$250M Initiative to Expand Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
ALBANY – Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced a new $250 million electric vehicle expansion initiative, Evolve NY, with the New York Power Authority.
In addition to state funding, the program will also seek to create private sector partnerships through 2025 to aggressively accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles throughout New York State. NYPA will be launching several new innovative initiatives to co-invest with private sector partners, collaborate with partners on identifying new business and ownership models, and increase customer awareness about electric vehicles and charging.
This major investment plan aims to expand fast charger infrastructure and make EVs more user-friendly for all New Yorkers.
“New York has an incredible opportunity to move the needle on greenhouse gas reduction and get more electronic vehicles on the road by building more charging stations to ensure New Yorkers can drive them from one end of the state to the other,” Governor Cuomo said. “With the NYPA EVolve NY initiative, we are making a significant move to make driving an electric car a viable choice and an affordable option that can make significant strides in cleaning the air for all New Yorkers.”
“Electric vehicles started in Buffalo in 1902,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. “I’m proud of that history, and now we’re moving away from gas vehicles again and toward the future of electric vehicles. This significant investment will add charging stations in key areas – allowing people to travel across the state with the opportunity to recharge – and encourage more New Yorkers to use electric vehicles. This investment complements our ambitious energy goals of reducing emissions, helping to lower costs and protect the environment.”
Evolve NY is a key pillar of the Governor’s Charge NY 2.0 initiative, which aims to encourage and support electric car adoption by increasing the number of charging stations statewide, and will help bring the state closer to its goal of installing at least 10,000 charging stations by the end of 2021. Over the next seven years, NYPA will commit up to $250 million and partner with the private sector and other key stakeholders to attract longer-term private investment and collaborate on programs that will amplify the Governor’s Charge NY 2.0 program and address key infrastructure and potential market gaps. The funding will be awarded through the state’s competitive procurement process.
This initiative builds on New York State’s major, multi-agency clean transportation efforts to make EVs more affordable and accessible, and helps accelerate Governor Cuomo’s ambitious Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to lead the fight against climate change and grow New York’s economy by building a cleaner, more resilient and affordable energy system.
The initial phase of funding, approved on May 22 by NYPA trustees, directs $40 million to be allocated into three primary new programs through the end of 2019, including:
Interstate Fast Chargers – Collaborate with the private sector, and other partners, to identify and install up to 200 direct current (DC) fast chargers along key interstate corridors – with a target interval of every 30 miles – and in select urban areas. DC fast chargers have the potential to charge the latest EV models in as little as 10 minutes for 200 miles of range. NYPA will collaborate with partners to determine optimal locations focusing on accessibility, convenience, affordability, and reliability of charging.
Airport Fast Chargers – Leverage public and private partnerships to install DC fast chargers at or near John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports. With more than 20 million passenger car trips around the airports annually, an EV charging hub has the potential to serve EV drivers within a 200 mile-radius of New York City. Program features may include promoting charger use by multiple users including rideshare companies, public vehicles, rental agencies, airport/commercial fleets and potentially buses. This advance will add to the medium-speed (Level 2) chargers that are already at the airports in indoor parking garages.
EV Model Communities – Partner with a NYPA municipal or co-operative distribution utility to support an EV friendly model community that includes a utility-managed charging platform to ensure affordability, reliability, and grid efficiency. The community will test and scale new EV infrastructure and service business models that will encourage more residents to transition to driving EVs. Features may include developing home and public charging “subscriptions,” an online customer portal, and EV education events.
New York has a long history of delivering affordable and accessible EV initiatives and infrastructure throughout the state. NYPA is currently installing 400 public chargers at airports, train stations, and municipal parking lots and, as recently announced, high-speed chargers have been installed on the New York State Thruway, with more planned for the remaining 23 service areas between New York City and Buffalo. NYPA has also partnered with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and ConEd to bring electric buses to New York City. As part of the EVolve initiative’s second phase, NYPA will work with partners to further accelerate public transportation fleet electrification efforts, including working with the MTA to transition its entire bus system to a zero-emissions fleet, as announced in April 2018.
Thursday’s announcement supports the state’s implementation of the Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan adopted in 2014, pursuant to the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding, in which nine states now participate. While that Action Plan was focused primarily on cars and small trucks, today’s announcement is an example of New York’s increasing focus on electrifying trucks and buses – some of the greatest emitters of dirty emissions.
Additional funding and programs from the Department of Environmental Conservation, the Thruway Authority, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and other state agencies, as well as investment by Electrify America, will complement NYPA’s efforts and help bridge any gaps to unlock private investment.
Additionally, in March 2017, Governor Cuomo launched the state’s Drive Clean Rebate program. Administered by NYSERDA, the program provides residents with a rebate of up to $2,000 for the purchase or lease of a new plug-in hybrid or battery electric car from participating new car dealers. More than 6,600 New Yorkers have received rebates in the past year for 35 different types of cars. Overall, most consumers received rebates of at least $1,100 for their new electric cars. This initiative played a central role in incentivizing the purchase of more than 10,000 electric cars in 2017, a 67 percent increase over 2016.
In another action intended to further encourage electric vehicle adoption, Governor Cuomo recently announced that the State Public Service Commission has launched a groundbreaking initiative to accelerate electric vehicle usage, expand the number of electric vehicle-charging stations, and determine how utilities can help increase electric vehicle penetration in New York State. The PSC will consider the electric utilities’ role in providing infrastructure and rate design to accommodate the needs and electricity demand of EVs. It will also explore cost-effective ways to build such infrastructure and equipment, and determine whether utility tariff changes will be needed in addition to those already being considered for residential customers.
As part of this coordinated state effort, NYPA, DEC, the Thruway Authority, and the State Department of Transportation recently submitted a request for the PSC to timely modify electric rates for electricity customers that install fast chargers for electric vehicle recharging. Eventually, under the proposed rate adjustment, increased adoption of electric vehicles, and increased home and workplace charging, could increase revenue to operate and maintain the transmission and distribution system, allowing for a longer-term reduction in electricity rates for all ratepayers.
The state has also provided incentives for employers to encourage employees to drive electric vehicles, installed charging stations in public areas, and offered rebates for municipalities to purchase or lease electric (plug-in hybrid or battery) or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for municipal fleet use and to install charging infrastructure.
For more information about the all-new EVolve NY initiative, including requesting fast chargers in your area or learning more about becoming an EV Model Community, visit the EVolve program page on NYPA’s website. To contact an EVolve NY representative, e-mail: EVolveNY@nypa.gov.