Con Edison has entered into a partnership with the New York City Housing Authority that will see the placement of e-bike and e-scooter charging stations at four housing developments.
The charging stations, which will come with secure storage areas, will be at NYCHA developments in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn and should be operational by the end of the year. The aim is to increase e-bike and e-scooter usage, while at the same time reduce indoor battery charging that can be dangerous.
The FDNY said Monday that there have been 33 fires caused by e-bike/e-scooter batteries across New York City this year.
The project is a pilot program where the city will be able test whether the use of e-bikes and e-scooters increases if New Yorkers have suitable charging and storage areas.
Con Edison will gather information from the chargers to see how many unique riders use them and how long riders use the chargers and at what time of the day. In addition, Con Edison will determine the amount of carbon that would have been emitted if the users had driven passenger cars instead of micromobility devices.
“As electric bikes and scooters grow in popularity, we want to explore ways to ensure that New Yorkers have access to safe, convenient charging and secure storage,” said Raghu Sudhakara, vice president, Distributed Resource Integration, for Con Edison.
“Making micromobility safer and easier will be a plus for the many hard-working people who earn their living delivering food to our homes and businesses. Our demonstration project with NYCHA will provide us with information on how we can support these forms of transportation, which provide environmental benefits, convenience and enjoyment when used safely.”
The first chargers and storage areas will be at NYCHA Queensbridge North and Queensbridge South in Long Island City; De Hostos in Manhattan; and Van Dyke I in Brooklyn.
The goal is to provide chargers that will accommodate all e-bikes and e-scooters, regardless of the manufacturer.
Con Edison said the charging locations will be away from residences. The locations will also be designated in accordance with FDNY guidelines for safety.
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