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New statewide initiatives to spur widespread adoption of electric vehicles, increase charging infrastructure

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Mon, Nov 19th 2018 05:10 pm
New high-speed electric vehicle chargers to be sited along major traffic corridors, including JFK Airport and in key cities; lower electric rates approved for residential plug-in electric vehicles to spur electric vehicle ownership
More than $15 million already provided to more than 11,000 consumers for purchase of non-polluting cars to help New York reach 'Charge NY' goals
New York state announced a series of broad-scale initiatives to encourage the purchase and increase the convenience and accessibility of electric vehicles (EV). The expansion of public fast charger networks across the state, approved regulatory actions to lower residential charging rates, and more than 11,000 rebates issued to consumers for purchasing electric vehicles is helping to increase New Yorkers' purchasing options and charging accessibility for environmentally friendly, plug-in hybrid and fully electric vehicles. As more drivers shift to electric vehicles, New York will be better able to achieve Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's clean energy and climate goals and reach the state's goal of reducing carbon emissions 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels.
•EVolve NY to Install Charging Stations along Major Corridors and JFK Airport: In the initial roll-out of its $250 million EVolve NY initiative, NYPA will deploy up to 200 150 kilowatt (kW) direct current (DC) fast chargers, enabling drivers to charge in as little as 20 minutes, to more than two-dozen locations along major traffic corridors, John F. Kennedy International Airport and five major cities. EVolve NY is a key pillar of Cuomo's "Charge NY 2.0" initiative, which encourages electric car adoption as it brings the state closer to its goal of installing at least 10,000 charging stations by the end of 2021.
NYPA has identified the first 32 locations and is finalizing specific site details with the vendors that will provide and install the charging equipment. EVolve NY will target four 150 kW chargers per location at average intervals of less than 75 miles along New York's major corridors. Target corridor locations include Plattsburgh, Watertown and North Hudson in the North Country; Rochester in the Finger Lakes region; Buffalo and Niagara in Western New York; Middletown in Mid-Hudson; Corning and Binghamton in the Southern Tier; and Islip and Freeport in Long Island. The first fast chargers to be installed through the EVolve NY program are targeted to begin construction in spring 2019 along priority travel corridors with high traffic volumes from Buffalo to Montauk, and from Long Island to Canada.
The cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and Yonkers have been identified as sites for urban hubs, and high-speed chargers are expected to be installed at approximately 15 service areas along the New York State Thruway. JFK Airport will get its first high-speed charging hub, consisting of 10 150 kW fast chargers conveniently located to cater to both private and rideshare drivers. View video on NYPA's EVolve NY program.
•Lower Residential EV Charging Rates to Spur Customer Ownership: To further incentivize the purchase and use of electric vehicles in New York, the Public Service Commission has acted to allow residential customers, through time-of-use rates, to charge their vehicles during off-peak hours without the risk that they will pay more than standard rates. Charging electric vehicles at night not only saves electric vehicle owners money on their electric bill, it also helps utilities better manage the grid and benefits the entire grid system and reliability for all customers.
Time-of-use rate structures better align the price of delivering energy with the cost associated with delivering the energy at the time it is used. For plug-in vehicles to provide the most benefit to a utility's system, the additional electricity consumption must not coincide with peak periods of electricity demand (generally hot summer afternoons and early evenings when peak load grows). In addition to avoiding increases in peak demand, off-peak charging gives utilities the opportunity to increase electricity demand at a time when the electric system is underutilized.
•Drive Clean Rebate Initiative Supporting the Direct Purchase of 11,000 EVs: The Drive Clean Rebate is part of New York state's overall clean transportation strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supports the governor's "Reforming the Energy Vision" (REV) comprehensive plan to build a clean, resilient and affordable energy system. To date, more than 11,000 rebates have been approved for New Yorkers to purchase electric cars. Since the start of the Drive Clean Rebate, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which administers the initiative, has approved more than $15 million in rebates for New Yorkers. 
The $70 million plug-in hybrid and electric car rebate and outreach initiative encourages the growth of clean and non-polluting car use in New York, promotes the reduction of carbon emissions in the transportation sector, and helps reduce vehicle prices for consumers. The Drive Clean Rebate initiative provides New York residents with a rebate of up to $2,000 for the purchase or lease of a new electric car from participating dealers. More than 40 different types of electric cars are available under the Drive Clean Rebate initiative.
Most recently, in September, the governor announced $5 million is available for installations at apartment buildings, workplaces, malls and other locations under Charge Ready NY. Charge Ready NY rebates can be combined with New York state's 50 percent tax credit for installing charging stations. The tax credit is applied after the rebate amount received from NYSERDA.
Gil C. Quiniones, president and CEO of the New York Power Authority, said, "NYPA is set to launch the far-reaching EVolve NY initiative, which will aggressively accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles throughout New York state. Addressing infrastructure barriers is key if we want people to step into EV ownership with confidence, recognize that lower-emission electric vehicles are affordable, accessible and fun to drive, and understand they'll be able to drive across the state without having to worry about recharging."
PSC Chairman John B. Rhodes said, "We know that electric vehicles are becoming more relevant in the marketplace, which is in line with New York state's climate policies. Now is the time to align our electric rates to encourage charging at optimal times for the grid. Charging electric vehicles at night is smart as it not only saves electric vehicle owners money on their electric bill, it helps utilities better manage the grid."
Alicia Barton, president and CEO, NYSERDA, said, "Today's announcement reaffirms Gov. Cuomo's commitment to providing cleaner, more cost-effective transportation alternatives to New Yorkers as part of the state's efforts to make consumers more aware of the choices available today in clean energy solutions and technologies. New York's comprehensive approach to building a statewide electric vehicle infrastructure continues to increase consumer confidence in going electric while enabling the state to cut is carbon footprint and protect our communities and environment." 
Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said, "As a principal artery of travel and commerce within New York state and beyond, the Thruway Authority joins Gov. Cuomo's commitment of providing and promoting environmentally friendly resources. With the installation of more EV chargers in our service areas statewide, we expect to see more electric vehicles on the road that will be able to continue their travels, instead of exiting our system to charge."
Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said, "As the first public transportation agency to embrace the Paris climate agreement, the Port Authority is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and seeking ways to reduce emissions throughout the transportation sector. The addition of a high-speed charging hub at JFK's taxi-hold lot, which serves private and rideshare drivers, is an important step forward in achieving our sustainability goals."
Senate Energy and Telecommunications Committee Chairman Joseph Griffo said, "Upgrading New York's energy infrastructure in efficient and cost-effective ways, such as providing high-speed electric vehicle charging stations along the state's major traffic corridors, is good clean energy policy. Additional high-speed electric charging stations in these areas will help to facilitate the expanded use of electric vehicles in our state and also to make it easier for EV travelers to stop and charge their electric vehicles while visiting with us here in New York." 
Assembly Energy Chairman Michael Cusick said, "New York continues to lead the way as we transition to a green economy and the installation of high-speed electric vehicle chargers across the state will significantly bolster this effort. Less than 2 percent of cars sold in the United States last year were electric. It's important for government to lay the foundation for future success in this sector in an effort to reduce pollution and spur investment."

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