and even swimming pools, used by some owners and all but ignored by others. Each feature is recognized as important for maintaining the value of the entire community, as well as the individual units. How does providing electric service for vehicles differ from more common amenities, especially considering today’s ”green” economy?
A typical EV owner who drives 12,000 miles/year needs fewer than 100 miles of charge each night—about 3 or 4 dollars per week.
Fair Division of Costs
Many condominium buildings are served by a single electric meter, with charges apportioned to all units through monthly assessments. It is likely not possible to distribute all the association’s costs equitably among different apartments, as owners in larger apartments who have their own washers and dryers, or who own spaces in the garage, will have an advantage over those who don’t. Under most condominium declarations, this is not a workable solution.
A standard 110V, 20 Amp service will generate 5 to 6 miles per hour of charging, or 50 to 75 miles added to the ”tank” overnight.
The Feasible Alternative
Consider what’s required to serve a new EV owner in a community environment. Certainly, the owner of a new Tesla or Mercedes Benz Electric may well wish to have a high-power wall charger mounted in the space where they park their car. However, depending on the situation, that may not be possible. Given the ever-increasing availability of charging locations, 110V, 20 Amp service is more than sufficient for the association to provide as every EV has the ability to charge with 110V. Even this low charge will generate 5 to 6 miles per hour of charging, or 50 to 75
miles added to the ”tank” overnight, typically more than sufficient to drive to work or a nearby ”supercharger.”
A Practical Application
Our association hired an electrician to install a dedicated sub-panel adjacent to the primary electrical service near the garage, and requires each new EV owner to participate in the cost of that panel. The panel can accommodate up to 12 outlets, so each owner who wishes to use the service pays 1/12th of the installation cost. Additionally each EV owner paid to have a conduit run from the panel to their parking space. Wall chargers, when properly installed by qualified electricians, represent no more danger of fire or high voltage than ordinary clothes dryers or refrigerators. The proper placement of the outlet at the back wall of each EV space precludes the concern about cables stretched out over areas where pedestrians might accidentally trip over them. When the panel is filled, a second sub-panel is installed for future users.
Wall chargers, when properly installed by qualified electricians, represent no more danger of fire or high voltage than ordinary clothes dryers or refrigerators.
It Does the Job
It’s also fair to suggest that charging stations will become much more available as the ”DC Fast Charge” networks expand. EVs with greater range and more charging locations should reduce the need for rapid charging capacity in condominiums, such that a conveniently placed 110V receptacle will do the job.
*Author’s Note: My Tesla is parked in a separately titled space, in a condo with a single electric meter for the residential tower. It has a 110V 20Amp outlet, which has proven to be more than sufficient for my needs over nearly 10 years. And there are now three more owners who have happily installed ”charging stations”—i.e. conventional 110V outlets in their spaces.
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