In January, Governor Cuomo announced a “Make-Ready” Program[1] for electric vehicles to promote “responsible electric vehicle charging station deployment,” in addition to over 20,000 rebates available to New Yorkers to purchase electric cars under the Drive Clean Rebate initiative.
Aside from providing significant support for the state’s clean energy and transportation electrification goals outlined in the Governor’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), some of the key objectives of the Make-Ready Program include accelerated development of electric vehicle charging stations with the help of utility support, an estimated $2.6 billion in consumer net benefits, and added access to charging stations.
On July 16, 2020, Governor Cuomo announced that New York would invest over $700 million into further developing EV infrastructure statewide, funding over 50,000 new Level 2 charging stations, and 1,500 DCFC charging stations within the next five years[2]. This investment serves to pave further the way for the state to meet its dedication to having 850,000 or more zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) on the road within the next five years, which would reduce pollution levels from the transmission sector that currently make up over a third of emissions in New York State.
This program makes New York State a national leader in EV investment and an outstanding example for other states. Aside from the fact that this program is one of a kind in that no other state has developed an initiative of this size, it tackles more than just preparing for the EV boom projected to occur by 2025. The Make-Ready Program allocates 20 percent of each utility’s budget toward the installation of charging infrastructure within a 1-2 mile radius of disadvantaged communities and takes a multi-faceted approach at directing new electrified transportation opportunities to environmental justice and low/moderate-income communities where utility companies will cover up to 100% of infrastructure costs for public charging.
While the program primarily focuses on passenger vehicle charging, it also outlines new programs focused solely on medium-and heavy-duty vehicles such as fleet assessment services, funding for partnerships with transit agencies in major cities, including Westchester, Albany, Buffalo, and Rochester, and a fleet charging infrastructure program. In addition to the focus on passenger vehicle charging, the entirety of this program will serve to improve air quality for New Yorkers, specifically in communities heavily impacted by transportation pollution[3].
More information on new updates to New York State’s Make-Ready Program can be found by visiting https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-nation-leading-initiatives-expand-electric-vehicle-use-combat-climate. Additionally, more information on the benefits of electric vehicle deployment and the impacts of pollution on public health can be found by visiting the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the “first mandatory market-based program in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort among the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont to cap and reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector.” RGGI works to reduce climate-changing carbon pollution and promote investment in energy efficiency and clean energy.
Interested in or have questions regarding installing EV Chargers on your property? Please contact Livingston Energy Group, LLC at 844.623.1001 or sales@solution.energy. You can also visit our website at www.solution.energy/EVSE.
[1] January 17, 2020. “Governor Cuomo Announces "Make-Ready" Program for Electric Vehicles.” https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-make-ready-program-electric-vehicles [2] July 16, 2020. “Governor Cuomo Announces Nation-Leading Initiatives to Expand Electric Vehicle Use to Combat Climate Change.” https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-nation-leading-initiatives-expand-electric-vehicle-use-combat-climate [3] July 17, 2020. “New York State to spend $750M on EV charging infrastructure.” https://electrek.co/2020/07/17/new-york-state-750-million-ev-charging-infrastructure/?fbclid=IwAR1CNO4GWG96oBbV8fL2YeC1oJvIeVeIKnupXRB-ELmjzEq0IoQfUdMDj5Q