This is part of a collection of case studies that focus on creative charging solutions for EV drivers in multi-family housing. For more information and the full collection, visit our Charging Solutions for EV Drivers in Multi-Family Housing hub.
Challenge
Most EV drivers travel around 40 miles a day and leave their cars parked for at least 12 hours daily. Installing Level 2 charging, which can recharge a full EV battery in about 4 hours, in apartments and condominiums can require expensive panel upgrades. Recouping these costs drives up per-kWh charging rates for multi-family housing residents and often leads to shuffling vehicles between parking spaces since Level 2 charging for daily use often takes an hour or less. Is there an inexpensive, low-power solution that creates a better fit for EV charging schedules?
Objectives and solutions
Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), a community choice aggregator that sources clean energy for residents in California, aims to reduce the cost of charging installations for landlords and the per-kWh cost of charging for residents. PCE’s EV Ready program provides free technical support and incentives to landlords and property managers who add EV charging to their properties. When property owners seek technical assistance, PCE offers three design options– “good, better, and best”–and the “best” option typically includes the least expensive lowest-level chargers. Many EV drivers and intenders assume that they need a Level 2 charger (typically 7 kW) to charge their EV. However, according to PCE’s self-published report on the results of their managed charging pilot, about ⅓ of residential EV charging utilizes a typical 120V outlet.
For daily driving, Level 1 chargers are completely adequate and cost very little to install. They also complement typical parking behaviors in which drivers park their cars in the evening and don’t move them until they head out the following day. When program participants reach out to PCE to get a quote on costs and incentives for installing Level 2 chargers, PCE will provide that information but will often recommend more chargers that work at a lower power level as their “best” option. Instead of the upsell costing more, the recommendation provides more chargers for less money. Not only can the cost savings from these projects ultimately reduce the cost of charging in multi-family housing, but they can serve more drivers, make charging more convenient and reduce the impact of charging on the grid.
A recent EV Ready Success Story shared by PCE highlights the fact that an increasing number of prospective renters are asking about EV charging. In response to this demand, Tyrone Properties installed 13 Level 1 and low-power Level 2 chargers for their tenants. With the help of incentives from the EV Ready program, total out-of-pocket costs were less than $150 per charger. Additionally, when possible, the chargers are wired directly to the resident’s apartment’s electric meter. This allows customers to take advantage of utility-offered EV rates and time-of-use residential rates that make the grid cleaner and more efficient and reduce the cost of electricity. PCE has installed 1,400 chargers so far and has 3,000 more in progress. About three-quarters of these support people living in multi-family housing.
Elements for Success
- Peninsula Clean Energy is uniquely positioned as a special-purpose public agency and a non-profit to meet the charging needs of residents.
- PCE offers cheaper rates than the investor-owned utility whose territory in which it resides. Because there are no shareholders, everything they make from selling power is invested in electrification programs.
- Savings from the increased efficiency of the system put downward pressure on rates.
References
- PCE EV Managed Charging Pilot Results
- Access to slow EV chargers could speed up EV adoption among renters
- Peninsula Clean Energy EV Ready Program
- EV READY SUCCESS STORY Tyrone Properties adds EV charging at low to no cost
Recap:
Charger type: Level 1 and Level 2 charging
Charging type: Public or private
Problem addressed: Access, Cost
Solution Type: Utility
