Battery swaps were popular among the participants in the pilot program. Image credit: NYC DOT.
On November 21, 2024, New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the release of the report Safer Charging, Safer Deliveries. This report involves data collected by the City Department of Transportation regarding the Public E-Bike Charging Pilot program. The program’s goal was to reduce the fires that occurred from illegal e-bike charging, incentivize e-bike usage, and assess the adoption of new battery charging technologies among cyclists.
The pilot program occurred from March 7, 2024 to September 7, 2024, with battery-swapping services extended through February 2025. The program involved 118 users, mainly food delivery workers, using the industry’s most popular models, the Arrow Model 9 and Model 10 e-bikes. During the program, participants received unlimited free charging services. The six-month pilot program deployed battery-swapping cabinets from PopWheels and Swobbee, along with e-bike charging docks from Swiftmile, at five locations.
During the pilot program, there were no safety-related issues or 311 reports at any of the five locations. Participants completed over 12,000 battery swaps over six months, and reduced dangerous at-home charging practices by over a third. The charging stations were only moderately used, with 1,300 charging dock sessions throughout the pilot. The most popular time for charging was in late afternoons and demand peaked during periods prior to popular food delivery times. For more findings, read the report here.
New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said, “Delivery workers have one of the toughest jobs in New York City and our pilot illustrated the strong demand for safe and accessible outdoor e-bike charging. Safer charging practices are integral to a cleaner and more sustainable future and this type of program can support the growth in e-bikes while also protecting all New Yorkers from deadly fires.”
Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker said, “Micro-mobility devices powered by lithium-ion batteries are already in people’s homes, and we know we have to find safe ways to use them. They are used daily by delivery workers and others to work and commute. We are grateful to the DOT for providing delivery workers a safe place to charge their devices. Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are extremely dangerous and deadly, and we must continue to work together to tackle this public safety threat head on.”
By: Chelsea Ramjeawan (Chelsea is the CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2025.)