Electric vehicle owners living in multifamily buildings face unique challenges charging their vehicles since most electric vehicle owners charge at home. Multifamily building residents may not own or have a designated parking spot, or if they do, may not have authority to install a charging station. With roughly 50 percent of San Diego residents living in multifamily buildings, this has created a barrier to electric vehicle adoption.
The goal for this project was to establish electric vehicle ownership at multi-dwelling units in San Diego, create community awareness and support for electric vehicles, as well as to raise awareness of greenhouse gas emissions and the environmental benefits of electric vehicles. This will help the City of San Diego and the industry at large develop best practices for electric vehicle charging solutions in multifamily buildings.
The primary objective of installing 206 level 2 charging ports at multi-dwelling unit locations in the County of San Diego was achieved. Stations were provided at no cost to eligible buildings, leaving installation costs for the buildings to cover. While extensive outreach to building owners, property managers and electric vehicle drivers occurred, recruiting eligible buildings proved to be more difficult than expected for a variety of reasons. Lack of awareness and demand for electric vehicles, installation costs, and the disruption to parking operations were the main challenges faced in recruiting buildings.
While retrofitting existing buildings to accommodate electric vehicle chargers proved to be a significant challenge, progress can be made in the new construction market, where the incremental costs to incorporate charging stations is minimal. Also, incentives and rebate programs should be designed to be as flexible as possible, allowing buildings and site hosts the choice to select stations and install them in a way that works for their particular needs.