Solutions for charging in assigned and shared parking at your apartment or condo. Unless your building doesn't mind you driving up to your apartment every night to plug in, living in an apartment can be a significant roadblock to owning a plug-in hybrid. According to the 2017 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates from the United States Census Bureau show that 25.5% of occupied housing units in the US are apartments. Resources like the in-depth California guidebook, referencing successful property case studies, checking on local programs and incentives, and consulting your local government office should provide a much more detailed list of steps that you’ll need to take. When you’ve located the correct office, they should be able to advise you and the property owner of the required steps in the permitting process. Gas-powered vehicles do seem to be better value at purchase, but their long-term fuel and maintenance costs can mount up quickly. Owning an electric car in an apartment can be difficult but with EverCharge and SmartPower it really doesn't have to be. It would help to brush up on any possible incentives that your state provides for building chargers when presenting your case. A quick google search of “(city) permits” should point you in the right direction. © 2020 EverCharge, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We publish a number of guest posts from experts in a large variety of fields. According to an analysis of 30 countries by RENTCafe:⊕ Rental households ranged from a low of 9.7% in Singapore to a high of 56.6% in Switzerland.⊕ 22 of the countries have a rental percentage of 25% or higher and 5 of those have rental percentages above 40%.⊕ Half of the 15 countries have rental percentages at or above 30%.The number of households that are choosing to rent versus buy a home is increasing in many countries, including the UK and US. The final 10% or so are mobile homes. However, the barrier of entry for Teslas is higher given that they are more expensive than the average EV. Charging companies such as ChargePoint provide informative brochures that you can forward to the owners of the building or HOA board, as well. Property improvement upgrades, building renovations, providing amenities for all residents, and capital maintenance expenditures take first precedence in annual budget decisions made by MUD (multi-unit dwelling) owners. I live in CA and am thinking of getting an EV for my next car, I'm still leaning all about Ev's, but driving with an ICE is making me feel terrible about what in doing to the planet and my wallet. ___ Connect with a team member by telling us a little about yourself. Apartment property managers and site-based facility personnel do not understand the nuances of evaluating multiple issues and the systems on their properties for deploying electric vehicle system equipment (EVSE) projects. Other incentives encourage New York City drivers to … As time goes on and the dependency for power continues to grow, the solution of adding more and more power doesn’t scale. The recently released Tesla Model 3 already has half a million reservations and will only continue to grow with the glowing reviews. However, those living in apartment and condominium buildings rarely have access to onsite charging stations. plug your car in wherever it is parked and thus never wait to charge (apart from the handful of times a year when you need to go beyond the range of your car - although this often coincides with a comfort break and we're trying to reduce the charge time there too).. You can expect your electric bill to go up, but the extra cost in electricity will still be less than what you would be spending on gas. Some of the obstacles related to setting up apartment-based electric vehicle chargers were outlined in the 2015 report entitled, Electric Vehicle Charging in Apartment-Based Housing – Opportunities and Obstacles, which discussed the following three findings: Thankfully, some states have sought to alleviate the stress of trying to set up electric car charging in apartment complexes through legislative action. These two terms give up a direct … EDMUNDS SAYS: It is possible to own an EV without a home charger. According to iPropertyManagement, 37% of the American population rent their home.Since plugging in at home is the primary way EV owners charge, this can be quite a challenge to the millions of renters who do not have access to an on-site charging station. They will have to determine the correct electrical needs for the charger and the proper way to connect the charger to the city’s electrical grid. In the meantime the worry is that the electric car revolution could by-pass millions of people, particularly in the inner cities. This hits apartment and condo dwellers who own or want to own electric cars hardest as most buildings will force residents to foot the bill if they want on-site electric car charging. Put one in yourself, and you lose charging privileges when you move, as well as the money you spent on it. Given these budget priorities, the availability of EVSE grants would significantly increase the likelihood of property owners undertaking electric vehicle infrastructure projects. Putting the building into a never ending cycle of expensive infrastructure upgrades. Owning an electric car in an apartment can be difficult but with EverCharge and SmartPower it really doesn't have to be. A problem arises when we consider the fact that only about 60% of residences are detached single family houses, and about 30% are apartments. California’s helpful guidebook states that while this tends to vary by jurisdiction, common info needed in most applications include, “site plans, a single line electrical diagram; load calculations and whether a panel upgrade will be required; a separate mechanical permit application if ventilation will be required for the station; and charger installation instructions from the manufacturer.”. In fact, pretty … While you can charge a plug-in hybrid from any 120-volt outlet , most manufacturers recommend that you don't use extension cords. Constantly tapping into new power sources is like putting a band-aid on a major wound, it just doesn’t make sense. Sign up for our free daily newsletter or weekly newsletter to never miss a story. When this happens cities begin to face the real possibility of rolling blackouts or worse. A popular selling point for electric vehicles is the notion that you never have to stop for gas. Once you’ve successfully attained permission from the applicable parties, you’ll then have to attain a permit. CleanTechnica is the #1 cleantech-focused news & analysis website in the US & the world, focusing primarily on electric cars, solar energy, wind energy, & energy storage. One of the largest obstacles standing in the way of widespread electric vehicle adoption is the often daunting setup required to outfit customers who live in apartments with adequate charging infrastructure. Made in California. In order to give drivers some peace of … When it comes to Level 1 and 2 charging, some cars are only rated for 3.3kW, while others can be rated for as high as 10kW. Not only are these upgrades incredibly expensive they do not address the underlying problem. With the help of companies like EVmatch, electric car ownership is getting easier for many of those who don't have easy charging access via a home garage. They make for an easy transition into electric vehicle ownership for anyone who either has their own personal garage, or at the very least can run an extension cord to their driveway from inside the house. Regardless of living in an apartment or a house, they’re fine with the convenience of local EV chargers. Plug your car in before going to sleep, and wake up to a full battery in the morning. It is up to you to identify the correct office that will issue you a permit, which will typically be from the public works or transportation/environment department. Can you even own an electric car while living in an apartment? Having a conveniently placed charger in front of your favorite supermarket will allow you to charge your electric car while you do your weekly grocery shopping. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Appreciate CleanTechnica’s originality? They’re generally providing information to higher levels of property management or owners. Owning a EV and living in an apartment, is it possible? In addition to the company’s proprietary Superchargers and Destination Chargers, Tesla is also pushing to roll out its urban charging initiative as well. As an urban apartment dweller without a driveway, I figured an electric vehicle (EV) just wasn’t in the realm of possibility. Still, some people might not be able to find a conveniently placed charger or simply prefer to have a charger set up on their property. Owning an electric car as a renter can have a fairly big issue–home charging. Instead of every charging station drawing power regardless if it's plugged in or not, the system can move that power around freely. It's no surprise the majority of electric-car owners today own their own homes. As the number of electric cars on the road grows this becomes an untenable solution. ... which now leads the world in electric vehicle sales and has its own private network of fast-charging stations. Similar to MPG for gasoline-powered vehicles, Electric vehicles have kilowatts per hour per 100 miles. Toggle navigation Find Stations | Sign Up ... First, electric cars are becoming mainstream. Other Incentives for New York City EV Drivers. If owners truly want to enjoy their electric cars they are going to need a charging station at home, but if you live in an apartment it's not so easy. Tesla has … But does it make sense to own one now? Further, they’re rarely asked to create business strategies and have limited authority to undertake projects. But it depends on how much you drive daily and how comfortable you are with sticking to a routine of public charging, which is easier with Tesla’s supercharging network. This is our contributor account for those special people. 30% Plugin Vehicle Market Share in the Netherlands! It should go without saying that this represents an extremely generalized guide if you wish to install an electric car charger within your apartment complex, and certain details are subject to change based on your particular place of residency. Solutions for charging in assigned and shared parking at your apartment or condo. These vehicles are more expensive than similarly-sized gas engine cars, but for now, the available $7,500 federal tax credit helps offset the cost of owning an electric vehicle. Hidden Costs of Owning an Electric Car The Operating Costs ( Cost to charge electric car ) - Advertisement - As recorded in June 2019, the national average cost per gallon of gas was $2.81. Doing this not only eliminates expensive infrastructure but also can add more charging stations as needed, meaning electric car owners living in an apartment can not only get charging but also save a lot of money too. Parking lots owned by the city, specifically those found in front of government buildings and parks, might also offer public charging stations. 11 steps to a successful installation at an apartment building. Opinions and comments published on this site may not be sanctioned by and do not necessarily represent the views of CleanTechnica, its owners, sponsors, affiliates, or subsidiaries. First, your best bet will be to open up a charging station map such as PlugShare or OpenChargeMap and find chargers in your immediate area, or near areas that you frequent. Those who want to consistently leverage the public network can, but as even Tesla will tell you this isn't a great way to enjoy your vehicle. Buildings need a way to tap into the grid without adding never ending amounts of infrastructure, while still future-proofing themselves for even more EVs in the coming years. Popular spots such as local malls and grocery stores often feature some form of EV charging for the general public. One solution here would be to petition your landlord or condo board to have an EVSE installed in the building’s parking lot or garage, either at your assigned space or in a common area for residents’ use. More than a quarter of Americans live in an apartment or condo, and nearly all of them will have a hard time owning an electric car. They provide a turnkey solution that includes EV infrastructure and an all … It allows each charging station to communicate with each other and understands how much power is readily available, then directs that power to where and when it's needed most. While most EV enthusiasts and media sites advocate for owners of electric vehicles to charge at home, this can be a rather troublesome hurdle to overcome for potential buyers who live in apartments. This solution not only saves many buildings (and residents) from adding expensive and, in some cases, unnecessary upgrades, but also expands the capacity for the future. IN TRANSIT: Are you looking at buying an electric car but don’t know where to start? The country with the most electric cars per capita, by far, is Norway, where 3.3 percent of the total population owns an electric car. What does make sense is giving every building the ability to intelligently allocate power as needed. Tags: California, chargepoint, Colorado, Electrify America, EV Charging apartments, EVbite, EverCharge, eVgo, Florida, Oregon, Tesla, Tesla Model 3, tesla superchargers, Guest Contributor is many, many people. In any event, plenty of electric car owners don’t have chargers installed at their place of residence. Of course, if you’re a Model 3 owner, there are more charging options. Once you’ve attained a permit, you’ll then have to contact your local utility company. Of course. No home charging here. While adding more infrastructure can solve the issue, it should not be the solution. Using this technology allows the building to maximize its existing infrastructure by using power efficiently. Photo by Zach Shahan, CleanTechnica. In addition, California recently released a helpful guidebook that goes through the steps of permitting and constructing an electric vehicle charging station. Most buildings are already nearing power capacity or have already reached it, meaning no new electrical infrastructure can be added without costly upgrades. We've laid out the steps involved in the process below, and provided some helpful resources and tips along the way. Apartment property owners aren’t investing in EVSE projects due to a lack of perceived demand by residents, incomplete project planning, unknown and potentially significant capital costs, complex ownership decision-making models, and most importantly, no realistic business model that fits with their existing business criteria. Many times these upgrades cost tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is the first, and possibly hardest, step in the entire process: getting permission from the Municipal Utility District (MUD) owners or the Home Owners Association (HOA). While the book is almost 70 pages long, the basic steps can be summarized as follows: get permission, attain a permit, and connect the station to the electrical grid. As the number of EVs rises, and the number of fast chargers grow, an OMC has to be careful that surges in electricity usage do not overload the system and knock out power for apartment owners. Additionally, not every state has such a clause, so it’s not a trump card that can be used by everyone. So, what should you do if you live in an apartment and are unlucky enough to not have any EV charging stations within close proximity? EVBite is an electric vehicle-specific news site dedicated to keeping consumers up-to-date on any developments in the ever-expanding EV landscape. Additionally, you can check with your workplace for EV chargers and/or you can put a request in at your workplace as there are certain rebates available to companies for installing electric car chargers on their property. Contact us here. After all, leaving a charging cable stretched across a public sidewalk all night was just begging for a ticket from the city, a trip-and-fall lawsuit, or both. Comparing this figure to the average cost per kWh was ¢14. That's what makes SmartPower so unique. With little or no interest to invest in charging infrastructure improvements, there is even less interest in paying for the electrical, parking, and business assessments, as well as spending time on resident surveys required to plan and make decisions. Some companies have installed electric car chargers in their garages and parking … Pod Point are fond of the concept of “top-up” charging, i.e. Published on September 10th, 2019 | EVs, Apartments, Condominiums, in-home charging, Level 2 Charging, Model 3, Public Charging, Charging Station. ... Electric cars have been on the mass market for about a decade now, but modern electric car technology is still in its infancy. Electric car owners with a 240-volt supply of power in the garage or driveway can refuel a battery-powered vehicle with ease. While apartment dwellers do not make up the majority of the United States population, they aren’t exactly an insignificant group, either. And Tesla’s charging network is growing (and improving) fast. 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