A city councilman wants New York to be more friendly to electric cars.
Costa Constantinides introduced a bill yesterday that would create a pilot program for the installation of city owned electric car charging stations in all five boroughs.
There are 2,600 registered electric cars in the state, a number that the councilman said pales in comparison to other states like Washington, which had nearly six times as many cars.
“There is no incentive to buy an electric car if there is no where to plug it in,” said Constantinides.
Under the proposed four-year pilot progam, the transportation department would install up to seven public charging stations in each borough, monitor their use and costs and report back to the city with the data.
Currently, drivers can charge their vehicles in stations that they can buy for their garage or in paid garages.
Constantinides said the cost and locations would be determined by the DOT.
The bill is backed by Councilman Yandis Rodriguez, who chairs the transportation committee, and by environmental groups like the National Resources Defense Council.
Eric Goldstein, the NYC environment director for the NRDC, said the lack of charging stations really does create a “chicken or the egg” situation for the number of electric cars.
“You wouldn’t buy a gasoline powered car if you don’t have gas stations,” he said.
