Dive Brief:
- New York has developed a set of statewide, broad-scale initiatives aimed at boosting the adoption of electric vehicles, including the development of 200 150 kW DC Fast Chargers (DCFC) in more than two dozen locations along major traffic corridors and at JFK Airport.
- The New York Power Authority said it has identified the first 32 locations for DCFC infrastructure as part of its EVolve NY program. The state has committed $250 million through 2025 for the initial rollout of the program.
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to see at least 10,000 charging stations in the state by the end of 2021, as part of the state's Charge NY 2.0 initiative to encourage electric car adoption.
Dive Insight:
New York, like a growing number of states, sees electrified transportation as a key strategy in meeting broader emissions and environmental goals. And that approach is showing up in millions of dollars spent on infrastructure, in an effort to boost widespread adoption.
Along with the expansion of public fast charger networks across the state, New York says it has also approved regulatory actions to lower residential charging rates, and issued more than 11,000 rebates to consumers for purchasing electric vehicles.
Cuomo's long-term clean energy goals call for reducing carbon emissions 40% by 2030 from 1990 levels. NYPA President and CEO Gil Quiniones said the plan is to "aggressively accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles" throughout the state.
"Addressing infrastructure barriers is key if we want people to step into EV ownership with confidence," Quiniones said in a statement.
NYPA said that EVolve NY is planning for four 150 kW chargers per location, on average less than 75 miles apart. The first DCFC chargers planned through the EVolve NY program are expected to be under construction by spring 2019, and NYPA said they will be rolled out "along priority travel corridors with high traffic volumes from Buffalo to Montauk, and from Long Island to Canada."
Other agencies are also involved in the state's efforts. The New York Public Service Commission approved time-of-use rates that lower charging costs during off-peak hours. And utilizing the state's "Drive Clean Rebate," the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has approved more than $15 million for more than 11,000 rebates.
In September, Cuomo also announced the availability of $5 million for charging installations at apartment buildings, workplaces, malls and other locations under Charge Ready NY.
New York is not the only state pouring money into electric vehicles. This summer, the California Public Utilities Commission approved $738 million in transportation electrification projects for the state's investor-owned utilities. And New Jersey utility PSEG plans to spend $300 million on EV infrastructure as part of a multi-billion dollar clean energy and grid investment plan.
