Connected Kerb, the UK-based EV infrastructure specialist, has been selected by the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to demonstrate how public access to EV charging can drive up EV ownership among the 50% of residents that park their cars on street.
In collaboration with robotics company, Newlab, and chargepoint providers – Char.gy and Voltpost, Connected Kerb will focus on applying emerging technologies to advance planning, policy, operations, and real-time management of transportation across New York City in line with the City’s Vision Zero and sustainability goals.
EV ownership in New York is rapidly expanding thanks to a greater choice of vehicles and improved technology. In 2021, around 15,000 EVs were registered in the city, with over 5,000 of these sold in 2020 alone. The Biden Administration is targeting 50% of all new vehicle sales to be electric across the U.S. by 2030.
“We’re incredibly excited to be working with New York City’s DOT and Newlab to support the decarbonisation of the City’s transport system,” said Connected Kerb’s Co-founders, Steve Richardson and Nick Dobie. “We’re confident that this pilot will not only fast track New York’s EV charging rollout, but also prove our technology in America, and provide a springboard for growth into the future.”
The findings from the pilot will inform wider EV charging rollouts across New York City, helping to realise its goal of installing 10,000 kerbside chargers by 2030, and electrifying 20% of municipal parking bays by 2025.
As part of the pilot project, Kerb will also receive funding to install EV charging points at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and deliver a “living lab” that will demonstrate a “smart city” infrastructure. This involves using chargers to support a number of IoT (Internet of Things) and telecommunication applications to showcase how the EV revolution can support the rollout of other cutting-edge public access technology in urban environments.
Newlab’s VP of product and programs, Shaina Horowitz said: “We expect the pilot to provide invaluable data on how to most effectively deploy EV charging infrastructure in densely populated areas and make scalable EV use possible, with potential implications for both NYC and cities around the world.”