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.