Public E-Bike Battery-Swapping Network Citywide

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
25 flagship charging sites will improve quality of life for New
Yorkers by reducing fire risks related to unsafe charging
practices while supporting delivery workers.
Since 2022, lithium ion batteries, many uncertified,
have caused 900 fires in New York City, killing 30 New

(00:20):
Yorkers and injuring 400 more. The City will begin the process
to install E bike battery swapping and charging cabinets
at 25 locations in neighborhoodswith the highest delivery
traffic. The new outdoor certified
battery swapping cabinets will provide a safe and convenient
alternative to home charging, which can lead to deadly and

(00:42):
difficult to extinguish fires. The cabinets will promote the
use of high quality certified batteries that are regularly
monitored and inspected. All battery swapping cabinets
will be equipped with fire suppression features, real time
battery health monitoring, and automatic alerts to the system
provider to enhance safety. NYC dot will work in tandem with

(01:06):
FDNY to ensure all cabinets are properly certified to applicable
all standards and that all sitesmeet required clearances prior
to installation. Delivery workers will be able to
use the full network of public battery swapping cabinets
through a paid membership. Based on feedback from delivery
workers and advocates, NYC dot will work to ensure access to

(01:30):
charging infrastructure remains affordable and accessible.
Full membership details will be shared at a later date.
Battery swapping cabinets will be placed strategically to
minimize conflicts with pedestrian circulation and to
maintain St. safety. Additionally, with standardized
certified batteries provided by approved vendors, users can swap

(01:54):
batteries in under a minute. NYC dot will gather feedback on
site selection, design and implementation, with preliminary
utility upgrades planned for 2026 and the first cabinet
installations planned for 2027. To meet growing E bike and
traditional bike ridership throughout the city, dot has

(02:17):
also installed wider bike lanes along its busiest routes and
educated the public and deliveryworkers about safe and legal E
bike use. In spring 2025, the city
launched an E bike trade in program for delivery workers to
exchange uncertified E bikes andillegal mopeds for illegal fire
safe E bikes and batteries. The city also established micro

(02:42):
hubs to shift deliveries from large congestion causing trucks
to more sustainable modes such as cargo E bikes and smaller
electric vehicles. Department of Sustainable
Delivery With the rapid growth of the same day delivery sector
throughout the five boroughs, the Adams administration has
formed a new team of transportation officials to

(03:04):
bring more accountability to appcompanies and delivery workers.
Using all legal tools currently at its disposal, the Department
of Sustainable Delivery is a team of data and policy analysts
and peace officers within NYC dot who focus on methods to
improve traffic and vehicle safety and work to hold delivery
app companies accountable for public safety.

(03:27):
The Administration has proposed comprehensive legislation to the
City Council to hold apps accountable by licensing the
delivery apps, establishing safedelivery times and worker
protections, penalizing app companies that break the law.