Providing Convenient, Cost-Effective Electric Vehicle Charging in Multifamily Buildings: Now is the Time to Make Your Condominium Building "EV Ready"

BRENDAN MCEWEN DIRECTOR OF MOBILITY & L0W CARBON STRATEGIES | MCP

Widespread adoption of plug­-in electric vehicles (EVs) is inevitable, and proceeding faster than almost anyone expected. A 2021 survey by KPMG finds that 68% of British Columbians who plan to purchase a new vehicle in the next 5 years intend to buy an EV.  As part of the new CleanBC Roadmap to 2030, the Province of BC has announced it will require that 90% of all vehicle sales be zero emissions (i.e. EVs) by 2030, and the Federal Government likewise has committed to 100% zero emissions vehicle sales requirements by 2035.

As EV demand rises, costs are plummeting

Prominent analysists, including the International Council on Clean Transportation, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, project that the cost to produce a long-range EV will be the same as traditional internal combustion engine vehicles by the mid-2020s, and subsequently lower cost, due to declining lithium-ion battery prices. The world's largest vehicle manufacturers have all committed to transforming their offerings and bringing many more models of EVs to the market the next five years. Lastly, public charging infrastructure is being built across Canada to enable long­ distance driving, and "right-to-charge" legislation has been prioritized by the Provincial government.

EVs have much lower fuel and maintenance costs, better performance, low greenhouse gas emissions, and no tailpipe emissions. Plus, they are quiet and eligible for rebates. New residential buildings are required to have 100% of parking stalls EV Ready in the City of Vancouver and in 13 other BC municipalities.

What does imminent EV adoption mean for existing condos in BC?

Existing residential condominium buildings are increasingly choosing to provide each of their residents with access to EV charging in their assigned parking. This future-proofing is the most convenient for drivers, and the most cost-effective over the lifetime of the building. Such an approach improves the value of their units, prepares for the future, and reduces their carbon footprint.

While some buildings have chosen to install chargers a couple of charging stations at a time (often in visitor parking), this incremental route leads to significantly higher costs when looking beyond the next five years. For example, a building may install a few EV chargers at shared stalls so residents can rotate charging their vehicles. However, the logistics with coordinating charging among users in shared stalls can be challenging, particularly as more drivers adopt EVs. Furthermore, implementing a few charging stations without considering how to expand access to charging in the future may result in stranded assets (i.e. wasted investment) when charging infrastructure must inevitably be expanded in a few years’ time.

How to prepare an existing condo for EV charging

Taking a comprehensive, 100% EV Ready approach is the most convenient, common-sense, and cost-effective approach. An EV Ready plan is a professional strategy to make at least one parking space per residential unit in an existing condo EV Ready by outfitting it with an electrical outlet capable of Level 2 charging, for future installation of an EV charger.

Providing the EV charging infrastructure is the responsibility of the strata. Although costs may seem high up-front, they represent lower life-cycle costs and savings over time, especially when factoring in rebates. CleanBC provides a rebate of up to $600 per parking stall to install the electrical infrastructure (to a maximum of $80,000). To help strata plan their electrical EV Ready project; likewise, CleanBC also provides an incentive of $3000 for stratas to develop their EV Ready Plan. To create such a plan, strata should consult with a qualified and experienced electrical engineer, who will guide them through this complex process and help them understand their options for design, and to consider the financial and legal issues involved.

Engaging an electrical engineer pays dividends

Since charging requirements vary, a customized plan is needed for each building - a one-size fits-all approach does not work. How much energy is required for EV charging is affected by daily driving distances, driver demographics, vehicle sizes / types, average speed, climate (temperature), topography, and power losses during charging. An EV Ready plan will outline how much energy is needed for charging; determine the building's electrical capacity (which is the measure of electrical wire and equipment size and their abilities to conduct power and current); calculate the level of spare capacity available for EV charging; and plan the sizing of equipment to be installed in the future.

Engaging an engineer to create an EV Ready Plan will also help the strata decide on what type of EV Energy Management System (EVEMS) to use for controlling EV loads, ensuring they stay within the building's capacity, and deliver power based on the number of connected EVs at a given moment (if dedicated circuits for each EV is not feasible, which is most often the case).

Engineers are best positioned to impartially design, and administer procurement and commissioning of EV Ready upgrades, on behalf of their clients. Based on the findings of their capacity assessment and in considering all relevant factors, the electrical engineer will lay out the options available to the strata and provide recommendations to maximize cost­ effectiveness. At this stage, the strata will be in a position to make an informed decision regarding their next steps.

Realize the rebate savings today

Government incentives won’t last forever, and the demand for EV charging is only growing. It's a good idea for strata and building managers to get ahead of the curve and create an EV Ready plan today.