The Port Authority and Revel today announced they have broken ground on the installation of 24 electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s (JFK) west cell phone lot, more than doubling the airport’s existing electric vehicle charging capacity. The new chargers will be operational in early 2025, available around-the-clock to the public and for-hire vehicles.
The expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at Port Authority facilities is a significant element of the agency’s industry-leading climate efforts. The agency’s wide-ranging net-zero roadmap outlines several concrete steps to achieve the Port Authority’s ambitious goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, including assisting the transition to electric vehicles through widespread and accessible charging infrastructure. JFK is already home to 22 electric vehicle chargers that are frequently used by for-vehicle drivers serving the airport and to the community.
“Meeting the needs of for-hire-vehicle drivers and others visiting our airports is a top priority at the Port Authority,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “We want to support the shift to clean energy at our facilities, and that includes partnering with companies like Revel to make sure electric vehicle charging infrastructure is available, accessible and convenient for everyone.”
“The electric chargers currently at JFK are very popular, which shows strong demand for charging equipment to accommodate even more electric vehicles at our facilities,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “This partnership with Revel is another major step in our commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while supporting the transportation ecosystem around us to reach the same goal.”
The 24 fast charging ports, funded and installed by Revel, will be installed in JFK’s west cell phone lot, which is located off 130th Place in Queens and accessible via the Van Wyck Expressway or Belt Parkway. This installation is the second such partnership between the Port Authority and Revel, which is also installing 48 fast charging ports directly adjacent to LaGuardia Airport at 90-10 Ditmars Boulevard. The charging station near LaGuardia will be fully operational in late 2025 as the largest public fast-charging station near an airport in the nation. Both projects support New York City’s Green Rides Initiative, which encourages the rapid electrification of for-hire vehicles with more than 10,000 new electric for-hire vehicles added this year.
“It’s impossible to electrify rideshare without an abundance of charging near the airports. In partnering with the Port Authority at JFK, Revel has now cemented plans for the largest public fast charging stations at both of New York’s home turf airports,” said Frank Reig, co-founder & CEO of Revel. “Revel’s JFK site will be one of the most used fast charging stations in the country, and with the Port Authority’s support, we’re on track to open it in a matter of months.”
With this installation, JFK will host a total of 46 publicly accessible fast charging ports. More chargers will lead to shorter charge wait times across the airport, allowing for more zero-emission pick-ups and drop-offs, smoother flow of vehicles and less congestion. For airside vehicles used by airlines and airport operations, the agency is also working to build charging infrastructure for electric airside vehicles such as baggage tractors and airplane tows. Since 2019, 280 charging ports for ground service vehicles have been installed, helping to reduce at least 16,300 tons of carbon emissions annually and assisting the aviation industry in meeting the Port Authority’s mandate to transition to commercially available zero-emission ground support equipment by 2030.
Other sustainability initiatives at JFK include New York state’s largest solar plus storage project in parking lot 9, and New York City’s largest rooftop solar array at the new Terminal One. Additionally, the Port Authority is electrifying its own vehicle fleet, with an ambitious goal to convert 50 percent of its light-duty fleet to electric by 2028 as part of its net-zero roadmap.
