‘RIGHT-TO-CHARGE’ ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATION BILL SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
ALBANY, N.Y. — Assemblymember Patricia Fahy (D — Albany) today announced the Governor has signed legislation (A.6338-A/S.5157-A) sponsored with Senator Neil D. Breslin (D — Albany) to prohibit condominium home-owners associations (HOAs) from restricting a resident’s installation of an electric vehicle (EV) charging station and voids any existing restrictive condo bylaws or agreements. Removing obstacles to electric vehicle ownership will help incentivize more New Yorkers to use and purchase EVs, as well as assist in meeting New York State’s goal of accommodating at least one million EVs on our roads by 2025.
‘Range anxiety’ — or a lack of access to and a lack of frequency of EV charging stations in existing transportation infrastructure — whether it be ‘close-to-home’ or during extended trips, was the third most serious obstacle EV ownership according to McKinsey and Company’s 2016 EV consumer survey of buyers considering EVs.1 In 2018, EV sales grew at an astounding pace of 81% in the United States market when compared to total sales in 2017.
In one high-profile incident on November 26, New York Times best-selling author Nnedi Okorafor revealed her HOA had denied her request to install a charging station in her parking space, suggesting “people won’t buy EVs in the future”. While Ms. Okorafor lives in Illinois, these circumstances illustrate an unreasonable restriction and negative cultural mentality towards EVs that must change.
Moreover, New York’s transportation sector accounts for over 35% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), making it the largest emission contributor by sector — presenting an opportunity combat climate change by ‘electrifying’ our car inventory and reducing our carbon footprint. Accordingly, state policy should continue to integrate encouraging greater EV ownership into future strategies to meet New York’s climate action goals.
“Range anxiety and lack of access to what is a currently limited EV infrastructure is one of the largest obstacles to EV ownership for consumers,” said Assemblymember Patricia Fahy. “With EV sales growing at a rapid pace from year-to-year, it is key that state policy assists consumers in ‘electrifying’ their ride. My legislation prevents condominium home-owner associations from unreasonably prohibiting the installation of EV charging stations and helps to lay the groundwork for a more widespread, easily accessible EV charging infrastructure to meet future demand. I thank the Governor for his commitment to bring one million EVs onto New York’s roads by 2025 and to rapidly electrifying New York’s existing transportation infrastructure.”
“Electric vehicles are quickly becoming a popular mode of transportation,” said Senator Neil Breslin. “Not only are they both affordable and convenient, they significantly reduce our carbon footprint. To encourage their usage we need to set guidelines to ensure that wherever someone lives, they have access to an electric vehicle charging station. This way, existing owners have less range anxiety, and prospective buyers can be confident that they can charge their vehicle where they live.”
“Electric vehicles, including those owned by condo owners, are an important part of the further electrification and transformation of our economy,” says Anne Reynolds, Executive Director of Alliance for Clean Energy NY. “Electric vehicle ownership is growing and poised to really take off. As we take real steps to fight climate change, EV owners should feel confident about getting to their destinations.”
