The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) and Revel have opened an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport. It more than doubles the number of EV chargers available at the airport.
The new charging station is within the airport’s for-hire vehicle (FHV) hold lot and accessible via the Van Wyck Expressway or Belt Parkway. With the new Revel charging station’s 24 additional chargers at the FHV lot adjacent to JFK Building 141, JFK now hosts 46 EV fast-charging ports that are operational at all times, helping to reduce charging wait times and improving traffic flow to the benefit of customers and FHV drivers.
In addition to working with the port authority at the JFK lot, Revel will install the nation’s largest public fast-charging lot near an airport, with 48 fast-charging ports outside LaGuardia Airport to support airport users, FHV drivers and the surrounding community. That lot will be situated at 90-10 Ditmars Boulevard in East Elmhurst, Queens, and is expected to open later in 2025.
PowerReady incentive program
The 24 new chargers were funded and installed by Revel and Con Edison through the latter’s PowerReady program for electric vehicle infrastructure incentives. The program supports the expansion of EV charging access by incentivizing the build-out of a widespread EV charging network. In addition to supporting public access to EV charging infrastructure, the port authority and its operational partners have collaborated to incorporate more electric vehicles within airport operations. Across the agency’s three major airports, 1,400 electric ground service vehicles and 775 electric ground service chargers are currently in use for equipment such as baggage tractors and airplane tows.
“We’re proud that our PowerReady incentive program is enabling the expansion of JFK International Airport’s public fast-charging network, helping to make the transition to electric vehicles more accessible for New Yorkers as well as visitors to our dynamic region,” said Raghu Sudhakara, vice president of distributed resource integration at Con Edison. “Additionally, we’re building a new substation complex in eastern Queens that will support the port authority’s broader electrification of the airport, helping the state meet its climate goals as we maintain our nation-leading reliable electric service.”
Sustainable infrastructure
The additional chargers are intended to help meet the growing demand for electric vehicle charging infrastructure at port authority facilities, to support the port authority’s sustainability initiatives. The agency has specified plans to reach its goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through its comprehensive net zero roadmap. That goal encompasses the agency’s own emissions as well as those originating in the wide transportation ecosystem supporting its facilities. Traditional fast chargers will enable the transition to electric vehicles and contribute to a reduction of approximately 3,720 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year.
“As we work toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, expanding access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a crucial step in reducing emissions,” said Kevin O’Toole, chairman of PANYNJ. “These fast chargers at JFK are a significant step forward in our broader efforts to support a greener transportation network.”
“The port authority and its private partners like Revel are leading the charge in building a net zero future, and this latest expansion of two dozen more fast chargers at JFK is a major boost in that work,” said Rick Cotton, executive director of the port authority. “More access to electric vehicle charging equipment helps advance our sustainability goals and reaffirms our agency’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.”
“Reliable fast charging at New York’s airports, where ride-share drivers start and end their most valuable trips, will make or break our city’s electrification mandate,” said Frank Reig, co-founder and CEO of Revel. “We’re proud to partner with the port authority to bring the city’s fastest chargers directly to those drivers, first at JFK and later this year at LGA.”
“With these fast chargers and the ones coming to LaGuardia later this year, we’re taking great strides down the path toward a more sustainable and affordable city,” said NYC taxi and limousine commissioner David Do. “Our airports are by far the biggest trip generators for hardworking TLC drivers. By prioritizing development of these charging hubs, the port authority and Revel are not only making life easier for thousands of EV drivers who need them right now, but also for the tens of thousands who will be converting to zero-emission vehicles in the coming years.”
The chargers were manufactured by Kempower. The company’s president, Monil Malhotra, said, “At Kempower, we are committed to accelerating the transition to electric mobility with our reliable and user-friendly DC fast-charging solutions. We are proud to support the expansion of EV infrastructure at JFK Airport, ensuring that for-hire vehicle drivers and travelers have access to fast, efficient charging whenever they need it.”
Beyond EV infrastructure, the port authority has undertaken several other sustainability initiatives at its airports, including New York State’s largest rooftop solar array at JFK’s New Terminal One, the nation’s largest airport solar rooftop at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal A parking garage, a solar array on JFK’s long-term parking Lot 9 and a solar rooftop at LaGuardia Airport. The agency is also committed to electrifying its light-duty fleet by 2028 and having nearly all its ground service equipment at airports converted to electric by 2035.
For more top insights into the future of JFK Airport, read Passenger Terminal Today‘s exclusive interview with JFK’s Marisa Von Wieding, vice president of operations, and Palmina Whelan, capital program director of the New Terminal One, here.