Property owners and tenants with permission from property owners can apply to install battery swapping and charging cabinets adjacent to their buildings. These cabinets expand public access to safe charging for electric micromobility users.
Through a revocable consent agreement with the Department of Transportation (DOT), battery swapping and charging cabinets may be installed outdoors and adjacent to:
- Commercial buildings with ground floor commercial and community facility uses
- Residential buildings with five or more dwelling units
A revocable consent agreement with DOT is needed to petition to install a charging cabinet. A revocable consent is the grant of a right to an individual or organization to construct and maintain certain structures on, over, or under the inalienable property (streets and sidewalks) of the City of New York.
Each battery swapping and charging cabinet will need to comply with the siting requirements for revocable consents, including:
- Clear pathway requirements to allow comfortable movement of pedestrians
- Minimum clearance requirements from existing streetscape elements, such as subway entrances and bus stops
- New size and installation requirements
DOT will review applications through the revocable consent process and will coordinate closely with FDNY, which will conduct site inspections prior to installation. All e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinet models will require approval by FDNY's Technology Management unit. The New York City Department of Buildings will be responsible for issuing electrical permits for cabinet installation.
The City retains the right to revoke a revocable consent at any time.
Download the Sidewalk E-Bike Battery Swapping and Charging Cabinets revocable consent overview.
Download a Sidewalk E-Bike Battery Swapping and Charging Cabinets application.
