September 25, 2024
Multifamily EV Charging: Creating a Residential Experience with Commercial Infrastructure
8 Min. Read
As the U.S. expands and standardizes its public charging infrastructure, charging on the go is quickly becoming more convenient and accessible for EV drivers across the country. However, despite the rapid growth of public electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions and the vital role they play in the future of electric vehicles, the majority of EV drivers still prefer charging from the comfort of their own homes.
While having a reliable and robust public charging infrastructure is critical to the long-term and mass adoption of EVs, Tom Bowen, President of Qmerit Solutions, recently shared insights with event attendees at Electrify Expo’s Industry Day in Long Beach, CA that “the majority of charging will still take place at home…that’s the best charging experience,” and statistics showing that more than 80% of all EV charging takes place at home highlight the accuracy of these claims.
Charging at home offers EV owners a cost-effective and convenient solution for most of their charging needs, however, for those living in multifamily communities, charging options are often limited. Property managers can address this challenge by providing reliable commercial EV charging infrastructure, which not only solves the issue but also attracts more tenants and ensures compliance with future regulations.
In this article, we explore how multifamily EV charging can create the ease and convenience of a residential charging experience at the scale of commercial charging infrastructure and why this matters.
EV Charging for Renters: A Growing Demand
EV charging at apartments and rental homes has become a key trend in property management in 2024. While this added feature helps properties stand out, there are compelling reasons to view EV charging as more than just an amenity beyond remaining trendy.
There is increasing demand for charging access, fueled by the growing rate of EV adoption. Experts predict 33 million EVs will be on the roads by 2030, and as a result, the U.S.’s 183,000 publicly available charging ports as of Q2 2204 will need to grow exponentially.
Despite efforts to develop this charging infrastructure, residential charging will continue to be the preferred choice for most EV owners. Bowen is not alone in this view; with 80% of EV charging happening at home, it’s clear most EV owners would agree that charging at home is ideal.
Lawmakers are also making it easier for the 44.1 million American households that rent their homes or apartments to enjoy convenient EV charging. Many jurisdictions now require new multifamily construction projects to incorporate EV chargers or EV-ready parking spaces and this prop tech is an appealing addition for existing multifamily properties to remain competitive.
As more cities and states consider adopting similar regulations, multifamily property managers have an opportunity to stay ahead of charging compliance requirements by investing in electrification now and many federal, state, and local incentives can further reduce the costs of investing in an electric future.
Tenants Want a Residential EV Charging Experience
What does convenient multifamily property EV charging look like for tenants? Level 2 EV charging is the standard for a convenient residential experience. Level 2 charging stations run on dedicated 240V circuits and deliver 15 to 80 amps to fully charge an EV in as little as four to ten hours.
The most practical solution is to allow tenants to leave their EVs plugged in overnight, so it is critical that tenants have access to a safe and convenient parking infrastructure, such as a garage, carport, or communal charging station.
Accessibility, reliability, and cost are important aspects of an effective EV charging experience. While you can ensure accessible and reliable chargers through effective management strategies, choosing the right billing model is ultimately dependent on tenant interest and willingness to participate.
Some properties offer free charging as a perk, as the investment can enhance tenant satisfaction and increase property value. Alternatively, you can charge a flat monthly fee to EV drivers or increase the rent for all tenants. Another option is to bill tenants based on the amount of energy used with a set rate per kWh that can also take into consideration any time-of-use fluctuations.
Each approach has its benefits, so it’s important to evaluate what best aligns with your tenants’ preferences and your property goals.
Delivering a Residential EV Charging Experience on a Commercial Infrastructure
Multifamily EV charging stations differ from residential EV charging solutions, as they are built into a commercial infrastructure. Unlike residential chargers, these stations are capable of sustaining multiple EV chargers and managing high electrical loads efficiently.
With each Level 2 EV charging station adding a continuous load to your property’s energy usage while in use, it is important to put effective management strategies into place so you can offer a great charging experience for your residents.
Electrical Upgrades
Your first step when adding any type of electrification technology or new prop tech is to conduct an expert review of your property’s infrastructure and determine if you will need a new electrical panel, updated wiring, or a load-shedding device to support the added energy needs. For safety and compliance reasons, it’s best to implement recommended electrical upgrades with the help of a qualified electrician.
Parking Experience
Designing a safe multifamily EV charging experience with overnight parking that meets ADA accessibility standards while shielding EVs from any weather damage will help ensure your residents feel safe when parking and charging their EVs, while also remaining compliant and making your charging stations accessible and easy to use for all residents.
Utility Upgrades
You should also contact your energy provider to discuss your electrification project plans, as you may need to upgrade the infrastructure of your property to better serve your community and support your new charging amenity. Your local utility may also offer incentives or rebates that can help lower the cost of your project and enrolling in any available time-of-use plans for EV charging can further reduce the cost of your investment.
Energy Integration
Other technologies such as battery storage can make your EV chargers more reliable in case of outages or allow you to use your own energy source when electricity rates increase if your utility has a time-of-use billing model. For example, smart EV chargers pulling power from both the grid and a battery storage unit can determine when power rates are more expensive and shift to your alternate energy source until rates are lowered again.
Solar integration for EV charging is another valuable investment. Combined with battery storage, it allows tenants to charge their EVs with sustainable energy while reducing energy bills and you can sell excess energy back to the grid at a profit or store generated energy for use at a later time. This power can also be directed to support energy needs for your leasing office, clubhouse, or any other shared amenities, which can be critical during any power outages by adding energy resilience to your community.
Rebates
Taking advantage of multifamily charging rebates to offset the cost of purchasing multifamily EV charging equipment or implementing electrical upgrades can help significantly reduce your upfront expenses and help you realize a return on your investment (ROI) sooner.
While federal incentives exist to support the adoption of these energy transition technologies, checking with your state and local municipalities may help you discover additional commercial savings that are available for multifamily properties taking a step toward sustainability by installing EV charging stations or making other electrification upgrades.
Maintenance Plan
Tenants expect 24/7 uptime for their EV chargers and it’s essential to be proactive and work with an installer who can perform routine maintenance to ensure your chargers continue operating safely and effectively throughout their lifespan.
Having a maintenance plan with a licensed EV charger installer, and ideally, one familiar with your property or even the original installer for your EV charging stations, can help you mitigate avoidable downtime and reduce overall maintenance expenses by making smaller nuisance repairs before they become larger and more expensive issues.
This can include seasonal care, replacing components as they age and experience wear and tear, and even general inspections or software updates to ensure your chargers continue to seamlessly operate throughout the years.
Offer an Optimal Multifamily EV Charging Experience with Qmerit
As a multifamily property owner or manager, installing EV charging stations can help increase your revenue and the marketability of your community, but EV charger downtime, installation delays, or hiring an unqualified or unprofessional electrician can result in a loss in profit and damages to your property and your reputation.
Alternatively, a great EV charging experience will set your property apart from others in the area by positioning you as a local leader in sustainability and technology, while also appearing more renter-friendly. Achieving this involves delivering the ease and convenience of a residential charging experience while also managing a commercial infrastructure that can power multiple charging stations.
You can readily achieve this goal with the right electrification partner, and Qmerit can help.
When it comes to hiring a quality electrician with EV charger installation experience, Qmerit makes it easy. With coast-to-coast coverage, turnkey solutions that streamline your project, and the largest network of certified electrical contractors in North America, we’ve built our reputation on providing the highest level of quality and service.
And with over 450,000 EV charging stations installed and an industry-leading customer satisfaction record, no one is more experienced or recommended than Qmerit’s network of electrical contractors.
Every member of the Qmerit Electrification Network is fully licensed, certified, and trained specifically in the installation and service of these technologies, so you can rest easy knowing your project will meet inspection and insurance requirements, protect your investment, and be delivered with the highest quality and customer support available—because when we say Qmerit is Electrification Made Easy™, we mean it.
Contact Qmerit today for seamless multifamily EV charging solutions at your property!
