A growing number of people are residing in condominiums, and while the fundamentals are similar to EV charging in houses, some additional planning is required for charging systems in a condominium setting. We have a video covering EV Charging in Condominiums this month. While you wait, read on about the basics of planning for EV charging systems!

Location

Most charging units are placed in the owner’s assigned parking spot inside the garage. This allows the EV owner to have complete control over the use of the charger. All EV owners want the ability to fully charge their car overnight.

Image courtesy of Nema.org

When the management is developing a charging station plan for their building, they might want to consider starting with a control panel that can accommodate 10-12 EVs. With internet-connected cloud-based metering systems, the load on the panel can be monitored and can share the load. This improves efficiency, ensuring each car gets a proper overnight charge.

Types of chargers

There are many models and manufacturers of EV chargers. In a shared environment like a condominium, individual consumers should be considering a 32 Amp 240v Level 2 charger. This size will provide an adequate overnight charge but still allow for an even sharing of the common electrical power amongst users.

Image courtesy of Pinterest.com

Conduits

A special note should be made about conduits that deliver the power from the EV control and distribution panel to the owner’s space… They usually run along the ceiling, or wall in conduit. The more distance covered, the longer the conduits required (sometimes reaching hundreds of feet). As this length increases the wire size has to be adjusted to compensate for the voltage drop. Around 200-250 ft is about as far away as we can go.

Cost

Most modern condominiums can easily handle about a dozen electric vehicles charging overnight. Typically, the cost of installing the EV Control Panel is borne by the condo management board. Charging units are paid for by individual residents for their respective parking spots, on an on-demand basis until the panel is full. Part of the initial cost can then be paid back each time a new resident connects to the panel. Internet-connected chargers enable stakeholders to monitor off-site in real time.

In Ontario, the government has introduced great efforts to promote EV adoption. With an Electric Vehicle Incentive Program and an EV Chargers Incentive Program, providing rebates back to consumers for investing in clean green technologies makes it a win-win for Ontarians.

The Future

Is this the right solution for our condominium? Changes are always happening with battery and EV technology. Maybe we should wait for a better solution arrive?

As our EV expert explains:.

What you have got to do is pick your moment in time, make the best choice you can at that time, and accommodate the residents that you need to accommodate.
– Mark Marmer, Electrician (Signature Electric)

The time is now, the technology is here, the decision is yours. Looking for more information? We are always here to help ease the decision making process with any specific inquiries or requests for estimates.

Stay tuned to The Electric Blog for our feature video on EV Charging in Condominiums where we will take a tour of a working EV charging system installed by Signature Electric. You will not want to miss this segment debuting online later this month.