Apartment Electric Vehicle Charging Needs To Happen Now

In less than 5 years there will be over 10,000,000 Electric Vehicles (EVs) on the road and by 2030, almost 30% of new car sales are expected to be EV (over 50% in CA)!

With millennials having an openness to electric vehicle adoption, it begs the question of how are they going to charge EVs.  Apartment electric vehicle charging needs to happen now.

EV drivers looking for a new apartment will choose one with EV charging over one without.

When it comes to apartment electric vehicle charging, EV drivers who live in apartment complexes have two options:

Option 1: Charge their vehicle at the apartment complex

1. 1. At the apartment’s community charging location
   2. At their assigned parking – if the apartment has installed individual EV charging equipment and designated spaces
   3. Finding an unused 120V outlet and running a long extension cord that may or may not be an unsightly trip hazard (not recommended)
      1. Although this method provides free electricity paid for by the community!

Option 2: Charge their vehicle away from the apartment complex

1. 1. At their workplace – if they actually have the option (doubtful)
   2. At a retail business that offers EV charging
      1. If there’s an available charger close by and the resident has a couple of hours to spend every few days
   3. Using a DC Fast Charger (DCFC) like Tesla Supercharger or other fast-charging networks
      1. Not a bad option but it will be inconvenient and potentially expensive

If you live in an apartment complex and drive an EV, which of the above options is the most convenient and provides the lowest cost? Option 1 of course!

In order to attract more residents to their communities, apartment owners and management companies need to adopt EV charging solutions as an amenity ASAP. 

Here’s the challenge: installing EV charging can be costly and if done poorly, a massive debacle.  It’s important that your community has an EV installation partner that can help answer the following questions:

1. Are state/federal/utility incentives being maximized to reduce the overall system cost?
2. Does the placement of the charging equipment support:
   1. The desired location of the community’s EV drivers
   2. The lowest installation costs, taking into account existing electrical panels/service and other installation costs like trenching, etc.
3. How is the community planning for future expansion that will undoubtedly be necessary?
4. How does the community recoup the cost of the electricity being consumed by the EVs?
   1. Networked stations (preferred)
   2. Flat rate using energy consumption guesstimates (good luck with that!)
   3. Free power!
5. How does the community prevent cars from hogging the chargers?
   1. Networked stations (preferred)
   2. Anarchy is the best political system
6. How will the stations be serviced and maintained to ensure they are always clean and working?
7. Will the EV charging manufacturer be around in a few years to honor the warranty
   1. Beware of cheap EV Charging stations!

Planning for a successful apartment EV charging solution is no easy feat and our team at Sona Energy is here to help you find the best options for your community. The opportunity to embrace this changing landscape is now and Sona is equipped with the knowledge and resources to ensure our apartment customers are at the forefront.

Check out the apartment EV charging map Sona created to find apartment communities near you that offer EV charging as an amenity.

Contact us today for a complimentary initial consultation to explore how we can work together and learn more about how Sona can help find the right EV charging solution for your community!