Electric vehicles are reshaping more than just the cars Americans drive. The infrastructure behind them is evolving just as quickly, especially in dense urban areas where grid capacity, space, and peak electricity costs are constant challenges.
A new charging project in New York City highlights how the next phase of EV infrastructure may look. German charging technology company XCharge, working with New York-based contractor Energy Plus, has announced plans to open what it says will be the largest battery-powered EV charging hub on the U.S. East Coast.
The site is scheduled to begin operations in the second quarter of this year in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
A High-Power Charging Site Built for Urban Demand
The Brooklyn charging hub will feature 44 fast chargers serving 88 parking spaces, making it one of the largest urban EV charging sites in the country. Each charger is capable of delivering up to 300 kilowatts, exceeding the peak output of most Tesla Superchargers and approaching the fastest public chargers currently available in the U.S.
While high charging speeds matter, XCharge says power output alone is not what makes this project notable. The real innovation lies in how electricity is stored and delivered.
Instead of relying solely on real-time grid power, the entire site is designed around on-site battery storage.
How Battery-Backed Charging Changes the Equation
Traditional fast-charging stations draw electricity directly from the local grid when a driver plugs in. In cities like New York, that often means pulling power during peak demand hours, when electricity is most expensive and grid capacity is stretched thin.
The Brooklyn hub takes a different approach. Electricity is pulled from the grid during off-peak hours, stored in large lithium-ion batteries, and then released to vehicles when charging demand is high. This system allows the site to function with less strain on the local grid while maintaining high charging speeds.
According to XCharge, each charging unit—called GridLink—combines the charger and a dedicated energy storage system into a single package.
Distributed Storage at Every Charging Stall
Unlike centralized battery systems, the Brooklyn hub uses a distributed microgrid-style design. Each GridLink unit includes two fast-charging cables, an information display, and a built-in stationary battery.
In total, the 44 GridLink units will provide 9.46 megawatt-hours of stored energy, with each unit containing 215 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity. That amount of stored power could theoretically charge more than 120 EVs from empty to full, assuming an average battery size of 75 kWh.
This modular design improves reliability and scalability while reducing the complexity of installing massive grid upgrades in dense neighborhoods.
Potential Relief From High Urban Charging Costs
Public fast charging in major cities is often expensive, especially during peak hours. In the New York metro area, prices of $0.55 to $0.65 per kilowatt-hour are not uncommon, making large EV charging sessions costly.
By storing electricity when rates are lower, battery-backed charging hubs can reduce exposure to peak pricing and demand charges. While XCharge has not disclosed pricing details for the Brooklyn site, the company suggests that this model could help keep costs more stable for drivers.
That could be especially attractive to rideshare and commercial drivers, many of whom have transitioned to EVs due to New York City’s Taxi and Limousine Commission electrification requirements.
Grid Support Beyond EV Charging
The GridLink units also support bidirectional power flow, allowing stored electricity to be sent back to the grid during emergencies or periods of extreme demand. This capability turns the charging hub into a form of distributed energy storage, similar to utility-scale battery projects being deployed nationwide.
As electricity demand rises from sources like AI data centers and building electrification, these systems could play a growing role in grid stabilization.
Preparing Infrastructure for the Next EV Wave
EV adoption in the U.S. has been uneven amid shifting incentives and policy changes. Still, projects like this suggest that charging infrastructure continues to advance ahead of demand, positioning cities to handle future growth more efficiently.
Even if EV sales fluctuate in the short term, investments in smarter, battery-backed charging hubs may ensure that urban charging is ready when adoption accelerates again.
Recommend Reading: Costco Members Can Save Thousands on New Cadillac and Volvo EVs
Share:
Waymo Introduces the Ojai Robotaxi as Fleet Expansion Accelerates
Volvo EX60 Targets Long-Range Leadership in the Electric SUV Segment