A year after the first Citi Bike e-bike charging docks were installed, New York City is expanding the number of bike-share charging hubs to keep pace with growing demand for electric cycles.
“Expanding our network of charging stations means riders will have better access to fully charged bikes, with fewer delays and faster service,” city Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said in a statement. “The demand for Citi Bike e-bikes has never been higher, and we are proud to deliver new infrastructure that meets the needs of riders.”
This spring, Lyft — the rideshare giant that operates the bike-share program under contract to the city — will be electrifying 13 additional existing Citi Bike dock locations, three in Brooklyn, 10 in Manhattan.
Approximately 15,000 of the Citi Bike program’s 35,000 bicycles are e-bikes. But with the exception of two charging docks opened last year — one in Midtown and one in Williamsburg, Brooklyn — all Citi e-bikes must have their batteries manually swapped by Lyft.
The bulk of the batteries are charged in a warehouse and installed by hand by technicians who travel throughout the five boroughs in vans.
In addition to removing the need for extra van trips, dock-based charging allows bikes to charge on demand, meaning less downtime for the rental cycles.
The docks to be electrified in Brooklyn are at Graham Ave. and Grand St. in Williamsburg, Metropolitan and Bedford Aves. in Williamsburg, and Clinton and Tillary Sts. in Brooklyn Heights.
In Manhattan, the jolt of power is coming to the docks at Clinton and Grand Sts., Amsterdam Ave. and W. 116th St., York Ave. and E. 72nd St., First Ave. and E. 14th St., Kenmare and Elizabeth Sts., Amsterdam Ave. and W. 66th St., 11th Ave. and W. 59th St., Broadway and W. 92nd St., First Ave. and E. 30th St., and Sixth Ave. and W. 42nd St.
According to data provided to the Daily News by the city’s Department of Transportation, there were 7,891,166 electric Citi Bike rides between the start of the year and April 30 — up roughly 20% from the 6,553,084 electric Citi Bike rides made in the same period in 2024.
The 7.9 million electric rides accounted for 70% of all Citi Bike rides citywide — despite the fact that just 43% of the Citi BIke fleet is made up of e-bikes.
“With Citi Bike e-bike ridership continuing to break records, this investment will directly benefit riders by increasing availability of the Citi Bike e-bike that New Yorkers know and love,” Lyft spokeswoman Caroline Samponaro said in a statement.
