Fast charging and corridors
I-95, I-76 (the Schuylkill Expressway), and the Pennsylvania Turnpike are the main corridors for trips to New York, Baltimore and Washington, Harrisburg, and the Jersey Shore, and Tesla and CCS fast-charging sites are spread along them and in the surrounding suburbs. Inside the city, fast chargers tend to sit at retail sites and convenience stores rather than downtown — filter the locator by power level to see what's currently listed near your route.
Wawa, the region's ubiquitous convenience-store chain, is a notable host. EVgo opened fast chargers at a Wawa on Aramingo Avenue in Philadelphia in 2022, Wawa locations also host other networks, and in 2026 Wawa announced its own Wawa-branded DC fast chargers (built on Electrify America's platform) at eight Pennsylvania stores. Plugs next to food and restrooms make these practical stops.
Center City and neighborhood charging
Center City relies mostly on Level 2 in parking garages and lots, with listings around Rittenhouse, Market East, and University City. If you work downtown and your garage offers charging, a few workday sessions a week can replace home charging for many commutes. Check whether the garage charges for parking and charging separately, and whether plugs can be reserved.
ChargePHL: the city's planned public network
In 2026 the City of Philadelphia announced ChargePHL, a planned 10-year public-private program to install and maintain more than 800 public charging stations. Under the plan, It's Electric would install curbside Level 2 chargers (a bring-your-own-cord model), mainly along commercial corridors and at municipal buildings, while PositivEnergy would install Level 2 and DC fast chargers in city-owned and Philadelphia Parking Authority lots, plus a limited number of curbside fast chargers. The city has targeted early 2027 for the first stations, subject to City Council approval of the contracts — check the city's ChargePHL page for current status.
One thing not to expect: a reserved EV parking spot in front of your house. Philadelphia once let EV owners create EV-only parking spots in front of their homes, but City Council voted in 2017 to suspend that program, and the city's current approach centers on shared public chargers instead.
The rowhouse problem — and its solutions
- No driveway? Anchor on workplace or garage Level 2 plus a regular fast-charge session at a nearby retail site.
- Some residents rent a space in a private lot or garage that has (or can add) an outlet — ask the owner before assuming it's off-limits.
- Never run a charging cable across a public sidewalk; it's a trip hazard and generally not permitted.
- Winter matters: cold weather commonly reduces range by 20–30% or more on the coldest days, so pad your charging cadence from November through March.
