EV Charging in Limited Access Settings
As electric vehicles (EVs) are getting more popular, they are generating demand changes to businesses, housing and travel destinations .Charging stations are popping-up all over the place. Places previously deemed impractical or unsuitable for EVSE (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) are beginning to feature EV charging opportunities. The places we’re talking about include commercial settings, multi-family communities and even national parks/forests.
Living in a multi-family community can be difficult for EV owners if the community doesn’t have Level 2 EV chargers, especially if your vehicle is electric-only and solely operates on electric power. Forward-thinking multi-family communities and large apartment complexes are installing EVSE that are able to successfully supply electrical power so that their residents can charge their EVs.
Apartments and condominiums are among some of the greatest places to provide EVSE. Not only does it promote eco-friendly transportation methods, it provides current and prospective residents with the ability to charge their EVs. As we see an increased trend towards multi-family community living, an increased number of tenants will raise questions about charging opportunities. EVSE is extremely adaptable and able to be installed into a number of different parking scenarios within multi-family communities. Whether it is a garage, driveway, parking decks, parking lot or even on-street parking, charging stations can be installed.
As more people make the switch from ICEVs (Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles) to EVs, owners and operators of multi-family communities should seriously consider installing EV charging infrastructure. Considering that the majority of EV charging is done at home, having access to proper EVSE at home is of utter importance. If you live in an apartment complex and there are there’s no suitable area to charge your EV, speak to your landlord, and you can contact us and we’ll reach out to them as well.
Specialized EVSE can be installed into the grid via the complex’s power that supplies chargers to designated parking spots. Not only are the landlords able to attract forward thinking eco-conscious tenants, government rebates and tax incentives are often available and we can assist with filling out the RFPs for these opportunities. And EVSE adds immense value to property and buildings.
Multi-family communities retrofitted with EVSE will brand your property as forward thinking, modern and environmentally friendly. Fitting your multi-family community with EVSE would allow owners with a wide variety of EVs to fuel up. This includes BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) as well as PHEV (Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicles). A property owner may want to consider the most suitable charging methods for their tenants. EV charging comes in three levels; Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 also known as “DC Fast Charging”.
Level 1 is by far the simplest method due to the fact that it doesn’t require any specialized installations. All a Level 1 charger needs to properly function is a standard 140v outlet. If you wish to provide your tenants with a Level 1 charger all they need is a designated outlet in their parking spot. However, Level 1 charging can be seen as extremely impractical for EV owners considering it can take a full day to charge the vehicle.
Level 2 and Level 3 are much quicker in their charging times however they require separate hardware that has to be specially installed. Since Level 2 sits in the middle, it is often the most commonly used and publically provided EVSE. Various varieties of Level 2 EVSE is available and can be mounted in several different ways depending on a variety of factors such as accessibility, location practicality, and desired capabilities such as networked or non-networked. Commonly used methods of mounting your EVSE include floor mounts, wall mounts and ceiling mounts. Whether you decide on going with Level 1 charging or Level 2, it is very important to take utility and electrical access into consideration. One of the challenges that can come along with multi-family communities EV charging is metering.
Many types of metering exist within multi-family communities so it’s important to consider the best option for the provided Level of charging. While the number of EVs is ever increasing, many people still drive ICEVs. Because of this, property owners/managers can allocate parking spaces specifically for electric vehicle use. We provide EV charging solutions especially for commercial properties such as multi-family communities. We can provide you with information regarding physical installation and requirements depending on the property. Providing EVSE in multi-family communities is not only good for the tenants, it’s good for owners and property managers.
One of the concerns regarding electric vehicles is their range-limits, especially on vacations and road trips, which is why many tourist destinations, including theme parks, museums and even national parks and forests are now offering EV charging services to the public.
As more people make the switch to electric vehicles, there are increasing demands for changes to accommodate these cars in businesses, housing and travel destinations. While EV charging stations are becoming increasingly more prevalent in order to supply the demand, there is still a big advantage in getting there sooner rather than later. All of these factors make it the perfect time to invest in an electric vehicle and related charging infrastructure.
