It’s rare to find apartments that have charging station access for their renters, however, electric cars require them. The increasing demand for electric cars, however, will make apartment EV charging stations will be important consideration renters and homeowners in the coming years.
Many people are now taking advantage of the program by the United States Department of Energy, which allows citizens to enjoy up to $7,500 in federal tax credits for buying an electric vehicle. But still, with the ambitious goals in place by different states, policymakers and goodwill from the private sector need to make EVs, not a niche product only for the elite, but for many other drivers out there.
Disparity in EV Ownership Between Homeowners and Renters
People shift EVs for various reasons but perhaps one of the biggest barriers to owning an electric vehicle is renting a home. A 2017 survey by the National Household Travel indicates that homeowners across the US are 6 times more likely to own an EV than renters. The striking differences indicate the subtle gap that exists between homeowners and renters when it comes to making a shift to EVs.
Is the Gap As a Result of Income Differences?
The striking differences in EV ownership have nothing to do with income although that’s would be the first assumption. And while it’s true that the rich are more likely to develop an interest in owning an EV, which only makes sense as they cost more acquire than gasoline vehicles although cheaper to charge than re-filling a tank, it’s apparent homeowners, even with similar income levels, are more likely than renters to own EVs. So apartment EV charging stations
Accessibility to Parking and Charging Facilities
Many homeowners, unlike apartments, have ample parking space which is either a normal driveway, garage or both. That makes charging an electric vehicle much easier and convenient as it can be done at night during off-peak hours. For renters, however, especially those living in apartment blocks with several units, access to parking spots may be a problem. Though there isn’t official data about parking availability in multi-unit buildings, we can infer the origin of that striking gap between homeowners and renters EV ownership.
Charging equipment is yet another major concern for renters than compared to homeowners. The reason is that homeowners can easily invest in an EV charging station and even upgrade it for fast charging. This investment can be pretty costly but for a homeowner looking to stay in one place for many years, it’s a worthy investment.
The high cost associated with this investment makes it a challenge for renters, however. Also, renters may hesitate to buy EVs because they may not see the economical value of investing in a piece of equipment in a property that is not theirs. Some landlords may not even accept such a deal due to liability. But theoretically, this could be also a great investment for a landlord, who can decide to install apartment EV charging stations, and then recoup their investments from rent.
Due to other factors such as getting future tenants who may not even have an EV, makes the practicality of this idea is not viable. The charging facility might be there but there’s no one to use it — or even appreciate the investment made. As such, policymakers are pushing the need to heavily invest in charging stations across the country particularly areas with a lot of renters. This will make it convenient for EV owners to charge their vehicles without having to depend on EV charging stations for apartments
