New York State announced a series of broad-scale initiatives to encourage the purchase and increase the convenience and accessibility of electric vehicles. The expansion of public fast charger networks across the state, approved regulatory actions to lower residential charging rates, and more than 11,000 rebates issued to consumers for purchasing electric vehicles is helping to increase New Yorkers’ purchasing options and charging accessibility for environmentally-friendly, plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles.
As more drivers shift to electric vehicles, New York will be better able to achieve Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s clean energy and climate goals and reach the state’s goal of reducing carbon emissions 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels.
EVolve NY to Install Charging Stations along Major Corridors and JFK Airport
In the initial roll-out of its $250 million EVolve NY initiative, NYPA will deploy up to 200 150 kilowatt (kW) direct current (DC) fast chargers, enabling drivers to charge in as little as 20 minutes, to more than two dozen locations along major traffic corridors, John F. Kennedy International Airport and five major cities. EVolve NY is a key pillar of Governor Cuomo’s Charge NY 2.0 initiative, which encourages electric car adoption as it brings the state closer to its goal of installing at least 10,000 charging stations by the end of 2021.
NYPA has identified the first 32 locations and is finalizing specific site details with the vendors that will provide and install the charging equipment. EVolve NY will target four 150 kW chargers per location at average intervals of less than 75 miles along New York’s major corridors. Target corridor locations include Plattsburgh, Watertown and North Hudson in the North Country; Rochester in the Finger Lakes region; Buffalo and Niagara in Western New York; Middletown in Mid-Hudson; Corning and Binghamton in the Southern Tier; and Islip and Freeport in Long Island. The first fast chargers to be installed through the EVolve NY program are targeted to begin construction in spring 2019 along priority travel corridors with high traffic volumes from Buffalo to Montauk, and from Long Island to Canada.
The cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Yonkers have been identified as sites for urban hubs, and high-speed chargers are expected to be installed at approximately 15 service areas along the New York State Thruway. JFK Airport will get its first high-speed charging hub, consisting of ten 150 kW fast chargers conveniently located to cater to both private and rideshare drivers.
