New York City to Add 600 Curb-Side EV Charging Stations

New York City is accelerating the development of public EV charging infrastructure. The NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced it will install 600 new curb-side electric vehicle charging points across all five boroughs over the next three years — expanding the PlugNYC network from its current 88 Level 2 AC charging ports to nearly 700.

The first batch of proposed locations has been identified: 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. Additional neighborhoods will be added in subsequent phases.

To ensure scientifically sound site selection, NYC DOT has launched a public feedback portal inviting residents to comment on proposed locations. Priority will be given to densely populated areas lacking private parking — especially neighborhoods where taxi and ride-hail drivers reside. In NYC, roughly half of private vehicle owners rely on street parking, and home charging remains largely inaccessible; curb-side charging is thus a critical enabler of the city's electrification transition.

Data shows existing curb-side charging points are heavily utilized, with an average occupancy rate exceeding 70% — and some nearing 99%. The four busiest stations are all located in Upper Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens — the very areas with the highest concentration of taxi and ride-hail license holders in NYC. Currently, EVs account for 8.3% of new vehicle registrations citywide, while taxi and ride-hail drivers alone complete approximately 3 million electric trips per month.

Each newly built PlugNYC-branded charging station will feature at least two charging poles, each equipped with two ports — providing a minimum of four charging points per site. Dedicated charging spaces operate under a 'charge-only' policy: only vehicles actively charging may occupy them. Payment options include contactless credit cards and major EV charging apps; however, the specific electricity rate (RMB/kWh) has not yet been disclosed. NYC DOT emphasized that pricing will be regulated to ensure affordability while using rational rates to encourage prompt departure after charging.

The New York State Public Service Commission will oversee procurement of charging equipment and contractor bidding for construction, while NYC DOT will manage the entire network through operations and maintenance contracts. The project also adopts a 'single excavation' strategy: power conduits will be pre-installed during initial construction to support future expansion — including e-bike charging cabinets, shared e-bike docks, cargo bike charging, and smart bicycle parking systems — avoiding repeated road excavation.

This curb-side expansion forms a key component of NYC's broader EV charging infrastructure plan, which also includes adding 92 DC fast-charging points and 180 Level 2 AC charging points across municipal parking lots and garages. Several of these sites have already begun construction or entered service.