The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and Con Edison revealed that the energy company has awarded an initial $250,000 to the City of New York towards a portion of its planned installation of 100 fast electric vehicle chargers. The fast chargers will service City of New York fleet vehicles and at least 10 will be available for public use.
The funding from Con Edison, part of its PowerReady program, provides incentives to offset the cost of the electric infrastructure associated with installing level-2 and DC fast electric vehicle chargers and will reimburse costs for 15 fast chargers across six locations in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. This funding is the first award out of a total of $1.3 million in awards DCAS could potentially receive from Con Edison to support 39 of the City of New York’s 100 fast chargers. Ninety of these fast chargers have been placed in operation so far in the last year.
The City of New York’s municipal vehicle fleet includes 2,350 on-road electric vehicles and 796 off-road electric and solar units, and the entire fleet will be all-electric by 2040. To support this transition, the city currently has 1,061 electric vehicle charging ports to service its fleet. This network is the largest charging network in New York state and includes level-2 chargers, level-3 fast chargers, a mobile charger, and the nation’s largest network of 89 free-standing solar charging carports. The award from Con Edison will support the completion of the City’s first 100 fast chargers as well as help DCAS further expand the charging network.
“The climate crisis is real and it’s urgent, and that’s why the City of New York is transitioning to an all-electric municipal vehicle fleet by 2040,” said Lisette Camilo, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. “To achieve this ambitious goal, investments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure are crucial. We thank Con Edison for its ongoing partnership in building a more sustainable future for our city.”
Con Edison’s PowerReady Program will cover as much as 50% to 90% of the installation cost for the electric vehicle chargers. The New York Public Service Commission issued an order in July 2020 approving the EV PowerReady Program to help New York meet its emissions reduction targets by supporting increased adoption of electric vehicles through statewide deployment of more than 50,000 electric vehicle charging plugs by the end of 2025. In total, $290 million in funding is available under the program.
“Con Edison is making it easier for our customers to switch to electric vehicles, and we applaud the City of New York for its early leadership in EV adoption and plans to take its fleet all-electric by 2040,” said Raghusimha Sudhakara, director of electric vehicles and demonstration projects at Con Edison. “Our PowerReady program is the second largest of its kind in the nation supporting EV charging infrastructure, and will play a vital role in delivering the clean-energy future New Yorkers want and deserve.”
