NYPA Press Release

Mirabito Location Marks 68^th Operational Charger in New York Power Authority’s Cross-State EVolve NY Network

Latest High Speed Charging Hub Advances New York’s Clean Energy Goals for Transportation Sector

BINGHAMTON -- The New York Power Authority (NYPA) today announced four new fast charging stations open to all compatible electric vehicles (EVs) in the City of Binghamton in New York’s Southern Tier. The new chargers, at 33 S. Washington St., mark the fourth hub hosted by Mirabito Convenience Stores in New York State for NYPA’s EVolve NY high-speed charging network and offer a fast, convenient EV charging stop for drivers traveling through the greater Binghamton area. The expansion supports the state’s goal of reducing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent by 2050. 

“Electric car drivers throughout New York are benefiting from the growth of the state’s largest open-access high-speed charging network that makes it possible to drive long distances and quickly recharge at regular intervals,” said NYPA Interim President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll. “This latest installation, in partnership with Mirabito, makes EV charging in the Binghamton area easy and fast. More accessible charging, like this Southern Tier charging station, will lead to reduced greenhouse gas pollution and a healthier environment for us all.”

The downtown Binghamton site is hosted by Mirabito Convenience Stores, a family-owned and operated energy retailer based in Binghamton which operates more than 100 locations throughout Central New York. NYPA charging hubs are also located at stores in Oneonta and two locations in Syracuse. NYPA constructs, owns and operates the EVolve NY charging network in coordination with Mirabito site hosts.

“By working together with NYPA, we are able to incorporate EV charging stations into our new store designs and install them at existing locations where it makes sense to do so,” said Mirabito CEO & Chairman Joe Mirabito. “We are proud to be part of the solution as we all move toward a greener future for the energy industry.”

The Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFC), pictured here, can be used by any make or model of electric vehicle and can recharge most of the battery capacity in as little as 20 minutes. Binghamton has four public DCFC stations at the Love’s Travel Center east of town and more than 20 public level 2 chargers, which are used for charging during a longer stop.

“The City of Binghamton is proud to be a leader in environmental sustainability, supporting green space, renewable energy and zero-emission transportation,” said Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham. “Having the Power Authority and Mirabito step up to make fast charging more readily available will make it easier to drive electric and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants throughout the City.”

Stanley Whittingham, a professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in the development of the lithium-ion battery, and serves as co-chairman of the Blue Ribbon Task Force to expand the use of EVs in New York, said, “The growth of fast charging in New York – and in cities and towns across the state – is a major step in making electric vehicles a more realistic option and encouraging their mainstream adoption. Advancements such as a longer driving range, smaller batteries and lower purchase prices will further impact the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and help in the shared goal of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions behind climate change.”

The Binghamton site has three 150kW Direct Current Fast Charger (DCFC) stations and one 350kW charger, which is capable of charging a compatible vehicle at speeds up to 20 miles per minute. Two of the charging stations are equipped with both fast charging connectors, Combined Charging System (CCS) and CHAdeMO, so all electric vehicles can plug in and charge.

“NYSEG is proud of the investments we have made in Binghamton to provide EV owners the convenience and accessibility of these fast-charging stations,” said Carl A. Taylor, President and CEO of NYSEG, which provided financial assistance through the EV Make-Ready Program and completed the grid interconnection to power the equipment. “Our continued work with NYPA will help reduce emissions and support more sustainable communities.”

The clean energy initiative supports New York’s Climate Act (the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act), the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, which establishes bold targets for decreasing climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from the transportation sector. 

Governor Kathy Hochul recently signed legislation setting a goal for all new passenger cars and trucks sold in New York to be zero-emissions by 2035. Supporting Charge NY, a New York State initiative to get more electric vehicles on the road, other EV charging and deployment initiatives and programs are designed to get 850,000 zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025. Hochul also announced that utility companies can fully implement New York’s groundbreaking “EV Make-Ready” infrastructure program, which will deploy more than 50,000 new public and commercial charging ports across the state by 2025.

“Electrify Commercial is energized by the additional collaboration with New York Power Authority to expand availability of ultra-fast charging in New York,” said Rachel Moses, director of Commercial Services, Green Cities & Business Development at Electrify America, which installed, operates and maintains the charging location. “Delivering a reliable high quality charging experience for NYPA’s EVolve NY customers in Binghamton is critical to moving toward an electric future.”

EVolve NY

Binghamton marks the 68^th fast charger in the EVolve NY network, with 26 more installed and soon to be operational across New York State over the next few months. Once the EVolve NY buildout phase is complete, New Yorkers will be able to drive any EV across the state with fast chargers capable of recharging their vehicles in 15-30 minutes located every 50 miles on average.

New York State hosts 830 public fast chargers at 197 locations, although they range in speed from 25kW to 350kW which equates to varying charging times. More than 500 are owned by Tesla and can be exclusively used by Tesla vehicle owners.

Other EVolve NY sites operating throughout the state include John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGrangeville in the Mid-Hudson Region; Schodack, Moreau, Saratoga Springs and Latham in the Capital Region; Oneonta and Amsterdam in Mohawk Valley; two sites in Syracuse in Central New York; Fairport and Geneva in the Finger Lakes; and Watertown, Malone, Plattsburgh and Schroon Lake in the North Country region.

EV owners can locate public chargers using smartphone apps such as Greenlots, PlugShare, ChargeHub, ChargeWay, Electrify America, Google Maps, or the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center. Many in-dash navigation system also include the EVolve NY charging network locations.

EVolve NY compliments other New York State efforts to expand EV charging, including sister state agency initiatives. EVolve NY was intended to be a first-mover, building public charging infrastructure in “charging deserts” where other investors were not present. EVolve was a catalyst for investment and is leading the state’s bold goals to expand EV charging infrastructure to help accelerate the goal to have 850,000 zero emission vehicles on the road by 2025 in New York State. For more information about EVolve NY, visit the EVolve NY web pages on NYPA.gov.

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New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan
New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach economy wide carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $33 billion in 102 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.6 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting nearly 158,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2020, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. Under the Climate Act, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.

About NYPA

NYPA is the largest state public power organization in the nation, operating 16 generating facilities and more than 1,400 circuit-miles of transmission lines. More than 80 percent of the electricity NYPA produces is clean renewable hydropower. NYPA uses no tax money or state credit. It finances its operations through the sale of bonds and revenues earned in large part through sales of electricity. For more information visit www.nypa.gov and follow us on Twitter @NYPAenergy, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and LinkedIn.