New York City continues to grow its network of public fast-charging stations to improve access for taxi and for-hire vehicle drivers using electric vehicles (EVs). The Dept. of Transportation (DOT) is adding hubs in public parking lots in the Bronx and Brooklyn, where many drivers reside, data shows. The $3.6 million investment will include four fast chargers (capable of achieving an 80% charge in about 20 min.) and four slower chargers that can take six to eight hours to reach full capacity.
The new charging stations will be located at:
- White Plains Road Municipal Field, 2071 White Plains Road, Pelham Bay, Bronx (set to open by November).
- Bensonhurst Municipal Field, 1763 86th Street, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn (scheduled to open by January).
Citywide, there are about 2,200 public plugs (10% of which are fast chargers), but they’re mostly in Manhattan, according to U.S. Department of Energy data. This uneven distribution creates a challenge for TLC-licensed drivers with EVs – causing many to drive far out of their way to top off their batteries or create dangerous makeshift chargers at home with extension cords.
The city currently has three public fast-charging stations in operation (at Queens Borough Hall and Court Square municipal garages in Queens, and at the Delancey and Essex Municipal Garage in Lower Manhattan). The city has said it aims to install 6,000 public fast chargers across the boroughs by 2030.
Source: Crain’s New York Business
