioning our municipal fleet to electric.

Learn more about how we are making Worcester easier to get around for everyone and expanding access to electric vehicle charging on our Green Worcester Dashboard.

New EV Chargers Coming to Worcester in 2026

The City's First On-Street Chargers

Worcester is installing 16 new electric vehicle (EV) charging ports along city streets, funded by a state grant through MassCEC's On-Street Charging Solutions Program – at no cost to the municipality. Worcester is one of 15 cities selected for funding, and the chargers are expected to be installed by the end of 2026.

The chargers will make EV ownership more accessible, especially for renters and residents without a dedicated garage or driveway, and are part of a broader effort to expand EV infrastructure equitably, with a focus on Environmental Justice communities.

Selecting the four locations took extensive planning. The process began with community mapping in spring 2025 to identify an initial set of candidate sites. The city's consultants, Commonwealth Electrical Technologies and Leidos Engineering, narrowed that list to 12 feasible sites based on factors like residential density, utility access, sidewalk space, and cost. Community input – gathered through public and neighborhood meetings, surveys, and conversations with local stakeholders – helped narrow the list further, down to the final four.

The four sites are:

• 69 Sever Street
• Russell Street (near Elm Park)
• Providence Street (near Vernon Park)
• 98 Woodland Street (corner of Oberlin Street)

Great Brook Valley

As part of our effort to make EV charging more available throughout the city, six new charging ports will be installed at Great Brook Valley Park in winter 2026 – a partnership between the Department of Sustainability and Resilience (DSR) and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery (DPRC). These will be the first EV charging ports at a city park's parking lot.

This project is made possible by two grants: the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program and the National Grid Make Ready Program.

DSR and DPRC will continue exploring ways to expand EV charging access in other parks and citywide.

Current Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Publicly Accessible EV Charging Stations

The City has 30 existing publicly accessible electric vehicle charging ports across several locations:

• Federal Plaza Municipal Garage: 6 ports (charging fees apply)
• Major Taylor Municipal Garage: 2 ports (no cost to charge)
• Pearl-Elm Municipal Garage: 6 ports (charging fees apply)
• South High School: 6 ports (charging fees apply)
• Union Station Municipal Garage: 4 ports (no cost to charge)
• Worcester Common Municipal Garage: 6 ports (charging fees apply)

The rate is $0.30 per kWh, plus a $2.00/hour overstay fee after your vehicle is fully charged (with a 2-hour grace period to move your vehicle).

To see more details on EV charging station locations and costs, visit Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locations.

Municipal EV Charging Stations

Worcester's municipal fleet has four EV charging ports at the Inspectional Services Department building on Meade Street. The City completed a study to determine the best approaches to installing EV charging ports to promote electrification of the municipal fleet in the years ahead.

Municipal Electric Vehicles and Equipment

We currently have three EVs - two for the Inspectional Services staff and one for City Hall staff. Supply chain issues have made it challenging to purchase EVs since 2021, but we're hopeful that availability will improve soon. Since 2024, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery added four electric lawn mowers, which have been a hit with staff, and we're actively looking to add more.

Worcester Public Schools – Electric School Buses

In winter 2026, Worcester Public Schools (WPS) introduced 20 full-size electric school buses to its fleet. They look just like traditional buses, but they run quieter and offer a safer ride. The buses and their charging stations, installed at the WPS bus depot, were funded through grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Electric buses also cost less to maintain — about 40–60% less annually than their diesel-powered counterparts.