Certainly the use of electric cars provides an opportunity for a homeowner with a 120Volt outlet in the garage - and those with charging stations set up at work - but what about apartment residents?  According to National Geographic, many experts predict that 10% of our vehicle fleet will be some form of electric vehicle (EV), conversion or hybrid EV by 2013.  This may seem fast to some of us, but if they are right, we are not prepared.

The Department of Transportation estimated that there were 254.4 million registered passenger vehicles in the United States in 2007, so using 10% to do the math that means over 25 million vehicles are going to need outlets soon.  This won’t be something that only happens at work.

With the price tags of the two available EVs currently in the $100,000 range, this crowd may not live on your property at the moment, but an affordable EV will soon be in target range - if the Chevy Volt arrives at year-end as promised.  What is not easily discernible is the growing consumer interest in retrofits of existing vehicles.  Many car owners are converting their vehicles’ operation to electric and its impact on the EV market and demand for charging options could explode.

A recent article in the Multifamily Executive stated:

“Like GM, Ford also recommends having a dedicated 240-volt line to the garage, with 80 to 100 amps to meet the needs of two cars at 40 amps apiece. Ford will require the installation of a charge point, a box that is hard-wired into the home that contains the cord and ensures the cord isn’t charged unless it’s plugged into the car. Ford says it is working to make it as easy as possible on the customer, including providing an option to have the box installed upon purchasing its plug-in Focus.”

The utility companies will prefer re-charging during off-peak hours when electricity usage is lowest, but this requires infrastructure, so a bit of panic is seemingly permeating utility companies’ planning departments.  There are big benefits to setting up solar and wind-powered charging stations wherever possible, of course, but there is an advance start-up cost and continuing maintenance is required for best operation and life of these expensive systems.

One concern I don’t hear talked about is how building managers are going to manage security.  How do you protect your outdoor charging station from the opportunists who see expensive photovoltaic panels as easy money?  And what are those $10,000 to $24,000 electric vehicle batteries going to sell for once the EVs roll out in volume numbers? Okay, so that one is neither an issue nor solvable until we have enough unprincipled electric vehicles owners to support a black market. Managers may still want to site charging stations somewhere in plain sight and at least think about how to protect your tenants’ future big investments.

Although the focus is currently on new construction – San Francisco is adjusting its building codes and Portland, Oregon, as well - city planners are already setting up permitting requirements for existing buildings.  Manufacturers are pressing for quick upgrades to infrastructure as well.  Britta Gross is director of global energy systems and infrastructure commercialization for GM.  According to Multifamily Executive, she recommends dedicating at least a minimum number of spaces to EVs, with the best long term solution entailing the installation of a 240-volt outlet at each stall along with any appropriate upgraded transformers. Ford makes similar recommendations.

In Vancouver, B.C., a building code was recently implemented that requires all new multifamily buildings to wire 20% of their parking stalls for EVs.  Target electrical capacity, incidentally, is identified as the ability to accommodate the load of simultaneous charging of  all vehicles within the building’s electrical grid. New building wiring is reasonable in cost, but whether buildings codes or tenant demand drive them, retrofits on older buildings may place some drag on building operations’ budgets.

Initially there may be incentives for landlords – such as reduced or even free energy for charging and/or free installation of charging hook-ups - but these usually go only to the ‘pioneers’.  Even if mandates are slow in coming, your property will need to have its electrical system upgraded to include charging areas or you can expect to lose some portion of your EV population.  Without charging capability at home it will be too inconvenient for EV-owning tenants to bunk at your place.  Electric vehicles are fantastic, of course, but electricity is not free either.  (Peak usage loads make it more expensive for tenants to charge their EVs during normal business hours.)

There may be another safety issue with tenants who stay when you don’t provide needed services.  They may take matters into their own hands. While researching this article I kept having a recurring vision of a bunch of electrical extensions threaded out a row of apartment bedroom windows.  I hope I’m just being paranoid.

If you still doubt the pending impact of the new EVs during a recession with so many people reluctant to buy new cars, check with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The final ruling is still being reviewed, but the EPA has new guidelines for measuring performance of electric vehicles.  This is currently expressed as miles per gallon (MPG) to provide a basis for comparison with gasoline or biofuel powered vehicles so don’t get confused by the ‘G’.  When GM announced on August 11th, 2009, that based on the proposed EPA guidelines the new Chevy Volt was expected to get up to 230 MPG, this got everybody’s attention.  Not only could we patriotically chant ‘buy US taxpayer supported cars’ , but we could all give it a ‘wow’ rating.

Nissan quickly followed up with claims that its Leaf model would get up to 367 MPG using the EPA’s new guidelines.  Of course, when you look at EVs it also makes sense to factor in (1) how far a full charge takes you before the gasoline-powered electric generator kicks in (30 to 40 miles in a non-luxury prototype), (2) the pollution caused by the many coal-fired plants that produce the electricity and (3) the life of those expensive batteries.  The environmental damage of EVs is still dwarfed by that of the gasoline-powered vehicles we drive.

California is one of the states encouraging EV rollouts, but in a thoughtful attempt to protect the consumer they will require a 10-year-warranty on all EV batteries.  (Lithium-ion batteries can have a 10 year life with some resale value for parts.)  As the technology to extend battery life beyond a solid five years is still somewhat sketchy, some manufacturers are meeting the regulation by including two expensive batteries rather than one.  Of course this raises the car prices by $15,000 plus, an unfortunate result. Some companies are intending to lease the batteries, which would sort of circumvent the issue and possibly the regulation as they would not be “sold”, but that will be quickly addressed by regulators if it’s not in the works already.

Everyone agrees innovation is needed to push the number of EV users to meet the EPA’s greenhouse gas reduction goals and mandates, and some plug-in groups are pressuring states to make regulations (like the 10-year battery requirement) more realistic.  Either the price of an EV must be low enough to reasonably compete, or gasoline must be high enough to drive the market away from conventional automobiles.  In any case, eventually you too will have a tenant bring home an electric vehicle (EV) or a retrofit and want you to ‘Mickey Mouse’ a charging accommodation.  While you still have time, you may want to develop a plan.

Should  you set up a charging station on your property?

The answer may need to be based on what’s going on where you live.  San Francisco is currently the most ‘plugged’ area in the country and has the full backing of city officials and residents.  As a testament to this support, converted hybrids can be found plugged into the public charging stations  across from City Hall.  Companies like Google (its principals are investors in the Tesla EVs) have added charging stations for their employees and executives, several of whom already have EVs and converted hybrids. Organizations like Plug In America, an EV advocacy group, have been delighted with the response of 20 U.S. cities in the planning stages of ‘electrifying’ their infrastructure, but it will not be easy.

When those first few electric vehicles (EV) show up, don’t assume your current garage facility or parking area has adequate power.  It may have the outlets, but can your electrical system handle the additional load?  Tenants can be notoriously cranky with unreliable infrastructure, particularly if your EV-charging induced brown-out fries their kids’ computer.  You also need to know what your local codes require or you may end up with a tenant problem and a big fat fine.

If your municipality or utility company doesn’t have guidelines yet, an initial resource for EV prospects is San Francisco’s Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E).  Their comprehensive guide for installing a charging station in a single-family residence includes relevant information for multifamily residences too.  If you understand that these new vehicles all use different types of technology, then it is easier to recognize their charging needs will be different as well. (Think leaded gasoline and unleaded here if you need a visual.)  Eventually one technology may dominate, but for now there are all kinds of technological combos in use.

What are the first steps for installing an EVSE charging station?

• Determine what kind of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) is used in the electric vehicle (EV) model (or conversion) and its electrical requirements.
• Determine whether the EV requires conductive or inductive charging as they are installed differently and require different connectors.
• Verify whether the vehicle’s battery requires ventilation during charging – this information is available from the dealer or vehicle manufacturer.
• Have an electrical contractor evaluate your panel to see if there is sufficient capacity.  Most residents will want to use the quicker Level 2 EVSE charging method (3 as opposed to 8 hours for a full charge).
• In an older building or single-family home, installing a Level 2 EVSE charging station may not be possible without an upgrade.
• If you need a new electrical panel to provide sufficient capacity that is the expensive piece in setting up a standard charging station.
• Adding a 240V 40 amp Level 2 charging circuit may be worth it if this tenant amenity has ‘legs’ with your particular resident mix and builds your Rep as a committed green manager.
• Set up a separate meter initially for the EV charger or you will not qualify for the reduced energy costs generally offered to encourage EV facilities.
• Some cities do not allow separate meters for single-family residences, but this should be less of a problem for an apartment building.
• Make sure you will not need to store flammable or combustible materials in the charger area.
• Do not attempt to do the work yourself unless you are an electrical contractor, as this could make you liable for all kinds of damages.
• ‘Electrify’ a fifth of your units as a baseline by 2015, but if each of your units has two drivers with two vehicles, perhaps you will need to develop a more exacting plan.

Electrical Permits are Required

When your electrical contractor applies for the installation permit they will have to provide (a) an electrical panel schedule, (b) drawings with the wiring of the new branch circuit with meter, charger and all receptables, (c) document flow in cubic fee per minute and (d) any air inlet or outlet ventilation with vent fan specifications.  The contractor also has to document that there are no hazards and document where exactly the EVSE will be located.  It can be outside, although some equipment may need to be protected for longest life.  It is obviously wise to plan the plug-in and its cords away from anticipated foot traffic.

What are the costs of putting in a charging station?

If you are planning on solar power, companies like Sequoia Solar are out there and will give you a quote.  It won’t be cheap but there are financing plans and you could potentially charge your tenants for usage.  This could also change on whether or not your public utility, the Feds or your city decide to give out freebies, so do your homework.  Of course, a system that uses the existing municipal grid is less risky in a return on investment analysis and a lot cheaper initially, but does not present the same opportunity for ancillary income.

In a single family home an electrical contractor will charge $500 to $1,000 for an upgrade if the current panel has sufficient electrical capacity.  If not, tack on another $1,000 for the new electrical panel in an average single-family home.  A multi-family property may require a more extensive upgrade as it may have more than one charging station installation planned.  Luckily insurance carriers do not seem to be requiring a separate rider if there is an EVSE installed in a single-family home, but check with your insurance carrier just to be sure.  The rules may be different for multifamily housing as there may be more perceived liability, particularly with the 240Volt 30 and 40amp Level 2 charging circuits.  But whatever you decide, tenants in the near future will or will not move to your property based on whether or not they can charge their EVs.  If you decide to take the plunge early, market the heck out of your decision and build your green brand in every vacancy listing.

Photos courtesy of the North American International Auto Show.

If you enjoyed this article, you may want to read the rest of the series:

• Electric Cars and PHEVs are Coming!
• Myth-Defying the Electric Car
• Electric Vehicle Hype, Tech and A Beauty Pageant
• A Little EV History and  Peek at the Future