DCAS Commissioner Yume Kitasei joined NYC Parks First Deputy Commissioner Mark Focht and several other city representatives near the George Seuffert, Sr. Bandshell in Forest Park on Sept. 22 to the ribbon on the new chargers, which will be available from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
The chargers, which will be available to individuals for up to 60 minutes, are available at 30 cents per kilowatt during off-peak hours and at 35 cents per kilowatt during peak times as part of efforts to provide affordable stations.
Photo by Shane O’Brien
The new charging station also boasts two chargers specifically designed for accessibility, officials said at Tuesday’s launch.
The station adds to DCAS’s charging infrastructure across the city, which now includes 451 fast chargers, the majority of which are used to charge the city’s fleet of electric vehicles. DCAS has now installed 26 chargers across the city that are available for public use, with plans to install a further 34 public chargers over the coming 18 months.
The agency provided $2.7 million in funding for the Forest Park project, with Con Edison providing a further $472,000 through the New York Power Ready program.
Kitasei described the new charging station as an “amazing site,” adding that charging an electric vehicle in New York City is a particular challenge for drivers due to the lack of driveways and garages in the city.
Photo by Shane O’Brien
“By installing this kind of infrastructure in a very beautiful location where it’s very pleasant to come and enjoy yourself in this public amenity… I think it makes the prospect of owning an electric vehicle more affordable and more pleasant,” Kitasei said.
Focht, meanwhile, described NYC Parks as the “green agency” for New York City and said the new charging station is “very much aligned” with the agency’s sustainability agenda.
“These 10 fast chargers will ensure the public has a convenient way to keep their vehicles running,” Focht said. “We’re happy that these chargers are here in Forest Park.”
NYC Parks First Deputy Commissioner Mark Focht speaks at Tuesday’s event. Photo by Shane O’Brien
Keith Kerman, a DCAS deputy commissioner and the city’s chief fleet officer, said the new station also aims to support the large number of rideshare and taxi drivers who live in Queens. More than a third of the Taxi and Limosuine Commission’s 180,000 drivers live in Queens, officials said Tuesday.
TLC is additionally aiming to implement its Green Rides initiative, which would see all rideshare trips completed in zero-emission or accessible vehicles by 2030.
James DiGiovanni, TLC’s deputy commissioner for policy and external affairs, said the new Forest Park charging station provides an ideal location for Queens-based drivers to charge their vehicles before, during or after their shift.
“What a nice place to take a little break,” DiGiovanni said. “It’s a perfect location for drivers who are in the area.”