2 E-Bike Battery-Swapping Stations Green Lit By UES Board

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A proposal to install two e-bike battery-swapping stations on the Upper East Side cleared a key hurdle Wednesday night, when Community Board 8's Transportation Committee voted to support the plan.

The proposal now heads to the full Community Board 8 for consideration at its July 15 meeting.

The stations are part of the city's effort to reduce fires linked to lithium-ion e-bike batteries. E-bike battery-swapping stations are electrified cabinets where riders can exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones, rather than charging batteries inside homes or businesses.

The city identified 25 potential battery-swapping locations across New York City in late April and is collecting public feedback before narrowing the list.

On the Upper East Side, the two proposed locations are at the intersection of East 79th Street and Second Avenue, and the intersection of East 73rd Street and First Avenue.



According to the Department of Transportation, both sites were selected because the stations can be installed without reducing pedestrian space or infringing on existing infrastructure, like tree pits or fire hydrants.

"There have been lithium-ion battery fires throughout the city, over 900 in the last couple of years," Elaine Hsieh, the e-bike charging manager at the New York City Department of Transportation, told board members. "Really, there are two main causes of these battery fires, and the first and most prominent one is uncertified and low-quality batteries, and the second is improper charging."

Supporters argued that expanding access to safe, certified batteries is a practical way to reduce the risk of fires.

"We cannot, much as we might want to bury our heads in the sand, we are not going to make e-bikes go away, and so we need to make sure that they are as safe as possible, right now," Community Board 8 member Lori Bores said.

Others said the city should pair new infrastructure with stricter oversight of e-bike use.

"To me, to continue to build out the infrastructure in support of the use of e-bikes without doing that hand-in-hand with the necessary rules, regulations, and laws to control them," Community Board 8 member Michele Birnbaum said, "I don't see it as appropriate to build out the infrastructure at this time."

The DOT will review public feedback before refining the proposed locations and creating a prioritized list of roughly 25 sites citywide for design and engineering.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2027, with the battery-swapping cabinets anticipated to become operational beginning in 2028.

Upper East Siders can submit comments to Community Board 8 at its full board meeting on July 15, or through the DOT's online feedback portal through July 31.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.