Share Your Feedback
NYC DOT is gathering public input to help shape our Public E-Bike Charging (PEC) program. This spring we're asking for your feedback on the proposed e-bike battery swapping cabinet locations.
Your input will guide our next steps. We’ll review comments on the proposed sites, refine the list of locations, and develop a prioritized short list to initiate the project’s design phase.
Please submit your feedback by Friday, July 31th.
Why Battery Swapping Cabinets?
E-bike battery fires are a serious public safety issue. Since 2022, uncertified and low-quality lithium-ion e-bike batteries have been linked to more than 900 fires and 30 deaths in NYC.
At the same time, e-bikes are an essential part of NYC’s food delivery economy and provide New Yorkers with a sustainable, efficient way to get around the city.
As part of the City’s multi-agency effort to reduce battery fires and promote safe e-bike use, the PEC program will create a network of publicly-accessible battery-swapping cabinets on sidewalks and public plazas.
How Does this Technology Work?
Secured cabinets will be certified to UL standards, built to be weather-resistant and theft-proof, and equipped with fire-safety features, including fire containment. The system provides workers with certified batteries and proactively monitors battery health.
Also - the interaction is quick and takes less than a minute to swap, as shown below.
Building on Past Success
The PEC program builds upon past initiatives that demonstrated the need for this charging infrastructure. In 2024, NYC DOT conducted a six-month pilot program to identify, test, and evaluate the battery charging solution with food delivery workers as test users.
The successful pilot demonstrated that there is demand for this battery-swapping technology, battery-swapping sites in commercial corridors and residential neighborhoods lead to higher utilization rates, and users are willing to pay for these services. More findings and information on the pilot are available in the Safer Charging, Safer Deliveries final evaluation report.
Site Selection
Battery-swapping cabinets are most effective in areas with strong cycling infrastructure and high levels of cycling and delivery activity.
In a city as busy and pedestrian-dense as New York, it’s also essential to preserve clear, accessible sidewalks.
With that in mind, NYC DOT evaluated potential cabinet locations through the lens of pedestrian safety, fire safety, and the need to ensure pedestrian pathways remain open and unobstructed.
To build an initial list of sites, NYC DOT focused on areas that best support delivery activity and cycling, including high-delivery zones, major commercial corridors, and streets with bike lanes and wider sidewalks.
All identified locations meet NYC DOT and FDNY clearance requirements, along with other City guidelines, to maintain safe conditions for people moving through these spaces. NYC DOT also incorporated suggestions from delivery workers who participated in the 2024 Public E-Bike Charging pilot.
Approximately 25 sites will be selected for installation and implementation, reflecting program funding provided through the New York State Energy Resource and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) Clean Mobility Grant.
Program Benefits
Protecting New Yorkers from fires by reducing the need for at-home charging by offering safe and certified alternatives, lowering fire risk and protecting both tenants and buildings.
Supporting NYC's 65,000+ delivery workers with safe, reliable options for quick exchanges of depleted batteries for fully charged ones—saving time, increasing earnings, and avoiding dangerous charging setups.
Encouraging greener, low-emission micromobility by providing reliable e-bike charging infrastructure that supports delivery workers, commuters, and local businesses
What's Next?
We want to make sure battery-swapping cabinets go where they are needed most — and your feedback helps us identify any gaps in the locations considered so far. The final list of about 25 sites will be shaped by both the locations NYC DOT has reviewed and the additional ideas we hear from New Yorkers.