STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Over the next decade, New York City will create one of the country’s largest electric vehicle charging networks in an effort to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change.
On Wednesday, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Hank Gutman released a new plan, titled Electrifying New York: An Electric Vehicle Vision Plan for New York City, which will drastically expand the city’s electric vehicle charging network in the coming years.
“With the climate crisis upon us, it’s time to plan bigger about how New York City can dramatically accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles,” Gutman said. “With major federal investments in EV charging on the horizon, our plan lays the groundwork for a network of tens of thousands of public EV chargers equitably distributed across the city, enabling many more car owners to go electric.”
In order to reach New York City’s ambitious goals, which include full carbon neutrality by 2050, officials say that at least 400,000 vehicle owners will need to switch to electric vehicles by 2030.
But if the city wants nearly half-a-million drivers to go electric in the next nine years, it will need to build out its existing charging infrastructure to ensure that electric vehicle owners have amble opportunities to fuel up.
To that end, the city’s new plan calls for the installation of 40,000 public Level 2 (L2) chargers and 6,000 Direct Current (DC) fast chargers citywide by 2030.
The plan outlines eight initiatives being undertaken by the city to help achieve the ambitious charging infrastructure expansion.
NYC will expand its network of city-operated DC fast chargers by over 80 plugs by 2025. Currently, there are 117 fast chargers located throughout the city. These fast chargers are capable of producing an 80% charge in 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
All city municipal parking lots and garages will have 20% of their parking spots equipped with L2 chargers by 2025, and 40% by 2030.
The DOT will also install 1,000 curbside charging stations throughout the five boroughs by 2025, with that number increasing to 10,000 curbside charging stations by 2030.
City officials will develop a plan for Level 2 and Level 1 user-supplied cord charging systems that integrate with existing street infrastructure and will advocate for federal funding to support its electrification initiatives.
Additionally, the city will launch electric vehicle public awareness campaigns through PlugNYC, engage electric vehicle stakeholders to better understand the needs of the market and work with regulators and utility companies to help facilitate the installation of charging infrastructure.
“The Electrifying New York plan, including its ambitious vision for a new network of public EV chargers, will play a key role in reducing climate-changing greenhouse gases, lowering the risk of respiratory illnesses, reducing noise, and ending our reliance on fossil fuels,” said Ben Furnas, director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability.
ABOUT MIDLAND BEACH CHARGING STATIONS
The state-of-the-art fast charging stations are capable of charging electric vehicles up to seven times faster than traditional charging stations, allowing for up to 120 miles of driving from a one-hour charge.
Use of the electric vehicle chargers is limited to 60 minutes per vehicle.
To charge up, drivers will need to download the ChargePoint mobile app and create an account.
Currently, pricing is set at $0.25/kWh on weekdays from 12 a.m. to 7:59 a.m., from 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. and all day on weekends.
Pricing is set at $0.30/kWh on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 9:59 p.m.
NEW YORK’S PUSH FOR ZERO EMISSIONS
The city’s announcement came on the same day that Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will require that all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state be zero-emission vehicles by 2035.
Zero-emission vehicles produce zero, or limited, exhaust emissions. These include: Battery Electric Vehicles, which run exclusively on batteries; Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, which have a limited electric range and a range-extending gasoline engine; Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, which are powered by electricity stored in hydrogen fuel.
The zero-emission requirement will also apply to all medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles by 2045.
In addition to signing the zero-emission bill, Hochul directed the state Department of Environmental Conservation to release a proposed regulation designed to reduce air pollution from trucks.
The regulation would accelerate the sale of zero-emission trucks by requiring manufacturers to meet certain thresholds of zero-emission trucks sales in the coming years.
By 2035, at least 55% of all new Class 2b-3 pickup trucks and vans, 75% of all new Class 4-8 trucks and 40% of all new Class 7-8 tractors would be required to be zero-emission vehicles.