NYPA Expands EV Fast-charging Network in Adirondack Park and Capital District

­The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has expanded upstate fast-charging options in advance of the busy summer travel season, making it easier and more convenient to drive an electric vehicle (EV) on the Northway (I-87) in the Adirondack Park and in the Capital Region. The additional locations extend New York State’s largest fast-charging network and further its efforts to encourage EV adoption and reduce polluting greenhouse gas emissions. 

A new four-charger North Hudson EVolve NY station—with eight Tesla ports—is now open at the Frontier Town Gateway, a seasonal trading post and café in North Hudson in Essex County, just off Exit 29 on the Northway. The location offers the largest high-speed charging station between Albany and Canada. A six-dispenser EVolve NY charging site is also now open in a Rensselaer shopping center at 621 3rd Ave. in Rensselaer, four miles east of downtown Albany.

“The New York Power Authority is continually expanding the EVolve NY fast-charging network making it easier and more convenient every day to drive an electric vehicle across New York State,” said Justin E. Driscoll, Power Authority president and CEO. “The latest fast charger installations will serve the needs of drivers visiting the Adirondack Park or traveling to Canada and benefit area residents commuting to work or driving around town in the Capital Region.”

The North Hudson station is built with an island design, similar to gas stations, to accommodate large vehicles and those towing trailers. A canopy installation is also planned for later this summer to shield users from the sun and weather. NYPA’s EVolve NY network now has 174 chargers statewide at 43 sites.

The North Hudson location supports New York’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program corridor buildout and is EVolve NY’s third location in the Adirondack region. Charger hubs are also available in Schroon Lake and Keene. The North Hudson site is pre-wired for four additional stations to be energized in the future.

The EVolve NY Rensselaer station includes six chargers located next to a Target store at 621 3rd Ave. On the Electrify America network, the hub consists of six hyper-fast chargers with CCS connectors rated at up to 350 kilowatts. The units provide convenient charging for people visiting Target and the many restaurants and businesses in the area. 

Also in the Albany area, construction will soon start on a four-charger site at the Albany Parking Authority’s Lot 3 at 327 Washington Ave., a block from Washington Park Lake. Another four-charger site currently operates in the Quackenbush garage in downtown Albany. 

NYPA is collaborating with the New York State Department of Transportation to complete the first phase of the NEVI program to build out the state’s EV charging network along major highways. The program was created as part of the landmark Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden in 2021 and provides New York State $175 million in dedicated federal funding to support the strategic deployment of electric vehicle Level 3 Direct Current Fast Charging infrastructure and establish an interconnected network for reliable charging, with an emphasis on locations near interstate highway exits. NEVI is administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration and supported by the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The goal is to meet the NEVI criteria for DCFC locations at least every 50 miles along the state’s designated electric vehicle alternate fuel corridors. 

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The NYS Department of Transportation is committed to working with our partners in government and the private sector to advance New York’s investment in cleaner and greener transportation infrastructure.  Through our joint efforts under the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program, we are helping to create a network of conveniently located fast charging stations like these in North Hudson that will make traveling by electric vehicle easier, safer and more reliable.”

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, "The expansion of New York's electric vehicle fast-charging infrastructure network from Albany to the Adirondacks is an exciting development that will further promote the use of EVs across the state. With every new station, local commuters and visitors can feel confident that there is access to convenient charging when they need it, helping to reduce range anxiety, lower emissions and improve air quality in communities across the state."

The Adirondack Park Agency (APA) welcomed having additional fast chargers inside the park.

APA Chair John Ernst said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, the Adirondack Park is now home to the largest high speed electric vehicle charging station north of Albany. Having a location in North Hudson makes it even easier for residents and visitors to enjoy their commute through the beautiful Adirondack Park, the largest park in the continental U.S., without having to worry about where to charge. Zero-emissions travel is also a great way to see historic sites and access outdoor activities such as hiking, camping and boating.”

Muhammad Ahmad, president, Frontier Town Gateway, said the trading post was a central location for outdoor enthusiasts. 

“The Frontier Town Gateway is mid-way between Abany and Canada with easy access to the Adirondack High Peaks. Customers can refresh, refuel, get a snack, rest, visit a clean restroom, and stroll along the scenic Schroon River while waiting for their vehicles to be charged,” Ahmad said. “With the largest A-frame building in the Northeast, we offer specialty coffee, American food, authentic Indian/Pakistani cuisine, and a convenience store for traveler's needs."

New York was one of the first states to open a direct current fast charging (DCFC) site with NEVI program funding in December of last year and quickly followed with additional locations in 2024. There are roughly 20 more DCFC NEVI-funded sites expected to come online in New York by the end of next year.  

As outlined in the 2023 NYS NEVI Plan Update, in addition to the partnership with the New York Power Authority to build stations needed to establish fully built out coverage across the state along the designated alternative fuel corridors, strategies for NEVI funding include supporting the installation of medium and heavy duty EV charging stations, as well as solicitations by NYSERDA for additional charging infrastructure that would focus on additional corridor and community stations to reinforce the connectivity of the fundamental corridor network, encourage greater electric vehicle adoption, and stimulate workforce and industry development. 

The Power Authority designed the EVolve NY network to include accessibility to many of New York State’s top tourism destinations. Fast chargers have been installed in Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes region (Geneva, Bath, Preble, Victor), Saratoga Springs, Syracuse (home of the New York State Fair), and Bridgehampton on the South Fork of Long Island. Coming sites include Skaneateles, a popular Finger Lakes destination; Watkins Glen, a nationally recognized center for auto racing; and Alexandria Bay in the Thousand Islands region along the Canadian border. 

The new Evolve NY Direct Current Fast Chargers can charge capable electric vehicles in as little as 20 minutes. The North Hudson site, also on the Electrify America network, is equipped with four fast charging stations—all with combined charging system (CCS) connectors rated up to 350 kilowatts (kW).   

Aaron Young, senior manager, commercial networks & fleets, Electrify America said, “Electrify America‘s continuing collaboration with New York Power Authority is advancing fast and convenient DC fast charging in the state of New York. The new stations in North Hudson and Rensselaer provide hyper-fast charging speeds in convenient locations for EV travelers in the region.

In 2022, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation adopted regulations requiring all new passenger cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in New York State be zero emission by 2035. The regulations will help decarbonize the state’s transportation sector and advance the state’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which calls for emissions to be reduced 85 percent by 2050.

New York State currently hosts about 1,600 public fast chargers at almost 400 locations, according to the U.S. Dept. of Energy Alternative Fuels Data Center. The chargers range in speed from 25 kW to 350 kW which equates to varying charging times.

EV owners can locate public chargers using smartphone apps such as EV Connect, Electrify America, PlugShare, ChargeHub, ChargeWay, ChargePoint, EVGo, Livingston Charge Port, Google Maps, or the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center. Note that the EVolve NY chargers operate on the Electrify America and EV Connect networks. Credit cards are accepted to charge; no subscription or membership needed.