New York City to Install 700 New Street-Side EV Chargers

The City of New York has selected it’s electric to install 700 new curbside chargers across all five boroughs over the next three years. This initiative replaces the city’s current pilot infrastructure with a more permanent solution designed to meet the growing demand for public charging.

According to reports from GN auto tech/ev: electric vehicle, the chargers will be manufactured in Queens by Boyce Technologies. This local production ensures that the infrastructure is entirely made in New York, supporting domestic manufacturing while addressing the city's climate goals.

Targeting Underserved Neighborhoods

The new chargers will be placed in neighborhoods with high concentrations of taxi and rideshare drivers. The city also plans to install units in areas with limited off-street parking that have historically been overlooked by private charging companies. This strategy aims to make electric vehicle adoption more accessible for residents who cannot install chargers at home.

New York’s Green Rides initiative requires all licensed Uber and Lyft trips to be electric or accessible by 2030. By expanding public charging access, the city hopes to facilitate the transition for these drivers. Mayor Eric Adams has emphasized that this move supports the shift away from fossil fuels while creating local jobs.

Local Manufacturing and Partnerships

The deployment will be carried out in partnership with Maverick Corporation, which will lead the construction and engineering work. Both companies previously collaborated on a similar project in Boston. It’s electric also recently secured a contract to install 90 new chargers in Los Angeles, indicating a broader expansion strategy for the company.

The company has recently closed an oversubscribed bridge round led by Halogen Ventures. This funding brings the total capital raised to 15 million US dollars, supporting its rapid growth and the execution of large-scale municipal contracts like the one in New York.

Challenges of Urban Deployment

While the expansion is significant, installing infrastructure on city streets presents logistical challenges. The three-year timeline allows for gradual rollout, but ensuring that these stations remain available and functional in high-traffic areas will require consistent maintenance. The success of this project will depend on how well the city can integrate these chargers into the existing urban fabric without causing congestion.

Critics may point to the cost of public charging compared to private home charging. However, for residents in dense apartment buildings without off-street parking, this public infrastructure is a necessary alternative. The trade-off is that these stations must be widely distributed to be effective, rather than concentrated in a few high-traffic zones.