Electrify the For-Hire-Vehicle fleet and the rest will follow

Owning an electric vehicle (EV) in New York is a commitment — we know because it’s one we’ve made. As advocates for the environment and innovation in New York, the broad benefits of EV adoption are clear to us. But for many New Yorkers, there are still high obstacles to owning an EV, most of all is access to charging.

There are 1.9 million vehicles registered in NYC; only 2% are electric. That number is up from last year, but it’s not growing close to the rate needed to achieve emission reduction targets for 2030 and beyond. Despite more EVs coming to market, automakers like Tesla and Ford cutting prices, and thousands of available dollars in federal and state tax credits, many New Yorkers who drive are reluctant to switch to an EV because they don’t have an easy way to charge and reliable public charging is sparse to nonexistent.

So we have to build more EV charging infrastructure, but as we’re learning, that’s easier said than done in a dense urban environment like New York. While City Hall is making progress, the scale is far smaller — 100 curbside chargers in the ground and plans to install 50 fast chargers — than the projected thousands we’ll need just by 2030.

Instead of relying solely on public development, there is another lever available to the city to encourage private investments in charging infrastructure. The Taxi & Limousine Commission could issue more For-Hire-Vehicle (FHV) licenses exclusively for EVs, on top of the 1,000 new EV-only licenses it opened up in March (which had so much demand the application window was up for mere minutes before closing). Because of how much more they drive and therefore need to charge, electric FHVs are the ideal customer for charging operators. They also have the same emissions reduction impact as at least three private EVs.

There is a fairly simple way to immediately prioritize electric FHVs without adding a significant number of new vehicles to the road. This August, a program will expire that has allowed FHV drivers to keep their licenses in storage during the pandemic to reduce their expenses. Last year, the TLC said there were nearly 5,000 of these licenses in storage. The TLC should convert any of these stored licenses they reissue as EV-only.

This would be a win-win outcome. The proportion of EVs in the city’s rideshare fleet will rise, lowering the industry’s emission footprint; the FHV vehicle cap remains in place; and charging station operators would see a much more attractive market in New York and increase their investments in the city as a result, which is good for everyone who wants cleaner air from widespread EV adoption.

There are companies taking on the task of building charging infrastructure in NYC, but it’s still in the early stages. Brooklyn-founded Revel is leading the pack, with 40 public fast chargers between two high-volume locations and plans to install hundreds more chargers over the next two years. Others include Tesla, Blink, and ChargePoint, which have installed EV chargers in a variety of neighborhoods. Fast charging provided by these operators can charge EVs in minutes not hours, which is essential for FHV drivers for whom time spent charging is time they could be earning.

Of course, there are other barriers to EVs for FHV drivers, including being locked into long-term vehicle financing or lease terms on a gas-powered vehicle and still steep costs for purchasing new EVs, which thanks to government subsidies are coming down. But above all, there is an urgent need for more public charging infrastructure to ensure everyone, regardless of their access to at-home charging, has the opportunity to electrify.

Mayor Adams’ vision to electrify the rideshare industry by 2030 has made New York City a leader in EV adoption and urban climate policy. This is an opportunity to eliminate more than 600,000 tons of carbon dioxide every year — specifically, we need to reduce tailpipe pollution from our streets, which are in immediate proximity to pedestrians, homes, parks and playgrounds, and therefore some of the most harmful particulates for public health. A Harvard study found upwards of 1,400 New York City residents die annually because of pollution from buses, trucks and cars — about 75% of the state’s total despite having less than half the population.

By accelerating FHV electrification, we can jumpstart our charging infrastructure and turn EVs into a convenience, not a commitment, for all New Yorkers, and show the world what the future of zero-emission mobility looks like.

Tighe is president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. Samuels is president & executive director of Tech:NYC.