30 EV chargers coming to parks in Nassau County

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. - Officials in New York have already set a goal to require all new passenger cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs sold in the state to be zero emissions by 2035. And a $500,000 grant in the Town of North Hempstead is going towards a greener future.

"To pay for the installation of 30 new electric-vehicle charging stations," state Sen. Anna Kaplan said. The EV chargers will be installed in several parks in the town.

Long Island accounts for almost 30% of New York's EV ownership with 32,090 vehicles on the road, a higher percentage than any other region of the state, according to EValuateNY, a dashboard that provides data on electric vehicles.

While New York is very progressive, according to Jeff Hove of Fuels Institute, he said it is among the top 15 states in the country in need of infrastructure improvements.

"We're going to need a lot more charging infrastructure," Hove said. "This administration came out for 500,000 new charging stations, and our report is in excess of more than double that."

Experts estimate close to 90% of people drive about 30 to 40 miles each day. However, those longer trips raise concerns about logistics.

Katherine Stainken, the VP of policy for the Electrification Coalition, said electricity is more stable fuel source. 

"With electricity, it's produced domestically," Stainken said. "We can generate more of it from solar, wind."

A level-2 charger will get you anywhere from 10 to 20 miles of charge per hour, according to the Department of Transportation.

EVs plugged into charging stations at a parking garage. (FOX)