DOT to install e-bike battery-swapping cabinets on NYC sidewalks

E-bike riders will soon be able to conveniently charge their devices on NYC sidewalks through the continuation of a pilot program designed to combat lithium-ion battery fires, city officials said on Tuesday.

The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) will install e-bike battery-swapping cabinets at 25 locations throughout the city, with most of them based in Manhattan. The program is based on a 2024 pilot and will expand the cabinetry to support the growing number of electric micromobility ridership in the city, officials said.

The DOT will consider all of Manhattan as well as Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Long Island City and parts of the South Bronx for the new outdoor cabinets. The agency stated that it will collect feedback on site selection, design, and implementation, with preliminary utility upgrades scheduled for 2026.

The cabinets are expected to be on sidewalks in 2027.

According to the DOT, the cabinets will have fire-suppression features, real-time battery health monitoring and automatic alerts to the system provider to help ensure safety.

Delivery workers will be able to utilize the entire network of public battery-swapping cabinets through a paid membership, but officials stated they will work to ensure access to charging infrastructure remains “affordable and accessible.”

“Delivery workers have one of the toughest jobs in New York City. Building a public e-bike charging network is an investment in better working conditions and more peace of mind for working-class New Yorkers,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “Safer charging practices are integral to a cleaner and more sustainable future, especially as e-bike use continues to grow citywide.”

Transportation and FDNY officials stated that they will collaborate to ensure the sidewalk cabinets are certified to applicable UL standards and that the installation sites meet the required safety clearances.

“Preventing lithium-ion battery fires is a top priority for the FDNY,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said. “Through a robust public education campaign and public outreach, we have been able to make progress in reducing deaths and injuries caused by these devices. By expanding access to safe charging infrastructure in neighborhoods where delivery workers rely on e-bikes the most, the city is taking a critical next step to prevent future tragedies and keep New Yorkers safe.”

Meanwhile, delivery worker advocates applauded the DOT’s move, calling it a “critical step forward” for safety.

“For years, immigrant delivery workers have been sounding the alarm about unsafe batteries and the lack of public charging options,” said Ligia Guallpa, executive director of Worker’s Justice Project and co-founder of its Los Deliveristas Unidos campaign. “This new commitment to certified battery-swapping and charging cabinets is a significant investment in building the safe, equitable infrastructure this workforce needs to power a greener, more sustainable last-mile delivery system in New York City.”