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NYC now accepting applications for sidewalk e-bike battery charging cabinets
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 7, 2025
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Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
By
Phil Corso
Published Apr 7, 2025
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Starting Monday, property owners and tenants in New York City — with landlord approval — can apply to install e-bike battery charging and swapping cabinets on sidewalks directly in front of their buildings, according to the city Department of Transportation.
The initiative is part of the city’s ongoing effort to reduce fires caused by lithium-ion batteries, which the FDNY said sparked more than 200 fires last year. The program is a key component of Mayor Eric Adams’ “Charge Safe, Ride Safe” campaign, which promotes safer micromobility infrastructure and practices, the DOT said.
“These rules help us continue the important work to expand access to safe e-bike charging options, and I encourage anyone who is interested to check out our new guide,” NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement.
The DOT published a step-by-step guide — Sidewalk E-Bike Battery Swapping and Charging Cabinets 101 — to walk applicants through the process. The cabinets must meet specific siting and clearance requirements and comply with installation and size regulations. Only buildings with ground-floor commercial space, community facility uses or at least five residential units are eligible.
Applicants must go through the city’s revocable consent process, which allows private entities to place infrastructure on public property. Each cabinet must be inspected by the FDNY and receive an electrical permit from the Department of Buildings before installation.
“Structural fires caused by lithium-ion batteries have seen a troubling rise this year, and increasing access to safe, FDNY-approved charging cabinets is a vital step in reversing this trend,” FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said in a statement.
More information is available at nyc.gov/dot.
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new york city
transportation
Phil Corso
Phil Corso is the evening news editor at WNYC/Gothamist. Got a tip? Email [email protected].
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