2023 Smart Cities Outlook

In the year ahead, city leaders will face economic headwinds while tackling the housing shortage and changes in travel behavior and decarbonizing transportation and buildings.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 1, 2023

ChargePoint, Stem strike EV charging and battery storage deal for highway corridor fast-charging networks

Combining charging, battery storage and AI-driven energy management will save money for EV site operators, the companies say.

By Stephen Singer • Feb. 1, 2023

10 US cities ready for a ‘smart city future’

Tomorrow’s smart cities will have robust technology and green infrastructure, along with strong tech job markets, according to a report from real estate technology company ProptechOS.

By Michael Brady • Feb. 1, 2023

How green building policy could evolve in 2023

After reducing energy use in buildings, cutting embodied carbon is next on the green policy agenda for state and local leaders, potentially prompting a shift from concrete and steel to materials like timber or straw, experts say.

By Adina Solomon • Jan. 26, 2023

Tesla sets sales record as safety concerns mount

California banned automakers from advertising self-driving capabilities that still require a driver in control, while NHTSA is investigating Tesla’s Autopilot system.

By Dan Zukowski • Jan. 26, 2023

Mayors partner with Hertz on rental EVs and public charging

Shell also recently announced it’s buying charging network operator Volta in a $169 million deal, and electric charging equipment supplier Tritium is getting its largest-ever order from BP.

By Dan Zukowski • Jan. 20, 2023

Electric vehicles near ‘tipping point’ in 2023

Key developments for EV adoption this year include implementing federal incentives, developing a national charging network and addressing utility issues, according to transportation, energy and real estate professionals.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 20, 2023

Nearly all US mayors worry about climate change’s local effects: report

Mayors said their regulatory powers, especially building codes and zoning, are their most effective tools to address climate change. But they are reluctant to limit residents’ behavior or the use of old technology.

By Michael Brady • Jan. 19, 2023

Electric vehicle sales soared in 2022, followed by more charging stations

Most public chargers are found in suburban locations while multifamily dwellings lag far behind in charging infrastructure. 

By Dan Zukowski • Jan. 17, 2023

4 trends that could shape smart cities in 2023

These overarching trends affect the decisions communities are making around transportation design, street space, housing and revitalizing downtowns that have struggled with fewer office workers.

By Smart Cities Dive Team • Jan. 13, 2023

DOT, DOE secretaries tout agency cooperation under decarbonization blueprint

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm laid out the impact of new federal dollars and policies in the shift to EVs, while another federal official urged caution.

By Danielle McLean • Jan. 12, 2023

Michigan chief mobility officer: ‘States need to write the playbook’ on EV charging

States could ease the EV charging rollout by helping local governments update regulations and institute best practices, panelists said at CES.

By Michael Brady • Jan. 10, 2023

Federal agencies share ‘blueprint’ for transportation decarbonization

Energy, environment, housing and transportation regulators teamed up on strategies to realize a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with nods to micromobility, zoning reform and more.

By Maria Rachal • Jan. 10, 2023

Revel to expand EV fast chargers across NYC

After building a “superhub” in Brooklyn, the electric mobility company is planning more across other boroughs, a move it hopes will greatly expand the city’s capacity for accessible fast charging.

By Maria Rachal • Jan. 9, 2023

New York City replacing hundreds of fleet vehicles with EVs

The city will purchase the zero-emission vehicles through a $10.1 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant, adding to the more than 4,000 EVs already in the municipal fleet

By Danielle McLean • Jan. 9, 2023

Updating local regulations may ease EV charging rollout

Improved regulations make it easier for developers to “know what they’re getting into,” said one transportation planner.

By Kalena Thomhave • Jan. 4, 2023

10 conversations in 2022 on the future of mobility, high-speed rail, resilience and more

Smart Cities Dive caught up with executives from businesses including GM and Replica; officials from Austin, Oakland and other cities; and leaders from the U.S. Congress and Ukraine.

Jan. 3, 2023

As e-bike fires rise, calls grow for education and regulation

Some point to cheap aftermarket batteries as the primary factor in e-bike and e-scooter battery fires and worry that micromobility device storage bans will set back transportation decarbonization efforts.

By Dan Rosenbaum • Dec. 22, 2022

Postal Service to acquire 66,000 EVs by 2028

The electric delivery vehicles will start hitting the streets by the end of 2023, the U.S. Postal Service stated. The announcement followed criticism that the agency wasn’t transitioning enough of its fleet.

By Michael Brady • Dec. 21, 2022

New York state climate panel outlines ambitious road map to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

The plan is a “bold, monumental achievement,” New York’s environmental commissioner said, but the head of an independent power producer industry group said it fails to adequately address grid reliability.

By Stephen Singer • Dec. 20, 2022

Seize the moment for climate action, mayors group says

“The federal government is making unprecedented investments in climate action,” and implementation in 2023 and beyond will be critical, said ​​​​​​Madison, Wisconsin’s mayor, the incoming chair of Climate Mayors.

By Maria Rachal • Dec. 15, 2022

US reaches 140k public EV charging ports as key federal official says $90B infrastructure investment needed

The Joint Office of Energy and Transportation is preparing to finalize rules setting out minimum standards for a nationally-funded electric vehicle charging network.

By Robert Walton • Dec. 15, 2022

Demand soars for EV charging at apartments

Infrastructure options and cost incentives have become more complex as the electric vehicle revolution gears up.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Dec. 13, 2022

Lyft offers its ride-sharing drivers incentives to switch to EVs

The program is the latest in a series of moves Lyft has taken to fulfill its pledge to transition entirely to electric vehicles by 2030.

By Michael Brady • Dec. 12, 2022

Los Angeles and San Diego ban polystyrene foam, other plastic products, on same day

The policies fit into broader state and local laws limiting plastic products, completing an effort in San Diego that a lawsuit previously blocked. Los Angeles will also look to limit waste at city facilities and events.

By Cole Rosengren • Dec. 8, 2022