Will New York Plan Jumpstart the Market for Electric Vehicles?

With New York and the federal government partnering to fund 325 new electric-vehicle charging stations statewide, Dana Rubinstein asks if this investment will be enough to persuade East Coasters to start buying EVs in droves.

1 minute read

June 16, 2012, 1:00 PM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


If the northeast region's relative lack of interest in electric cars can be attributed to the dreaded "rage anxiety" caused by a lack of charging stations (California currently has 1,200, or a thousand more than New York), than the plan recently announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo could make electric-car ownership in New York "less frightening," writes Rubinstein.

Admittedly, the $4.4 million cost of the project isn't "a particularly large public commitment." But, argues Rubinstein, "it does represent the sort of infrastructure investment that's going to be necessary to popularize electric cars, or at least make them more commercially feasible for manufacturers and, in turn, cheaper for consumers."

"The more chargers you put out there, the more comfortable people are with driving their vehicles longer range," said Colin Read, vice-president for a company that is deploying more than 12,000 chargers nationwide.

"But, he also said, 'In reality we need cars on the road to justify putting chargers out there.'"

Wednesday, June 13, 2012 in Capital

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

View of mountains with large shrubs in foreground in Altadena, California.

Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire

In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.

March 9 - Pasadena NOw

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

March 9 - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

March 9 - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation