NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn announced Tuesday, Aug. 4, the launch of a new, public, online portal for New Yorkers to provide feedback on a major expansion of curbside electric vehicle (EV) charging.

 

The expansion, part of DOT’s PlugNYC charging network, will add 600 new curbside EV charging points over the next three years across all five boroughs, expanding from the current 88 Level 2 charging points, which the department says are heavily used across the city, to nearly 700.

 

DOT officials said the expansion will help support what were described as the city’s ambitious climate goals by facilitating the transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. They said the transportation sector is one of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in New York City. They added that as part of the Mamdani administration’s vision for curb management i.e. using curb space to meet a wider range of public needs, the stations will also include “dig once” electrical connections for other uses where feasible, like e-bike battery charging.

 

Flynn said the Mamdani administration is taking “aggressive action” to address the climate crisis and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. “For the transportation sector, our main goal is making it easier and more affordable for New Yorkers to walk, bike, and take transit,” he said. “But for those who still drive, we need to dramatically accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. This initiative will make charging more affordable and convenient, helping support the transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles and expand charging access to TLC-licensed drivers and residents of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods underserved by private charging options.”

 

NYC Chief Climate Officer Louise Young said the expansion of electric vehicle charging makes the transition to clean transportation more practical and accessible for New Yorkers. “Passenger vehicles, including for-hire vehicles, account for 17% of New York City’s greenhouse gas emissions, making vehicle electrification a critical part of achieving our climate goals,” she said. “By bringing curbside charging to neighborhoods that are home to many TLC-licensed drivers, we’re reducing barriers to electric vehicle adoption while helping build a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable city.”

 

The news was also welcomed by NYC Taxi & Limousine Commissioner Midori Valdivia who said the new chargers will be warmly welcomed by the tens of thousands of TLC drivers now conducting 3 million electric vehicle trips a month, as well as those who she said are eager to go electric, and spare themselves some pain at the pump. “Being able to charge in the neighborhoods where they work and live not only saves our drivers time and money, but it also contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable future for everyone in our city,” Valdivia said.

 

DOT officials said the department plans to install the new chargers over the next three years in select City neighborhoods based on high residential density, limited off-street parking, and a high concentration of TLC-licensed drivers. They said input from TLC drivers, themselves, will also be solicited and added that the aim is to start in 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, with more to come.

 

They said the expansion also seeks to provide access to public charging in low and moderate-income communities where, they said, private charging companies have made few investments. Public engagement, design, and construction is ongoing and the public can comment on initial proposed sites at DOT’s project portal here: on.nyc.gov/plugnyc-expansion.

 

DOT officials said each station will feature at least two charger posts, each with two charging points, for a total of four points per site. They said all stations will feature the PlugNYC brand. Where feasible, they said stations will also provide an electrical connection to support e-micromobility charging, such as electrified bikeshare docks, public e-bike charging cabinets, secure bike parking with charging, or cargo bike charging for micro-hubs. They said site selection will be closely coordinated with the agency’s pedestrian, bike, public realm and bus projects to ensure future flexibility.

 

DOT officials went on to remind residents that New York City launched what they said was a successful curbside L2 charging pilot in 2021, as reported at the time, in partnership with Con Edison, and has been operating the network of public L2 charging points since the end of the pilot in 2025. Norwood News readers weighed in on the pilot in 2021, as reported.

 

They said the existing citywide curbside charging stations are “immensely popular” with EV owners and the 88 charging points are occupied by an EV over 70% of the time. They said in some cases, it’s close to 99% of the time and that they actively deliver energy over 85% of the time they are occupied, the highest rate of utilization of any public curbside network in the country. They said utilization is high across all neighborhood income levels, and four of the five highest utilized stations are in zip codes with high concentrations of TLC drivers, in Upper Manhattan, The Bronx and Queens.

 

They said EVs now account for 8.3% of new vehicle registrations in New York City, but to drive EV adoption higher will require addressing what they described as “the city’s unique charging challenges.” They said in typical American cities, most EV owners can charge in their own driveway or garage, but in New York City, a high proportion of residents live in apartments or homes without off-street parking, and half of all car owners rely on street parking. They said expanding public charging is therefore critical to unlocking greater EV adoption.

 

To address this gap, as well as supporting TLC’s Green Rides initiative, DOT officials said the department is making major investments in fast charging and level 2 (L2) charging, including the latest expansion of 600 citywide curbside charging points, as well as 92 new fast charging points, and 180 new L2 charging points at its city-owned, municipal parking fields and municipal parking garages. They said construction is already underway or completed at many of these locations.

 

To install the new curbside charging points, DOT officials said the department will contract with the New York Power Authority, which they said is procuring the equipment and construction subcontractors best able to meet DOT’s needs. They said DOT will operate and maintain the new chargers as well as the existing charging stations from the pilot via contract, with control over the to-be-determined price charged to EV owners.

 

They said pricing will focus on affordability while encouraging reasonable turnover, and revenue received from customer fees will defray operating costs. They said drivers will be able to use multiple apps or tap their credit card to pay per kilowatt hour of energy dispensed, adding that only EVs that are plugged in can legally park at a curbside EV charging station. They said vehicles parked in these spaces and not connected to the charging station will be subject to enforcement.

 

For his part, Raghu Sudhakara, Con Edison vice president of distributed resources integration, said Con Edison supports New York City’s efforts to expand EV curbside charging to better connect more communities to clean energy solutions they need and want. “This program will place chargers in neighborhoods where many rideshare drivers and other EV owners live and work and will give them more reliable access while helping move the city toward cleaner transportation and improved air quality,” he said.

 

Meanwhile, New York League of Conservation Voters Policy Director Patrick McClellan said making it easier for New Yorkers to charge electric vehicles is essential to reducing pollution, improving air quality, and meeting climate goals. “Expanding curbside charging to neighborhoods across all five boroughs, especially communities where private investment has fallen behind, will make electric vehicles a more practical option for more New Yorkers,” he said.

 

“We applaud the New York City Department of Transportation for opening the process up for public input and Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Flynn for their commitment to advancing a smarter, more equitable charging network to help power the city’s clean transportation future,” McClellan added.