Revel has opened its first electric vehicle (EV) fast charging superhub in Brooklyn.
The superhub, which officially opened in Bed-Stuy on Tuesday, will have 25 fast chargers that can be used by any brand of electric vehicle and it will be open 24 hours a day to the public.
Until July 6, vehicle charging at the hub at the Pfizer Building will be free.
On Tuesday, United States Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm, Councilmember Robert Cornegy Jr., Con Edison CEO Tim Cawley, Tritium President Mike Calise and New York League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe celebrated the opening at a ribbon-cutting ceremony held by Revel.
The superhub is the largest universal EV fast charging depot in the Americas and is the first of a network of superhubs planned by Revel across New York City.
Prior to the opening of the hub, there were only two publicly-available EV fast charging stations in central NYC. Most depots in the city are around transport hubs like JFK airport, and many charge a fee to enter the parking lot.
In a press release, Revel said New York City had a low rate of electric vehicle adoption, with only 14,000 EVs out of the 1.9 million cars and SUVs registered in the city.
"It's no surprise that EV adoption is lagging in our city -- the infrastructure just isn't here yet, and the stations that do exist aren't accessible to most New Yorkers," Revel CEO and Co-Founder Frank Reig said.
"Our superhubs are designed to reach as many people as possible in the neighborhoods where they actually live. This is what NYC needs to move towards an electric future and we're excited to get started."
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the opening represented "our vision for building a clean energy economy on the foundation of good-paying jobs, overcoming and improving the health outcomes of communities too often left behind."
"As the old saying goes — if you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere. And we need electric vehicles and charging stations everywhere, in cities and towns all across America."
Revel chose Tritium's recently launched RTM fast charger for its Brooklyn site. At 75kW, the chargers provide EV drivers with 100 additional miles in about 20 minutes. Two of the charging stalls are specially designed to ensure Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance. Revel also contracted with MP2 Energy LLC to ensure that the charges are entirely powered by renewable energy sources.
Revel also worked closely with Con Edison to make the superhub vision a reality, and is the first fast charging operator participating in Con Edison's PowerReady program to complete a project.
"As we work to combat climate change, the future of transportation is electric, but many drivers won't feel comfortable buying an EV until they see a critical mass of public charging stations around the city," Con Edison CEO Tim Cawley said.
"The Brooklyn superhub makes it convenient for current EV owners to charge up and will encourage more New Yorkers to consider buying an electric car."
