The global trend of increasing electric vehicle ownership hasn’t bypassed the Bronx. Every year, more and more cars that run without gas can be seen on the city’s streets. In this article, bronx.name will explain how the government and businesses are encouraging the popularization of eco-friendly transportation in the Bronx.
The First Public Charging Stations in the Bronx
Electric vehicles entered the automotive market fairly quickly and confidently. One of the problems associated with this rapid growth in EV users was a lack of infrastructure to support them. In 2021, there were already more than 15,000 electric vehicles in New York City, but the number of charging stations was limited—about 1,400 Level 2 plugs and 117 fast-charging stations at gas stations.
Nearly one-third of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions come from vehicles, so developing a convenient charging network is a vital part of the fight for cleaner air. This is especially true for the Bronx, the borough with the worst environmental indicators among all of New York City’s boroughs.
So in 2021, a new program was launched with the goal of making electric vehicles more convenient to use in the city. The project was a collaboration between DOT, Con Edison, and FLO, with support from the New York State Public Service Commission’s Reforming the Energy Vision program.
“Convenient, on-street charging for electric vehicles is a game changer, especially for those who do not have access to private parking and charging ports,” said Lenny Singh, Senior Vice President of Con Edison, at the opening of the first public charging station. “We are working closely with the City and the State to make it easier for all New Yorkers to switch from gas-powered vehicles to zero-emission EVs and enjoy the benefits of cleaner air and a healthier environment as Con Edison continues its work to meet its clean energy goals.”
The appearance of chargers on the streets of the Bronx made the switch to electric vehicles easier for a large portion of the city’s residents.
Expanding the EV Charging Network in the Bronx
The result of the fruitful collaboration between DOT, Con Edison, and FLO has been the creation of over 100 public charging stations in the Bronx over the last 3 years. About 50% of EV owners park their cars on the street. So, for them, the availability of chargers throughout the city is a significant advantage. Not many people have their own garage, and constantly driving to regular gas stations with EV ports is not convenient. Consequently, with the new infrastructure, the demand for electric vehicles has begun to grow rapidly.
Still, the Bronx remains the borough with the fewest fast chargers; most of the existing infrastructure is concentrated in Manhattan and the central parts of Brooklyn and Queens.
But the project to expand the public charging network is still in progress. New chargers are constantly being installed at various locations. They are mostly of two types:
- 175 kW chargers, which can charge a car to 80% in 20–60 minutes;
- Level 2 chargers, which fully charge an EV in 6–8 hours.
The main goal of the city’s PlaNYC program is to ensure that by 2035, every resident lives no more than 2.5 miles from a fast charger. As of early 2025, this standard has only been met for 71% of New Yorkers.
As of July 2024, more than 62,000 electric vehicles were registered in New York City—26% of all EVs in the state (for comparison, this share was 21% in 2023).
In the future, the Department of Transportation plans to open even more fast-charging stations on both city streets and in municipal garages—3 of these will be funded by the city, and up to 11 more will be in collaboration with the New York Power Authority (NYPA).
Keith Kerman, Deputy Commissioner of DCAS, emphasized that New York has one of the largest EV charging networks in the country and thanked Con Edison for its financial support through the PowerReady program. Through this program, Con Edison has already allocated $1.4 million to install fast-charging points in the city. DCAS notes that the partnership with Con Edison is a key factor in the city’s successful transition to an all-electric fleet.
New Charging Stations in Hunts Point
Another significant project in the field of electric transportation in the Bronx was the creation of a large charging hub for electric vehicles and electric trucks in Hunts Point.
In May 2024, New York City officials unveiled six new charging stations at the Hunts Point wastewater treatment plant in the Bronx. The total cost of the project was $415,000, and these stations marked a milestone—they brought the total number of charging ports in New York City to 2,000.
This step is part of Mayor Eric Adams’s larger Hunts Point Forward plan, which includes a $15 million investment in new electric vehicle technologies.
“Last year, this administration made a commitment to the South Bronx to make Hunts Point Forward, and today we are taking a big step toward accomplishing that mission,” said Adams. “By celebrating the city’s 2,000th EV charging station, we continue to cut carbon emissions, rid our communities of harmful fumes, and invest in a greener and cleaner infrastructure in the places that need it most.”
The 50 kW chargers installed in Hunts Point were made possible by a collaboration between three agencies: the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and Con Edison.
The government should lead by example. The city’s fleet is gradually transitioning to a more eco-friendly format. The city currently has more than 5,000 electric vehicles out of a total of 30,000 vehicles. DCAS also notes that at least half of the new chargers will be installed in neighborhoods that have historically suffered the most from environmental problems. It’s no surprise that Hunts Point was at the top of that list. Every day, a huge number of trucks, trailers, and heavy equipment are concentrated here, as it’s the largest food distribution center in the U.S. More than 15,000 trucks pass through daily. If at least half of them were running on electricity instead of gasoline, it would significantly improve the environmental situation in the area.
City Council member Rafael Salamanca pointed out that the South Bronx has long had high rates of asthma due to industrial pollution. As someone with asthma himself, he positively assessed the arrival of new chargers in Hunts Point as part of the city’s efforts to make the municipal fleet the greenest in the U.S.
The “Green Rides” Initiative
In October 2024, New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the launch of the Green Rides initiative, which mandates that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft in New York City transition to 100% electric or wheelchair-accessible vehicles (WAVs) by 2030. New York became the first city in the U.S. to officially commit to such a goal.
The program’s interim annual goals are designed to ensure a gradual and controlled transition. For example, the goal was for 15% of rides to be in EVs in 2025, but as of January 2024, that figure had already exceeded 19%, putting the program nearly two years ahead of schedule. From January to July 2024, EV rides avoided about 17,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions—the equivalent of taking more than 4,000 gasoline cars off the roads for a full year.
To support the transition to electric transportation, New York City authorities plan to significantly expand the fast-charging infrastructure. Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to install 267 new charging stations at nine locations across the city by 2027. Some of them will be opened during 2025. For example, 20 new chargers will be installed in the Port Morris neighborhood in the Bronx.
This project is being implemented with the support of NY Green Bank, which provided a $60 million loan to Revel, a public charging station operator. This is NYGB’s first large-scale investment in charging infrastructure, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding access to chargers, especially in urban areas.
All new stations will be open 24/7 and compatible with all EV makes. The chargers have a power output of 320 kW, which allows a car to be fully charged in 15 minutes.
In addition, the NYC DOT has 70 Level 2 chargers and plans to add 600 more on-street charging points in the coming years.
“Over the last few years, Revel has been preparing a strategic portfolio of the most profitable fast-charging sites in New York City,” said Revel CEO Frank Reig. “These projects are now shovel-ready. With the support of NY Green Bank, we are prepared to take the EV economy in NYC to the next level with a fast-charging network that can compete with any other tier-one city.”
For Bronx residents, the new stations in Port Morris will be a valuable addition, as the area has long lacked sufficient public charging stations.