Photo: it’s electric
New York City has chosen Brooklyn-based it’s electric to supply the hardware for its permanent curbside EV charging network, which will bring nearly 700 Level 2 charging points to all five boroughs over the next three years.
The rollout will replace the city’s existing pilot infrastructure and add 600 new charging points to the current 88. The chargers will be manufactured in Queens.
NYC DOT announced the expansion in early August but didn’t reveal who would supply the chargers. The agency is working with the New York Power Authority on procurement and installation.
Each PlugNYC station will have at least two charger posts with two plugs each, for a minimum of four charging points per site. Engineering and construction will be handled by Maverick Corporation, and SWTCH Energy will provide the software platform.
The stations are deliberately headed for dense neighborhoods where residents rely on street parking – especially communities with large numbers of Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) and rideshare drivers. Initial locations include Soundview and Unionport in the Bronx; Rego Park, Forest Hills, and Far Rockaway in Queens; Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn; the Upper West Side and Washington Heights in Manhattan; and Stapleton on Staten Island.
That location strategy matters because half of New York City’s car owners park on the street. Without a driveway or garage, charging an EV at home isn’t an option.
The city’s existing curbside chargers are already occupied by an EV more than 70% of the time, with utilization approaching 99% at some locations.
Just as fire hydrants are on every street, our vision is for EV chargers to become that normal – infrastructure New York’s kids simply grow up with,” said Nathan King, cofounder and CEO of it’s electric.
The buildout will also support the city’s Green Rides initiative, which requires that 100% of Uber and Lyft trips be completed in zero-emission or wheelchair-accessible vehicles by 2030. New York’s rideshare drivers are already completing around 3 million EV trips per month, according to NYC DOT.
Pricing hasn’t been set yet, but NYC DOT will retain control over what drivers pay. Charging will be billed by the kilowatt-hour, and drivers will be able to pay through multiple apps or by tapping a credit card. The city says prices will be structured to remain affordable while encouraging drivers to move their cars when charging is finished.
Where possible, the sites will also include electrical connections for e-bike charging, electrified bike-share docks, secure bike parking, or cargo-bike hubs.
it’s electric launched its first New York curbside charging pilot at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park in 2023 and is headquartered at Newlab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. It now operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Washington, DC, and Boston.
The company has also announced a new funding round led by Halogen Ventures, bringing its total funding to $15 million. The company says every charger it supplies as it expands across North America will be built in Queens.
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