New York Gov. Kathy Hochul says $21 million is now available to install electric vehicle fast chargers along major travel corridors across New York state.
Funded by a federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) grant, the state’s new competitive Upstate NEVI Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) program supports the expansion of DCFC infrastructure to improve consumer access to a network of EV charging.
The initial round of funding focuses on locations along and north of Interstate 84, including areas of the state north to the Canadian border and west to Buffalo.
“As we make the transition away from gas-powered vehicles, New York is accelerating the number of electric vehicle fast chargers available to reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality in our communities,” says Hochul. “With the strong support of the Biden-Harris administration, this federal funding supplements our ongoing investments in clean transportation advancements and ensures drivers throughout the state have access to a quick charge when they need it.”
The Upstate NEVI DCFC Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in partnership with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), provides funding to qualified EV infrastructure developers to install and operate DCFC stations at one or more sites along Federal Highway Administration-designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs).
Proposed sites must meet all federal requirements, including being located within one travel mile of an exit; being publicly accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week; and being able to charge at least four EVs simultaneously. Sites are also required to have no less than 150 kW and must meet federal uptime requirements for the percentage of time the charging station is functional. Receiving priority will be proposals that close gaps between existing and planned charging stations, offer amenities such as restrooms and food, or have stations that provide multiple types of charging connectors (CCS and NACS).
Designated AFCs eligible under the first round of the program include:
- Interstate 81
- Interstate 84
- Interstate 86
- Interstate 87 north of I-84
- Interstate 88
- Interstate 90
- Interstate 190
- Interstate 390
- Interstate 490
- New York 13 between I-86 and I-81
- New York 17 north of I-84
Proposals are due December 4 by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. A complete list of all eligibility rules and evaluation criteria can be found at the solicitation summary on NYSERDA’s website.
The agency will host a webinar September 19 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Eastern and another webinar October 21 from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Eastern to provide more details on the solicitation, project requirements and the application process.
“NYSERDA is eager to facilitate access to this federal support for charging station developers to expand the availability of charging stations in New York,” says Doreen M. Harris, NYSERDA president and CEO. “This funding provides more charging options for drivers along highly traveled roads, shortening the distance between stations, reducing range anxiety and improving system reliability.”
New York state was allocated $175 million under the federal NEVI program and was one of the first states to open a DCFC site with NEVI funding in December 2023. This was followed by two additional locations opening in the first quarter of 2024, and six more DCFC NEVI-funded sites are expected to come online in New York by the end of 2025.