it’s electric has been selected by the City of New York and the New York Power Authority to build the city’s permanent curbside EV charging network across all five boroughs, replacing the current pilot infrastructure with hundreds of new chargers over the next three years. The Brooklyn-headquartered company said this week that the chargers will be manufactured in Queens by Boyce Technologies. The award follows an early-August announcement from the New York City Department of Transportation expanding the PlugNYC curbside network from 88 Level 2 charging points to 700.
Highlights
- Citywide contract: it’s electric will replace NYC’s pilot curbside infrastructure and build the permanent network across all five boroughs over three years
- Network scale: PlugNYC expands from 88 Level 2 charging points to 700
- Local manufacturing: chargers designed in Brooklyn and built in Queens by Boyce Technologies
- Funding: a bridge round led by Halogen Ventures brings total capital raised to $15 million
How the NYC Curbside Charging Contract Came Together
NYC DOT is expanding its curbside program with the New York Power Authority through a contract with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which procured the contractors for infrastructure buildout, equipment, and operation. The company reports that the network is aimed at neighborhoods with high concentrations of TLC and rideshare drivers and limited off-street parking, areas it says private charging companies have historically overlooked.
Several partners support the deployment:
- Maverick Corporation provides engineering and construction services
- SWTCH Energy, the company’s long-term partner, supplies the network’s backend platform
- Billings Jackson Design, an international industrial design firm, co-developed the charger hardware, which is designed to fit into dense urban neighborhoods without bulky infrastructure
- Boyce Technologies manufactures the chargers in Queens
“The New York Power Authority welcomes this infrastructure and charger collaboration that will bring curbside charging to more New York City communities and make it easier for drivers to choose EVs,” said NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “This shared commitment accelerates the buildout of reliable, accessible charging while reducing transportation-related emissions, advancing our goal of cleaner air for all New Yorkers.”
Why Is NYC Targeting Rideshare Drivers?
New York City is home to more than 80,000 rideshare drivers, the majority of whom park on the street rather than in a garage or driveway, according to the company. It describes on-street parking as the largest obstacle keeping those drivers from switching to electric vehicles.
The city’s Green Rides initiative requires all Uber and Lyft trips licensed by the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission to be electric or wheelchair-accessible by 2030. That mandate sits within OneNYC, the city’s climate plan, which targets an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“The Mamdani administration is taking aggressive action to address the climate crisis and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For the transportation sector, our main goal is making it easier and more affordable for New Yorkers to walk, bike, and take transit,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “But for those who still drive, we need to dramatically accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles. This initiative will make charging more affordable and convenient, helping support the transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles and expand charging access to TLC-licensed drivers and residents of low- and moderate-income neighborhoods underserved by private charging options.”
Uber, a returning investor in the company, also weighed in. “More accessible charging is critical to helping Uber drivers make the switch to electric,” said Josh Gold, Senior Director of Public Policy at Uber. “Rideshare drivers cover significantly more miles than the average motorist, so expanding charging where they actually need it can deliver outsized benefits for air quality while strengthening the city’s charging network for everyone. We’ll continue working with our partners and the City to help build an all-electric future for New York.”
From a Sunset Park Pilot to Five Boroughs
The company traces the contract back to 2023, when it approached the NYC Economic Development Corporation to run its first pilot in Sunset Park, Brooklyn at the Brooklyn Army Terminal. That deployment became “Pilot Zero” for the city’s Climate Innovation Pilot Program, now known as Pilots at BAT. it’s electric later built its headquarters at Newlab in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it continues to expand its workforce.
“New York City is our home, it’s where it’s electric was born. From Crown Heights to Jackson Heights, our solution was designed for every neighborhood and every block that we love across this city. Just as fire hydrants are on every street, our vision is for EV chargers to become that normal – infrastructure New York’s kids simply grow up with,” said Nathan King, co-founder and CEO of it’s electric. “This is also about much more than EV infrastructure. We firmly believe climate solutions are also economic engines for jobs, domestic manufacturing, and for local businesses. This initiative lets New Yorkers across the city participate in the energy transition, improves air quality in our most densely populated neighborhoods, and positions the city to lead the next generation of climate innovation. Every charger powering electric transportation in cities we work in across North America will be built right here in Queens. That investment won’t just improve the health of New Yorkers – it’ll improve the health of city-people everywhere.”
Bridge Round Brings Total Funding to $15 Million
Alongside the contract, it’s electric said it closed a bridge round, which it describes as oversubscribed, to fund the buildout. Halogen Ventures led the round, with participation from Wisdom Ventures, Future Communities, E8 Angels, DiPalo Ventures, Alumni Ventures, and Gaingels. Returning investors included Uber, Failup, Gratitude Railroad, and The Partnership Fund for New York City. The round brings the company’s total funding to $15 million.
Beyond New York, it’s electric currently operates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Detroit, Washington, D.C., and Boston, and is pursuing additional municipal contracts globally. The company says every charger deployed across that footprint will be manufactured in New York City.
