Albany, NY – Governor Kathy Hochul announced on July 8, 2025, a significant $3 million allocation to three pioneering projects aimed at integrating electric vehicles (EVs) more efficiently into New York's electric grid. This strategic investment, administered through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)'s Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) Program, underscores the state's commitment to enhancing grid flexibility and reducing consumer charging costs. Concurrently, an additional $4 million has been made available for technologies designed to address data collection and operational challenges faced by utilities in managing EV charging, signaling a robust push towards a smarter, more resilient energy infrastructure.

Governor Hochul emphasized the state's leadership in building a sustainable energy future, stating, “By investing in innovative technologies that support EV charging and integration with the grid, we are strengthening our clean energy infrastructure to meet the demands of tomorrow. We are also improving grid resiliency while making it easier and more affordable for New Yorkers to drive electric.” This funding package, sourced from the Clean Energy Fund (CEF), is part of New York’s broader strategy to electrify its transportation sector, targeting zero-emission for all new passenger cars, trucks, and school buses by 2035.

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris highlighted the transformative potential of these investments. “Investing in vehicle to grid integration is a game changer for utilities and consumers when it comes to balancing demand on the electric grid and these awarded companies have put forward innovative solutions to improve the way we achieve that balance,” Harris noted. She added that advancing managed charging technologies will pave the way for future cost reductions, greater integration of renewable energy resources like wind and solar, increased grid flexibility, and fewer infrastructure upgrades.

Three projects received the initial $3 million under the VGI Program. Voltpost was awarded $775,000 to develop lamppost EV charging solutions in the New York City area, Capital Region, and Hudson Valley, focusing on UL certification and deploying at least ten Level 2 charging stations. The Mobility House secured $867,000 to demonstrate flexible interconnections for electric school bus charging fleets, aiming to decouple fast charger construction from electric grid development timelines. Weave Grid, Inc. received nearly $1 million to implement distribution-optimized EV managed charging in the Orange and Rockland Utilities service area, utilizing software and topology data to coordinate charging schedules and balance energy load.

Furthermore, the newly announced $4 million competitive solicitation, part of NYSERDA’s Electric Vehicle Managed Charging program, invites researchers, developers, and consultants to propose solutions for utility data collection, transmission, and operational challenges in integrating diverse EV suppliers. Proposals must include behind-the-meter EV integrated solutions, such as bi-directional data transfer and utility control over charging, to alleviate grid demand. This initiative, informed by collaboration with Avangrid (parent company of RG&E and NYSEG), will guide future utility rate and program planning for EV managed charging. Proposals are due by September 16, 2025.

These efforts build upon NYSERDA’s successful Grid Modernization program, which has awarded approximately $65 million since 2016 to over 110 grid technology companies. New York State’s broader commitment includes investing nearly $3 billion in transportation electrification and supporting various initiatives like the Drive Clean Rebate and EVolve NY, reinforcing its pathway to an emissions-free economy by 2050.