NYC DOT Report Hails Success of Public E-Bike Battery Charging Pilot, Agency Outlines Next Steps

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November 21, 2024
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NYC DOT Report Hails Success of Public E-Bike Battery Charging Pilot, Agency Outlines Next Steps

Report on Innovative Pilot Concludes That Users Saw Improvement in Quality of Life, Safety, and Productivity

Delivery Workers Swapped Batteries at On-Street Cabinets More Than 12,000 Times Over Six Months and Reduced At-Home Charging by 35 Percent

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the release of a new report detailing how NYC DOT's public e-bike battery charging pilot program improved fire safety by reducing at-home charging and increased participating delivery workers' productivity and peace of mind. The full report, titled Safer Charging, Safer Deliveries: Lessons from NYC DOT's Public E-bike Charging Pilot Program illustrates the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this pilot, which will inform NYC DOT's efforts to dramatically expand access to public e-bike charging. In addition to enhanced fire safety for delivery workers and their neighbors, there have been no safety-related issues or 311 reports at any of the pilot locations. The pilot is one of the key pieces of the Adams Administration's Charge Safe, Ride Safe initiative to combat lithium-ion battery fires and support safe e-mobility use.

"Delivery workers have one of the toughest jobs in New York City and our pilot illustrated the strong demand for safe and accessible outdoor e-bike charging," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Safer charging practices are integral to a cleaner and more sustainable future and this type of program can support the growth in e-bikes while also protecting all New Yorkers from deadly fires."

"Micro-mobility devices powered by lithium-ion batteries are already in people's homes, and we know we have to find safe ways to use them," said Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker. "They are used daily by delivery workers and others to work and commute. We are grateful to the DOT for providing delivery workers a safe place to charge their devices. Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are extremely dangerous and deadly, and we must continue to work together to tackle this public safety threat head on."

"Safe charging solutions for e-bikes and other micromobility devices supports NYCHA residents' access to a vital mode of transportation while ensuring safety at our properties," said NYCHA Chief Asset and Capital Management Officer Shaan Mavani. "We are grateful to our partners at the Department of Transportation for administering and implementing the RAISE grant to roll out charging stations that will benefit so many public housing residents and other New Yorkers."

"Accessible e-bike charging stations help New Yorkers travel efficiently and safely across the five boroughs, and are a representation of the green economy in action," said NYCEDC President & CEO Andrew Kimball. "NYCEDC was thrilled to utilize our assets for this innovative program, the Brooklyn Army Terminal and Essex Market, and we look forward to working with NYC DOT on increasing pilot opportunities and seeing its continued positive impacts."

Report Findings

NYC DOT launched the public e-bike battery charging pilot program in February 2024 to explore the feasibility of outdoor e-bike charging solutions. The program included three participating companies, PopWheels, Swiftmile, and Swobbee and 118 participating delivery workers. At its core, the goal of this pilot was to incentivize e-bike use and assess the adoption of new battery charging technologies among commercial cyclists.

Safer Charging, Safer Deliveries: Lessons from NYC DOT's Public E-bike Charging Pilot Program provides an in-depth look at how public charging infrastructure can improve safety and the productivity of New York's delivery workers.

• Participants swapped batteries at on-street cabinets more than 12,000 times over the course of six months.
• The charging docks were moderately used, with 1,300 charging dock sessions over the course of the pilot.
• Access to battery charging services improved users' quality of life. Users felt both safer and more productive having alternatives to at-home charging.
• The program reduced at-home charging among participants, with a 35 percent reduction in participants charging batteries at-home.
• The program decreased reliance on spare batteries, with survey data showing a 50 percent decrease in the use of spare batteries while conducting deliveries.
• Program participants expressed a strong willingness to pay for a monthly, unlimited subscription to maintain access to the services after the pilot program ends.

The full report is available on NYC DOT's website.

Looking Ahead

Building on the success of this pilot, NYC DOT will take a number of steps to expand access to public battery charging, especially for delivery workers.

As announced earlier this year, the agency is updating its rules to allow buildings to install battery charging cabinets on the sidewalk in front of their properties. The proposed rule was published in the City Record on July 25, 2024, and a public hearing was held on August 26, 2024. NYC DOT received written and verbal comments from the public and expects to publish the final rule in the City Record in the first quarter 2025.

NYC DOT will also partner with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) to implement a public e-bike charging program at approximately 173 locations next to 53 public housing developments. This work will be funded by a $25 million federal RAISE grant previously awarded to NYCHA. NYC DOT will administer the grant, with charging infrastructure sited on public sidewalks, where they will be available to NYCHA residents and the general public.

PopWheels and Swobbee, the two companies operating the battery swap cabinets as part of the city's pilot, have also met FDNY safety standards to begin installing additional battery swap cabinets on private property throughout the five boroughs.

Charge Safe, Ride Safe.

In addition to public e-bike charging initiatives, Mayor Adams' Charge Safe, Ride Safe Action Plan is focused on building a safe, welcoming environment for e-bike riders citywide. To promote the safe use of e-bikes and reduce risk of deadly e-bike fires, often caused by uncertified batteries, NYC DOT will launch an e-bike trade-in program early next year. Eligible delivery workers will be able to trade-in their substandard e-bike and non-street legal moped for a safer UL-certified e-bike with a spare UL-certified battery.

Additionally, the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) has launched a $1 million public education and awareness campaign on the dangers of unsafe lithium-ion batteries, following new data showing that 59 percent of 2023's lithium-ion battery fires started when those batteries were not charging.

"NYC DOT's public e-bike charging program represents a significant leap forward in both public safety and support for our workforce. It tackles the dual challenges of fire safety and productivity head-on, showcasing how strategic innovations and cooperative efforts can forge a future where no one has to choose between making a living and protecting their lives or their neighbors," said State Senator Robert Jackson. "I applaud the DOT, community allies, and technology partners for pioneering a path to such vital solutions."

"The results of the e-bike public charging pilot program are clear: Public charging stations will help us reduce the risk of battery fires and improve quality of life. This initial investment in public charging stations was a commitment to our delivery workers, who provided essential service during the pandemic," said Assemblymember Marcela Mitaynes. "I look forward to the expansion of the program to ensure our delivery workers and all e-bike riders can ride safely."

"E-bike battery fires have had a devastating impact on my district that have cost people their homes, businesses and in the worst scenarios, their lives," said Assemblymember Grace Lee. "I commend the NYC DOT for taking proactive action to improve fire safety with this pilot program, which reflects a strong commitment to safety for all New Yorkers."

"Our delivery workers are the backbone of how our city runs, and they deserve to have safe working conditions," said Councilmember Sandy Nurse. "This pilot proves that we can improve fire safety and support workers simultaneously-by investing in safe, accessible charging infrastructure that puts these essential workers first. Across the city and our state there is a need to create more disposal and charging sites that protect delivery workers and their communities."

"Today's report shows that investing in safe charging methods works. Public e-bike charging allows riders to keep unregulated chargers out of their homes, preventing fires and keeping New Yorkers safe," said Councilmember Keith Powers. "Together with e-bike trade in programs, we are taking steps to put an end to the deadly fires that have taken too many lives. I look forward to seeing this pilot program expanded."

"We were excited to partner with NYC DOT on its Public E-bike Charging Pilot Program over the summer at Willoughby Street, in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn," said Regina Myer, president of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. "Our docking station saw very high usage and received positive feedback from users, who were mostly delivery workers. We look forward to partnering with DOT on a permanent program, and increasing the safety of e-bike users and their neighbors."

"We applaud NYC DOT for their swift action in addressing battery fires through the launch of this pilot. The data is clear: battery swapping tackles not only the fire safety issue but also helps delivery workers save money and increase their earnings," said Stephan von Wolff, managing director, Swobbee US Corp. "Swobbee is excited to bring the safest battery and charging technology to New York City and is dedicated to making this solution accessible to delivery workers and all New Yorkers. We look forward to tackling this challenge together with FDNY and NYC DOT."

"Popwheels is honored to have participated in this pilot program, and we're thrilled to see the strong results showing how battery-swapping systems can quickly and efficiently address the battery-fire crisis," said David Hammer, co-founder of PopWheels. "The success of this pilot is a testament to the mayor's vision and the tireless efforts of the team at the NYC DOT, and we are grateful for all their hard work to realize this outcome. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure e-bike battery fires in NYC become a thing of the past and are excited to take our efforts to scale."

"Swiftmile was glad to work with NYC DOT on this successful pilot," said Swiftmile CEO Colin Roche. "This report shows the growing need for different types of safe e-bike charging solutions."

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