New York City is accelerating its efforts to decarbonize transportation with the announcement of plans to establish 13 electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs at municipal parking facilities across the city. The project, which is a joint venture between the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA), aims to install around 50 fast-charging plugs. The roll-out is part of several initiatives aimed at bringing New York City closer to achieving the goal of having all residents living within 2.5 miles of a fast charger by 2035.
The charging hubs will be located primarily in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, areas where many for-hire drivers live and work. Taxi and Limousine Commissioner David Do said that the commission is responsible for licensing taxis and will oversee the decarbonization strategy. Uber, Lyft, and other ride-hail companies must transition to entirely electric car fleets by 2030 if they want to continue offering services in New York City.
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The installation of EV charging infrastructure is critical to achieving the city’s goals for reducing transportation emissions, as access to charging remains one of the significant barriers to EV adoption. In 2022, there was a 37% year-over-year increase in EV registrations in the city, with 10,758 new EVs registered. The NYC DOT is running the ‘PlugNYC’ public EV charging initiative and has already installed eight fast chargers across the Delancey-Essex and Court Square parking garages in Manhattan and Queens. Another 20 are expected to break ground this year.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said, “New York City is plugging into a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous future.” The city has set a target of electrifying all Uber and Lyft trips by 2030, tying the chargers into the transition of 100,000 hire vehicles announced in January. The new EV charging hubs will help New York State achieve its target that all new passenger cars, pick-up trucks, and SUVs sold in the state be zero-emissions by 2035.
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New York State has made significant progress with mobility targets, with Governor Kathy Hochul introducing quotas for automakers to sell an increasing number of zero-emission vehicles each year, starting with the 2026 model year. This rate begins at 35% and increases to 68% by 2030 before reaching 100% in 2035. With initiatives like the installation of EV charging hubs and the introduction of quotas for zero-emission vehicles, New York City and State are making significant strides towards decarbonizing transportation and creating a more sustainable future.
