How Electric Cars are Changing the Architecture of Parking.

The EV revolution is speeding towards us. In the last five years, electric cars have gone from being something you occasionally saw on the road to being everywhere. Last year, there were more than 750,000 new all-electric cars registered in the U.S. - a 57% increase over 2021. In total, EVs represented nearly 6% of all new cars sold last year, while gas cars saw a 11% drop in sales. And we’re seeing them on the roads. Just this morning while taking my daughter to school, I saw 15 Teslas, three (3) Rivians, two (2) ID4s and a Bolt - 20 electric cars in the span of a two mile round trip commute.

With this fast paced change comes new thinking around fueling and how that impacts businesses like parking. With smaller footprints and no EPA regulation, electric fueling can now really happen anywhere and parking lots and garages are a natural fit. However, with any exponentially growing industry, it’s hard to fully see the breadth and depth of what’s coming and how to plan, especially with legislation lagging.

With over 11 years of EV charging experience, we developed a comprehensive list of recommendations and best practices on how to best prepare and more importantly plan for the endless number of EVs expected to dominate the roads over the next few years. Why is this so critical? Although charging stations are not inexpensive, it's typically the installation and retrofitting (usually costing upward of 8x that of new construction) that assume the lion share of the budget. This is where a little planning and architectural shifts can positively impact your bottom line now and into the future.

Here are a few things to consider …

Electrical Capacity.

While you may not be seeing as many EVs on the road as I did this morning, they are our new reality. Just this week the Biden Administration announced new EPA regulations that will make it difficult for auto manufacturers to sell new combustion vehicles a decade from now, and seven states (California, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Washington) plan to ban gas-powered cars sales after 2035 - only 12 short years away. Their plan is to limit vehicle sales to EVs and some PEVs (plug-in hybrids). This mirrors what most automakers are planning on. Nearly all plan to stop selling internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and trucks between 2035-2045, and to that end, most have already stopped research and development (R&D) on new ICE vehicles.

The most expected shift comes with planning for more demand on your electrical system. Whether you are updating a property or building it from the ground up, you need to plan ahead for this inevitable reality. While you may not need the extra capacity immediately, we recommend building easily adaptable spaces for future build out. Constructing oversized electrical rooms and allocating space for future electrical system storage will save you millions in the future as well as allow you to more quickly implement your charging infrastructure when the time is right - giving your property a competitive advantage. It may seem like a waste now, but again, studies have found retrofits cost 8x more than putting in infrastructure at new construction.

Location, Location, Location.

Similarly, the location of those electric rooms matter. Build them as close to your proposed parking spaces as possible and easily accessible to your parking garage. Non-EV drivers often complain “why do EVs always get rockstar parking?” It’s not because they are special, it’s because those spaces at the front of the parking lot are often the closest to the electrical room and that means a lot - in time and money - when running wire and tearing up concrete.

Pre-wiring - EV Ready, EV Capable & Pathways.

Municipalities across the country are starting to pass legislation with EV charging pre-wiring as part of their building code. While it may not be a requirement everywhere yet, it likely soon will be so being proactive can save significant time and money.

Pre-wiring or EV prepping can take one of four different forms. Many of these new codes require a certain percentage of parking spaces in new construction to come with charging as a condition of getting a Certificate of Occupancy.

The second is what’s best known as “EV Ready” and it is the most comprehensive pre-wiring approach. It’s where the complete circuit is installed up to and including a junction box to be used later. This means even if you are not prepared to invest in EV charging today, your property will be ready to go when the time is right and the hardware installation will be relatively turnkey. This also allows you to tease apart the installation and hardware expenses, enabling you to postpone the latter into a future capital expenditure.

The third category is often referred to as “EV Capable.” In this case, the conduit and service panels are placed during construction, but without the breakers and wires. While this approach is less turnkey in the end, it does set you up for success by putting a workable skeleton in place and assuming some of the initial installation costs while delaying the investment in the actual electrical circuitry. Again, this allows you to spread the cost of the basic infrastructure, circuitry and charging hardware and software across multiple budgets/years and yet still proactively plan for the future.

The final approach, and the cheapest of all the options, involves adding vertical and horizontal pathways throughout your parking facility during construction. These pathways are designed as access points, giving you more access to add the needed conduit and wiring. Essentially, it will help you avoid extensive x-raying and drilling (the subsequent costly repairs) during the electrical installation process.

The key to success with all of these pre-wiring approaches is ensuring that you’ve accounted for enough charging to meet your future needs upfront. Keep in mind most automakers are working towards completely eliminating ICE vehicles from their portfolios within the next 15-20 years. The current municipal codes vary from state to state; however, based on the current U.S. trend curve and what we’re seeing throughout Europe, you should be prepared to electrify 30-50% of all outlined spaces.

Communication is Key.

While the electricians usually take the lead in EV charging installations, clear and advanced communication with the striping contractors and all other involved parties is critical. The striping team is typically an invaluable resource on the latest ADA regulations which are frankly still emerging within the EV industry and can help provide useful guidance. Also, while it might sound like a given, it’s important for the striping and the conduit to work in tandem. Believe it or not, misalignment is more common than you’d expect, and is an area where we often see construction overages. As a rule of thumb, the stub up should line up with the center stripe between two spaces if you’re installing dual port stations (a more economical choice), or the center of the space if you’re installing single port stations..

Straight or Angled Spaces?

Unlike gas cars, EV charging ports are not all located in the place. Some are similar to their gas predecessors; however, many are in the front or front side of the vehicle. This means the placement of the conduit and lines could also influence the hardware you later invest in. For example, angled spaces or misplaced stub ups could mean you'll likely have to invest in longer (i.e., more expensive) charging cords and cable management systems, and longer cables require higher ceilings in order to manage the cables.. This is something to discuss in the design phase with your architect and striping may be a result of the structure’s design. Discussing these items with your equipment provider as early as the plan review stage and furthering those conversations with the fuller team will also help you avoid costly mistakes.

What Role will EV Charging Play for Your Business?

The precursor to all of these recommendations of course is thinking through how you will use EV charging on your property and to do so as early in the design phase as possible.

For example, will EV charging be an amenity the valet will use? If so then placement far from the entrance may make the most viable sense. If you're planning to use charging for reserved parking or premium parking for your VIPs or specific tenants, placing stations closer to the front of the building or near the elevators or even in a separate section may be more advantageous. And this may also be the case with visitor parking.

Another consideration should be whether or not you plan on collecting revenue. While revenue generation and pricing strategies could be an article in itself, it is something for you to think about when planning the placement of your charging stations and incorporating that thinking into your architectural plans. This will also impact the type of charging hardware you select (level 2 vs. DC fast charging) and whether or not you invest in charging management software (for controlled access and revenue generation).

Speaking of station management, one very important consideration is how the charging stations will connect with their networks (the software that allows you to control the charging stations and collect revenue). Most systems communicate via cellular modem, however some also offer WiFi or LAN connectivity. If you are planning on installing charging stations below ground, you will likely need to budget for cellular connectivity as well (and it also is a great safety feature for your tenants).

Rebates, Incentives and NEVI Funds.

Tight budgets are often quoted as the biggest barrier to investment in EV infrastructure, and as a result all too often parking operators and others respond with “we’ll add when we have to.” Not only is this shortsighted, it’s fiscally irresponsible. Without question, between the installation and charging hardware, integrating EV charging is a significant capital investment. This is why many utilities, NGOs and municipalities are offering financial incentives for charging infrastructure.

These opportunities vary by state, but the dollars are tremendous and potentially game changing for your property. Many of the incentives cover as much as 80% of installation and hardware costs. Some even cover management software and warranties. It’s essentially free money and depending on the program, could determine how robust your infrastructure potential could be and greatly influence how you plan and design your property’s EV integration. The key is taking advantage of the incentive programs now as many will be available for a limited time frame with a finite bucket of money.

A good EV charging specialist will be able to help you identify the various incentives you might qualify for.

Holistic Planning.

In the end, EV charging should not be after thought, especially if you’re currently investing in new construction or significant property updates. The EV revolution is here and here to stay, and parking facilities have a huge opportunity to become part of the new fueling paradigm. However, to be successful and most cost efficient, advance planning, research and communication, even in the initial architectural development, is critical. All in all, electric powered vehicles are driving us to rethink how parking facilities are designed and built.

By Jim Burness, CEO & Founder of National Car Charging and Aloha Charge - originally published in IPMI’s Parking & Mobility Magazine, June 2023

About Jim Burness

Jim Burness founded National Car Charging (NCC) in 2011 with the belief that business can thrive while doing good for the planet. Eleven years later, NCC and its sister company, Aloha Charge, are collectively the leading reseller and installer of electric vehicle infrastructure in the country and Jim is considered one of the nation’s top EV and charging experts. Based in Denver, Colorado, Jim is actively involved in Colorado’s local sustainability community with Colorado Electric Vehicle Coalition, Colorado’s Solar Energy Industries Association and Clean Energy Action and lends his expertise to the EV Council as part of the NACS Fuels Institute. A graduate of The Colorado College and the University of Denver, he’s previously held positions at J.D. Power, American Honda, and Microsoft’s CarPoint.

Rethinking Parking Facility Design.