New York City Opens First E-Battery Charging Station

By Hamodia Staff

NEW YORK – New York City activated on Thursday the first of five public e-battery charging locations as part of the city’s new six-month pilot program to test safe, public charging of lithium-ion batteries by an initial group of 100 delivery workers.

New York City is among the first major cities in the United States to launch a public e-bike charging pilot program. The pilot program was developed by DOT with New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and the urban tech growth hub Newlab.

The first site is located in Cooper Square in Manhattan’s East Village and is a key component of the administration’s overall “Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan.” The project seeks to support safe e-bike use and prevent deadly lithium-ion battery fires.

Four other future outdoor charging sites across Manhattan and Brooklyn were also announced by Mayor Adams today, selected based on their high concentrations of e-bike delivery activity and delivery workers. Those locations — the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park, Essex Market in the Lower East Side, Plaza De Las Americas in Washington Heights, and Willoughby and Jay Streets in Downtown Brooklyn — will have public e-battery charging locations installed and activated in the coming weeks.

“We count on delivery workers for so much, and they should be able to count on us, too — whether that means fighting for fair pay or making their jobs and livelihoods safer,” said Mayor Adams. “This pilot program we’re kicking off today will give delivery workers the ability to access safe, accessible, outdoor battery-charging that will undoubtedly save lives, and we’re eager to expand this pilot even further. We know the incredible potential of e-bikes in our city and it’s on us to make e-bike use even safer.”

“E-bikes are critical tools for delivery workers to support our local economy. This pilot will offer convenient and safe charging options at public locations so that delivery workers do not have to charge their devices at home,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “We’re thrilled to launch this pilot and thank the mayor as well as our partners in labor for supporting this vision.”

“We are grateful to partner with the DOT to give delivery workers a safe place to charge their devices, “said FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh “Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are extremely dangerous and deadly, and we must continue to work together to tackle this public safety threat head on.”