Enhancing the Feasibility of Electric Vehicles in New York City - Spring

This capstone project evaluates strategies to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in New York City as part of the city’s broader climate and air quality goals under PlaNYC. The report identifies key structural barriers to EV adoption, including limited access to private charging infrastructure, high electricity costs, and urban density constraints. Through a combination of geospatial analysis, stakeholder interviews, and policy review, the team assesses where EV demand is likely to emerge and how infrastructure and pricing policies can support market growth. The analysis highlights the mismatch between EV market assumptions—such as access to private garages—and the realities of urban living, particularly in dense neighborhoods reliant on street parking.

The proposed implementation framework combines infrastructure planning with regulatory and market-based interventions. Geospatial modeling identifies priority “hotspots” for public charging infrastructure in areas such as Northwest Brooklyn and Western Queens, where demand is expected but private charging is limited. The report recommends deploying charging stations in public parking facilities, supported by utility reforms such as time-of-use pricing and EV-specific electricity rates. Additional recommendations include revising building codes to allow separate metering for EV charging and strengthening public-private partnerships to expand infrastructure deployment. By integrating spatial planning, pricing mechanisms, and stakeholder coordination, the project provides a targeted and scalable roadmap for overcoming adoption barriers and advancing urban electrification.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Capstone Workshop.