In the latest push for a greener Bronx, U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres and officials from Revel announced on Monday a new “Superhub” of electric vehicle (EV) chargers coming to Port Morris.
The Bronx already has four curbside level 2 charging locations boroughwide, but Revel’s superhub will be the first high-power EV charging port in a singular spot in the Bronx.
According to Torres’ office, the port will have approximately 30 direct current fast-charging stations — which would allow EV owners to drive 100 miles after charging for just 10 minutes. In comparison, level 2 chargers allow motorists to drive up to 20 miles of range per hour of charging, and use mid-level voltage that’s commonly used in large appliances, like dryers.
“As we work to electrify the streets of New York City and combat the climate crisis, it’s important to understand that millions of New Yorkers live in apartments and don’t have access to a private garage or parking spot to charge an electric vehicle,” Torres said.
The new station in Port Morris is a private investment by Revel, a New York City-based EV moped and car rideshare company. However, the superhub will be available for public charging — not just for Revel vehicles.
Torres is a partner of Revel’s, as the company’s mission to grow charging stations and EV ownership supports his own goal to promote clean energy solutions and health outcomes in the borough. He said the lack of EV charging access is a key barrier toward a greener Bronx.
“That’s one reason why this investment in the Bronx from Revel is so significant,” Torres said. “It’s vastly improving the accessibility of EV charging infrastructure to the public in a community that needs it the most.”
In the Bronx, EV charging stations are sparsely located — the four level 2 charging stations are on Bedford Park Boulevard, Broadway, Dekalb Avenue and Putnam Place. That’s compared to 16 locations in Brooklyn, and seven in both Manhattan and Queens. Staten Island has one level 2 charging location.
Revel CEO Frank Reig said the new high-power charger coming to Port Morris will hopefully help the Bronx cut down on emissions and increase the level of green energy.
“With Revel’s public fast-charging superhub coming to Port Morris and more investments in the borough to come soon, we’re bringing the Bronx from last place to first in EV infrastructure, making the transition to electric convenient for Bronx drivers and helping eliminate transportation emissions for future generations,” Reig said.
The initiative to install EV charging stations has been underway in the Bronx and citywide for the past two years, when the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability announced their goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. According to the 2021 vision plan, the city wanted to grow the city-operated EV charging network to more than 80 plugs and install 1,000 curbside charge points by 2025.
DOT spokesperson Vincent Barone told the Bronx Times that looking forward, the city wants every New Yorker to live within 2.5 miles of a fast EV charger by 2035.
In June 2021, the city installed its first pair of level 2 public curbside ports south of Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx as part of its pilot program to install more than 100 stations throughout the city. And since the pilot, there has been support for more EV charging stations in the Bronx — from community boards to city agencies. This spring, the DOT and New York Power Authority announced they’d be constructing 13 charging stations across the city in municipal parking facilities — which included one in the Jerome-190th Street Municipal Garage in Fordham.
Jacob Long, the communications director for Torres, said Revel hasn’t set a date for the Port Morris superhub opening, but that it should be some time in the next year.
Clarification: This story was updated on July 26 to specify that Revel is a rideshare company.
Reach Camille Botello at cbotello@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
