New York City has awarded a contract to the Brooklyn-based firm It’s Electric to roll out 700 curbside EV chargers across its five boroughs over the next three years. The initiative is intended to make electric-vehicle ownership feasible for drivers who lack private parking and to push the city toward its 2030 goal of electrifying all rideshare fleets.
Current landscape and the scale of the expansion
At present the city operates 88 pilot Flo chargers installed along the streets. Those units proved extremely popular, with the Department of Transportation reporting occupancy rates between 70% and 99% and delivering power during 85% of the occupied time. Replacing this modest network, It’s Electric will introduce a European-style level-2 charging infrastructure that has been scarce in U.S. metropolises.
Focusing on rideshare drivers and apartment residents
The new sites were deliberately selected in neighborhoods where Uber, Lyft and taxi drivers congregate – areas such as Jackson Heights, Flushing and sections of the Bronx. With roughly 80,000 rideshare operators in the city, the lack of convenient charging has forced many to travel long distances to fast-charging hubs, endure queues and pay upwards of $0.50 per kilowatt-hour. Tiya Gordon, co-founder and COO of It’s Electric, explained, ‘Once you leave L.A. and you go to Boston, you go to New York, you go to San Francisco, you go to D.C., you go to Philadelphia, you go to New York, it’s a desert.’ By placing chargers where drivers park overnight, the company hopes to give them a full battery each morning.
Design choices tailored for New York streets
Unlike conventional curbside chargers, the It’s Electric posts are slender stainless-steel poles without built-in cables. Drivers bring their own cable, which the firm supplies, and the units lack screens or card readers, keeping the streetscape clean. Gordon noted that the hardware was engineered from the outset to satisfy the Public Design Commission’s strict aesthetic standards, ensuring the city does not end up with unattractive street furniture.
Power supply, manufacturing and deployment details
Each charger draws electricity from nearby residential buildings, a strategy that reduces both installation cost and construction time. The plan limits placement to a maximum of two units per block, spreading access evenly while avoiding clutter. All chargers will be manufactured in Queens before being distributed throughout the boroughs.
Funding, existing operations and future contracts
On Tuesday It’s Electric announced the closure of a financing round that brings its total capital to $15 million. The startup currently manages 50 active charging stations, serves 700 customers, and has activated all of its existing units since April of last year. Beyond New York, the company has secured contracts in Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Philadelphia, positioning itself as a national player in curbside charging.
Alignment with the city’s climate and transportation goals
The Department of Transportation views the expansion as a key lever to cut CO₂ emissions and to meet the target of an all-electric rideshare fleet by 2030. By delivering reliable, street-side power to drivers who cannot rely on private garages, the project aims to accelerate EV adoption and ease the transition for urban commuters.
