E-Bike Programs
E-bikes have become a popular way to get around the city, particularly among delivery workers. NYC is working to promote the growth of electric micromobility in ways that meet New Yorkers’ diverse needs while keeping everyone safe. The Charge Safe, Ride Safe Action Plan is focused on building a safe, welcoming environment for e-bike riders. The programs described below are integral to advancing this vision.
E-Bike Battery Swapping and Charging Cabinets on Public Sidewalks
To reduce the fire risk posed by lithium-ion batteries, NYC supports the installation of outdoor e-bike battery charging and swapping cabinets on public sidewalks.
Public E-Bike Charging Program
NYC DOT’s Public E-Bike Charging (PEC) program will create a network of e-bike battery-swapping cabinets across New York City, providing users with access to safe batteries certified to UL standards.
Battery-swapping cabinets will be sited in the places where delivery workers need them most: the busy commercial corridors where they work.
The cabinets will be open to the public for a fee. All e-bike users who have e-bikes compatible with the swappable batteries provided may use the cabinets. The cabinet vendor will be selected through a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process.
We Want to Hear from You
NYC DOT is considering 50 potential locations based on physical clearances, pedestrian use, and stakeholder input. Approximately 25 of these sites will be chosen for installation and implementation. Provide feedback by Friday, July 31 on the 50 preliminary sites or suggest new locations via our Public E-Bike Charging Program portal.
Privately Installed Charging Cabinets
Through an agreement with NYC DOT called a revocable consent, property owners and tenants can petition to install e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinets adjacent to their buildings in the public right-of-way.
Each e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinet will need to comply with existing siting requirements for revocable consents. This includes clear path requirements to make sure there is space for the comfortable movement of pedestrians and minimum clearance requirements from existing elements such as subway entrances and bus stops.
NYC DOT will accept requests via the revocable consent process. This process can take about one year and concludes once an agreement is registered with the NYC Comptroller's Office. All cabinets must be sited in accordance with the requirements of NYC DOT, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), and the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).
Learn more about the process for applying for and installing e-bike battery swapping and charging cabinets on public sidewalks (pdf) Visit our Revocable Consents webpage for additional information on the petition process Visit the FDNY webpage on cabinets to learn more about their guidelines
E-Bike Battery Charging Pilot
To promote the safe use of e-bikes and reduce fire risks, NYC DOT ran an e-bike charging pilot program to test different battery charging technologies on the street. This program was an initiative under the DOT Innovation Studio, a research and development program developed in collaboration with Newlab and with support from the Economic Development Corporation.
Safer Charging, Safer Deliveries: Lessons from NYC DOT's Public E-Bike Charging Pilot Program (pdf) provides an overview of the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the 2024 E-Bike Charging Pilot. Results from the pilot program showed strong participation levels amongst registered delivery workers, high utilization in sites near commercial corridors, and a reduction, and some elimination, of home charging.
E-Bike Trade-In Program
In 2025, NYC DOT ran the first-of-its-kind E-Bike Trade-In Program to get unsafe e-bikes, illegal mopeds, and their batteries off the streets and out of New Yorkers’ homes. The program allowed eligible food delivery workers to replace their unsafe devices with certified, high-quality e-bikes and compatible batteries. The program aimed to enhance public safety by reducing the fire risks posed by uncertified lithium-ion batteries from e-bikes and removing faster and heavier illegal mopeds from our streets.
Selected program participants received a new certified Whizz Storm 2 e-bike with a spare certified battery in exchange for their unsafe devices and batteries. The term “certified” refers to an electric bicycle (e-bike) or battery that has been tested and certified to a UL standard by an accredited testing laboratory. The applicable standards are: UL 2849 for e-bikes, and UL 2271 for batteries. For more information, please visit NYC DOT's Electric Bicycles & More webpage or visit DCWP’s Inspection Checklists (see Micromobility Devices and Batteries).
The E-Bike Trade-In Program ended in 2025. For questions about the program, please contact us online.