Supporting Zero-Emission Transportation Solutions

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced over $21 million is now available to support zero-emission mobility transportation solutions in communities across New York State. The Clean Mobility Program provides funding for scalable, community-led demonstration projects that improve connections through micro mobility, ridesharing, and on-demand shared transportation options. Together, these solutions lower pollution and offer residents affordable connections to services, jobs, and transit, including in underserved communities.

“Even as the federal government walks away from clean air and energy standards, New York continues to invest in modern, flexible and efficient electric transportation options that improve air quality and expand affordable consumer choices,” Governor Hochul said. “Our priority is linking communities, including areas that have been historically marginalized, with resources that provide residents with a variety of flexible transportation options that allow them to conduct their daily business uninterrupted.”

The Clean Mobility Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will competitively award funding to local governments, transit operators, community-based organizations, or employers with more than 1,000 employees for demonstration projects that advance innovative clean mobility options to address transportation challenges. Proposed solutions must expand access to shared zero-emission transportation options, create long-term affordable options, and can be continued into the future. Eligible technologies include bikes, electric bikes (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters), on-demand electric vehicle ride-hailing, and small-scale, on-demand electric public transit services, or shared electric vehicle options.

Proposals for demonstration projects must include a completed planning document that includes community engagement, site identification and operations, project partner identification, technical feasibility assessment, and a policy and regulatory feasibility assessment. Only one proposal per applicant will be awarded and a cost share of at least 20 percent of the total project cost in non-NYSERDA funding is required. E-bikes or e-scooters must meet industry safety standards such as being UL-certified.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Supporting electric vehicle ride sharing, e-bikes, e-scooters and other sustainable, affordable mobility options helps keep people engaged and active in their communities. We look forward to receiving innovative demonstration proposals that offer the opportunity to help New Yorkers maintain transportation independence and can be replicated and adopted throughout the state for the benefit of all.”

The Clean Mobility program offers up to $21.6 million for projects across New York State and will award up to $3 million per project, with priority given to projects in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Climate Justice Working Group.

Additionally, up to $8 million is set aside to fund demonstration projects located in specific areas of the state, including those served by the upstate investor-owned utilities. This includes a total of up to $5 million for micro mobility projects in the Central Hudson, National Grid, New York State Electric & Gas, and Rochester Electric & Gas region and up to $3 million for any type of eligible demonstration projects located in the Bronx.

New York State Department of Public Service CEO Rory M. Christian said, “It is critically important for New York to invest in and create affordable transportation opportunities for our citizens, especially those who find themselves without flexible transportation options. This program will do just that.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “With this latest $21 million in funding, Governor Hochul is bolstering actions to help communities most vulnerable to pollution-driven asthma and other harmful health impacts. Clean Mobility Program funding promotes the pursuit of accessible and affordable green transportation options and supports our efforts to improve air quality statewide by transitioning to cleaner, zero-emission transportation.”

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Clean transportation solutions do more than just reduce emissions—they improve public health, advance equity and accessibility and build a more sustainable, connected future. No one understands a community’s transportation challenges better than the people who live there. Empowering people to help develop mobility solutions is a game changer as we strive for a more resilient, community-centered future for transportation in New York.”

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “The Clean Mobility Program represents a major step forward in delivering economic opportunity and cleaner transportation to underserved communities across Upstate New York. By investing in ridesharing, micro mobility, and on-demand transportation options, we’re expanding access to jobs, public transit, while also reducing emissions. As chair of the NYS Senate Transportation Committee, I’m proud to support this initiative and am grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and commitment to clean, equitable transportation solutions.”

Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “People in some regions of our state without access to mass transit or a car are unable to get around. It’s laudable that the Governor saw fit to invest $21 million in a program that looks to improve the connections for micro mobility, ridesharing, and on-demand shared transportation options, to begin solving this problem.”

Proposals are due on September 25, 2025 by 3:00 p.m. ET. For more information on this funding opportunity please visit NYSERDA’s website.

NYSERDA will host an informational webinar on August 7, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET to provide more explanations on the solicitation, project requirements, and the application process.

To support demonstration project applicants, NYSERDA offers a Mobility Solutions Provider Directory that highlights companies that manufacture, supply, develop, install, operate, or maintain mobility solutions eligible under the Clean Mobility Program.

NYSERDA will host a virtual showcase for prospective applicants on August 14, 2025. The morning session will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET to highlight companies that support two-wheeled mobility solutions. The afternoon session will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET for companies that support four-wheeled mobility solutions.

In June 2024, Governor Hochul announced the $32 million Clean Mobility Program which supports community-led planning and demonstration projects that solve local transportation needs and help reduce emissions. In March 2025, NYSERDA announced that $2.9 million was awarded to 29 community-led planning projects to enhance planning for shared electric transportation solutions. These projects are eligible to apply for the demonstration project planning announced today, although previous participation in the Clean Mobility Program is not a requirement for demonstration project funding.

Last summer, Governor Hochul signed legislation to encourage the safe use of e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries. The guidelines and manufacturing standards adopted for e-mobility devices help consumers understand safety requirements and protocols, and provide information on purchasing, storage, and avoiding risks. The New York State Department of State and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services have also developed a consumer safety guide for lithium-ion batteries which is available here. Together, these efforts help to raise awareness and educate consumers about how to safely and properly purchase, use, charge and maintain devices with lithium-ion batteries, including micro-mobility options.

For more than fifty years, NYSERDA has been a trusted and objective resource for New Yorkers, taking on the critical role of energy planning and policy analysis, along with making investments that drive New York toward a more sustainable future. This program is part of New York’s nearly $3 billion investment in zero emissions vehicles and growing access to clean transit to benefit all New Yorkers, including those in low-income or disadvantaged communities, by reducing emissions to create cleaner air and healthier communities. It complements New York State’s other zero-emission transportation initiatives including the New York Clean Transportation Prizes Initiative, administered by NYSERDA, the New York State Department of Public Service and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as part of an $85 million allocation through New York's EV Make Ready program to accelerate the transition to a clean transportation future.

The program is funded through a combination of Clean Energy Fund (CEF), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and Micro Mobility Make-Ready funds.

New York State's Climate Agenda
New York State's climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.