Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced that the largest publicly accessible fast-charging station for electric vehicles in the Northeast is now operational at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens. The ten-port charging station is part of a joint initiative by the New York Power Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that will reduce New York State’s carbon footprint and improve air quality by incorporating electric vehicle technology throughout JFK and LaGuardia airports. The EV charging hub, compatible for all current fast-charging EV models, will help decarbonize the transportation sector and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050, a target included in the Governor’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and bring New York State another step closer to a clean energy economy.
“As we make it easier for more New Yorkers to drive electric vehicles, we are directly reducing emissions and helping forge the path towards a greener future,” Governor Cuomo said. “Reducing emissions from transportation is a priority in our historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, and with projects like the new fast charging station at JFK, we are ensuring the infrastructure needed to meet our ambitious goals is in place.”
The Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) hub is available to local EV drivers as well as motorists traveling to and from the airport and will provide a valuable resource for New York City’s increasingly electric taxis and rideshare vehicles. The project was completed as part of NYPA’s statewide EVolve NY charging network that is being installed along key travel corridors and in urban areas to encourage more travelers to drive EVs.
The ten JFK high-speed 150kW chargers have been installed in the northeast corner of the West Cell Phone Parking Lot, conveniently located off the Van Wyck Expressway en route to the airport’s main terminals. The site is for use by the public, rideshare drivers, taxis, and the Port Authority’s own EV transportation fleets. These fast chargers will complement the medium-speed (Level 2) chargers that provide slower charging speeds and are already in the airport’s indoor parking garages. The new DCFC public charging site also features four Tesla adapters so the hub will be able to charge any fast-charging electric vehicle.
NYPA President and CEO Gil C. Quiniones said, “Many drivers in New York State are transitioning to electric vehicles and they want to know that charging up will be quick and easy and that they can get to their destination on time. What better place to locate fast chargers than a high-volume parking lot at an international airport already frequented by drivers and rideshare operators? This electrification effort by NYPA and the Port Authority reduces emissions from the transportation sector and supports Governor Cuomo’s overall climate leadership goals.”
NYPA also installed four new 62.5 kW chargers in an adjacent lot for the exclusive use of Port Authority electric buses that transport passengers and employees between air terminals and parking lots. Replacing diesel-powered buses is a key step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and decreasing air and noise pollution in the surrounding airport communities.
The Port Authority recently completed the deployment of the largest airport electric bus fleet on the east coast, which is comprised of 36 buses across JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports. The fleet includes 12 buses at JFK that were purchased with the help of rebates offered through the New York Truck Voucher Incentive program, which supports Governor Cuomo’s clean energy goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions statewide by 40 percent by 2030. Additionally, the Port Authority is electrifying its light-duty fleet.
Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said, “JFK Airport is New York’s international gateway, and the ideal location to showcase the Port Authority’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement with the installation of the largest public electric vehicle fast charging hub in the Northeast. The opening of 10 fast chargers for customer use at JFK helps accelerate Governor Cuomo’s clean transportation goals while bringing the Port Authority closer to achieving its aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets. We’re pleased to continue our longstanding partnership with NYPA to combat the existential threat of climate change.”
The new installations complement the Governor’s “Make Ready” program, which will use funding from investor-owned utilities to add even more EV charging stations that will be built in key locations to support expanded EV use with a goal of deploying more than 50,000 chargers by 2025. Such electrification efforts, in collaboration with the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), will also help the state reach its aggressive clean energy goals outlined in the CLCPA.
NYPA’s first Evolve NY hubs were recently announced in LaGrangeville in the Mid-Hudson Valley and Watertown in the North Country. Three additional charging sites – Fairport, Malone and Schroon Lake – will be operational this week making EV travel easier in different parts of the state. By the end of 2021, EVolve NY’s fast charging network will include up to 200 fast chargers at 50 locations along major New York transportation corridors, as well as in key urban locations from Buffalo to New York City.
Access to fast chargers, which charge an EV in as little as 20 minutes, fills key gaps to wider adoption of EVs, making them an easier and realistic choice for drivers. Charging times vary based on the vehicles’ on-board charging equipment and the vehicle’s battery capacity. Level 2 public chargers, often seen at businesses and workplaces, can take up to six hours for a full charge and are intended for use while drivers are working or shopping, or for those who don’t have access to charging at home.
NYPA launched its EVolve NY initiative in 2018 to expand fast charging along key travel corridors, create new charging hubs in major cities and airports, and establish electric vehicle-friendly model communities that will encourage residents to transition to driving electric vehicles. EVolve NY will have 25 chargers at six locations through 2020.
NYPA previously developed and installed vehicle-charging equipment for electric buses at LaGuardia Airport. The project, which was completed this fall, includes the installation of six Charge Point bus charging stations in parking lot #10, which services both passengers and employees needing transport to and from the terminals.
The new bus chargers at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty International Airport help support the Port Authority’s all-electric airport shuttle bus fleet, which will eliminate over 1,600 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
EV Connect is the network software provider for the public charging project. The public fast chargers in the JFK Airport cell phone lot will be on the EV Connect network and can be used via the EV Connect phone app or with a credit card.
EV Connect Chief Operations Officer Patrick Macdonald-King said, “EV Connect is proud to be a part of this flagship project by providing industry-leading software, load management capabilities, and customer support to ensure it is a success. We are delighted to support NYPA at JFK and to roll out advanced EV charging features for their customers.”
Information about all EVolve NY chargers can be found on PlugShare, Google Maps, or by downloading the Chargeway app.