Press Releases
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2025
Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
NYC DOT Takes First Steps to Install Public E-Bike Battery-Swapping Network Citywide
25 Flagship Charging Sites Will Improve Quality of Life for New Yorkers by Reducing Fire Risks Related to Unsafe Charging Practices While Supporting Delivery Workers
Since 2022, Lithium-Ion Batteries—Many Uncertified—Have Caused 900 Fires in New York City, Killing 30 New Yorkers and Injuring 400 More.
A delivery worker swaps e-bike batteries using a battery swap cabinet piloted in 2024. Credit: NYC DOT
NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced the city will begin the process to install e-bike battery-swapping and charging cabinets at 25 locations in neighborhoods with the highest delivery traffic. The new outdoor certified battery-swapping cabinets will provide a safe and convenient alternative to home charging, which can lead to deadly and difficult to extinguish fires. The cabinets will promote the use of high-quality certified batteries that are regularly monitored and inspected. The initiative is part of Mayor Adams' "Charge Safe, Ride Safe" blueprint and builds on the success of NYC DOT's public e-bike battery charging pilot, which found the cabinets to be safe, well-used, and convenient for the workers who participated.
"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," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Safer charging practices are integral to a cleaner and more sustainable future, especially as e-bike use continues to grow citywide."
"Preventing lithium-ion battery fires is a top priority for the FDNY," said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker. "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."
All battery-swapping cabinets will be equipped with fire suppression features, real-time battery health monitoring, and automatic alerts to the system provider to enhance safety. NYC DOT will work in tandem with FDNY to ensure all cabinets are properly certified to applicable UL standards and that all sites meet required clearances prior to installation.
Delivery workers will be able to use the full network of public battery-swapping cabinets through a paid membership. Based on feedback from delivery workers and advocates, NYC DOT will work to ensure access to charging infrastructure remains affordable and accessible. Full membership details will be shared at a later date.
Battery-swapping cabinets will be placed strategically to minimize conflicts with pedestrian circulation and to maintain street safety. Additionally, with standardized, certified batteries provided by approved vendors, users can swap batteries in under a minute.
Most of Manhattan, Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Long Island City and parts of the South Bronx will be considered for battery swap locations.
NYC DOT will gather feedback on site selection, design, and implementation, with preliminary utility upgrades planned for 2026, and the first cabinet installations planned for 2027.
To meet growing e-bike and traditional bike ridership throughout the city, DOT has also installed wider bike lanes along its busiest routes and educated the public and delivery workers about safe and legal e-bike use. In spring 2025, the city launched an e-bike trade-in program for delivery workers to exchange uncertified e-bikes and illegal mopeds for legal, fire-safe e-bikes and batteries. The city also established "microhubs" to shift deliveries from large, congestion-causing trucks to more sustainable modes, such as cargo e-bikes and smaller electric vehicles.
Department of Sustainable Delivery
With the rapid growth of the same-day delivery sector throughout the five boroughs, the Adams administration has formed a new team of transportation officials to bring more accountability to app companies and delivery workers using all legal tools currently at its disposal.
The Department of Sustainable Delivery is a team of data and policy analysts and peace officers within NYC DOT, who focus on methods to improve traffic and vehicle safety and work to hold delivery app companies accountable for public safety.
The administration has proposed comprehensive legislation to the City Council to hold apps accountable by:
- Licensing the delivery apps
- Establishing safe delivery times and worker protections
- Penalizing app companies that break the law
"We welcome today's announcement from Commissioner Rodríguez as a critical step forward for the safety of deliveristas and the city as a whole. For years, immigrant delivery workers have been sounding the alarm about unsafe batteries and the lack of public charging options. 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," said Ligia Guallpa, executive director of Worker's Justice Project and Co-Founder of its Los Deliveristas Unidos campaign. "We are grateful to Commissioner Rodríguez and DOT for having the vision to invest in solutions that put New York at the forefront of 21st century innovation in transportation, workforce development and worker safety."
"With safe batteries and safe charging, lithium battery fires can truly become a problem of the past," said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. "This is a fantastic step forward for everyone who lives and works in New York City — thank you to our partners in government for working to ensure every delivery worker has access to both. Next, we hope to see the City Council move to regulate the same-day delivery industry and end the sale of the fastest e-bikes so every bike in New York City is a safe bike."