New York, NYPA unveil EV chargers at Potsdam Stewart's Shop

Sep. 12—POTSDAM — The state and the New York Power Authority unveiled four new high-power electric vehicle charging stations at the Stewart's Shop on Market Street.

Gov. Kathleen Hochul said in a statement that the multi-charger hub will help support EV drivers, travel and tourism between Watertown and Plattsburgh.

"More New Yorkers are opting to drive zero-emissions vehicles and that necessitates additional charging infrastructure across our great state and in our cities," the governor said. "Opening up this new travel corridor for EV drivers in the North Country will encourage emissions-free travel and enable New York to continue to set a trend for reducing emissions for the rest of the nation."

The new site, installed by NYPA at 24 Market St. as part of New York State's EVolve NY fast-charging network, offers four high-speed chargers adjacent to four Tesla superchargers. All four Evolve NY stations include a next-generation power-sharing technology that allows any compatible EV to fast-charge at the maximum level of 350 kilowatts.

The availability of the multiple new units in St. Lawrence County will enable charging for the growing number of EVs statewide and support the state's nation-leading clean energy goals that are positioned to reduce carbon emissions and pollution on roadways and create healthier communities, according to the governor's statement.

Gov. Hochul signed legislation in 2021 requiring all new passenger cars, pickup trucks and SUVs sold in New York State be zero emission by 2035. Her office says the regulation will help decarbonize the state's transportation sector and advance the state's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, which calls for emissions to be reduced 85% by 2050.

NYPA partnered with Stewart's Shops, a family-owned convenience store chain with more than 350 convenience stores and gas stations in New York and Vermont, to install charging stations at six store locations in the Capital and Adirondacks regions as part of the state's growing EVolveNY fast-charging network. In addition to Potsdam, stations are located in Latham, Clifton Park, Schodack, Moreau and Keene.

"The New York Power Authority's EVolve NY program has launched fast-charging hubs throughout New York State to help fully electrify the transportation sector," NYPA President and CEO Justin E. Driscoll said in a statement. "Stewart's Shops has been a valued site host, allowing expansion of high-speed charging in the Capital and Adirondacks regions. The Potsdam Stewart's site, along with many others still to come, will make charging an EV quicker, easier, and more convenient no matter where you live or travel in New York."

Evolve NY Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) can charge most of the battery capacity in any make or model of EVs in as little as 20 minutes when charging at 350 kW. The Potsdam site offers four high-speed EVolve NY chargers and is a shared location with Tesla, which also has four units. These new charging stations, on the Electrify America network, all have the potential to dispense up to 350 kW so users do not need to pre-determine which unit has the appropriate amount of power for their vehicle.

The site's Evolve NY chargers incorporate a next-generation software technology that allows two dispensers to better utilize grid capacity by "sharing" power. A single car can charge up to 350 kW. If a second car pulls into the neighboring space and also starts charging, the 350 kW will be shared between the two vehicles. The system monitors each EV's charging capabilities and current energy demand, then relays that data back to the shared power cabinet so each vehicle can get the power it needs. By deploying this type of system, NYPA can reduce the grid capacity requirement by more than 25% and allow vehicles to charge faster.

"I'm pleased that North Country residents and visitors who choose to own electric vehicles will now have access to a high-power multi-charger hub for EVs, state Sen. Daniel G. Stec, R-Queensbury, said in a statement. "The new Potsdam charging station will make it more convenient for them to live, work and travel across our region."

"I'm more than happy to support the electric-powered future of our next generation of New York State travelers," Assemblyman Scott A. Gray, R-Watertown, said in the statement. "This partnership between NYPA and Stewart's not only demonstrates the state's dedication to reducing carbon emissions and creating a more sustainable and healthier future for all New Yorkers but paves the way for local EV adoption and increased tourism along key travel routes."