ChargePoint Bringing Charging To Condos, Apartments With New Service
Live in a condo or an apartment and would drive a PHEV or an EV if only you could charge it? Charging-station producer ChargePoint might have the solution.
The company’s Multifamily Home Service aims to bring charging stations to condominiums and apartment buildings that currently lack the facilities to charge a tenant’s electrified vehicle of choice. Property owners would foot the bill for installation of ChargePoint’s Level 2 charging station, as well as set the price for charging. In turn, the company will bill the tenants who subscribe a one-time activation fee and a monthly subscription fee; the tenant can also pay the property owner for charging via their ChargePoint account.
Finally, as the subscription service would last as long as the tenant resides in the building on a month-to-month basis, the service can be deactivated once the tenant moves out or replaces their electrified ride for one that doesn’t require a plug, and can be reactivated when a new tenant with a plug-in vehicle moves into the building.
As for how much it would cost to wire a parking stall for the service, or how much owners could charge for electricity, ChargePoint did not explain at this time.
Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.
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I've heard that ChargePoint is not a good deal and that drivers have found that the prices get jacked up so the property owner can make a profit. The cost of equipment and installation for Chicago is estimated in this PDF: http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/progs/env/CACCEVBuilding.pdf That includes licensed union electricians, so chances are pretty good that these prices are on the high side. This type of installation usually results in a separate electric bill just for the charging station, so the property owner has a pretty easy time assigning those costs to the people that use the station. In the building I live in, everyone owns their own parking space and gets a separate electric bill if they install a charging station. The Illinois Condominium Act can be interpreted to prevent any HOA from restricting installation of a charging station in a parking space that is privately owned. The only issue that actually exists is waiting for the contractor to do the work; you still can't buy an EV impulsively.
Property mgmt give a rat's arse unless there's some kind of incentive for them. What happens if the provider goes belly up? Who's responsible for repairs if there's water damage or vandalism? You could get stuck with a leased PHEV half way thru and slide thru cracks you can't fix. Gas you fire it up your gone.
This is a losing idea, the nature of which illustrates the problem. The best analogy is laundry equipment. In a typical multifamily complex, an outside provider will pay the property owner upfront to lease the laundry rooms. In exchange, the laundry provider will maintain the room and the equipment, and pay a revenue split to the property owner. Here, there obviously isn't enough revenue to justify such an arrangement -- whereas virtually every tenant can be expected to do laundry, very few will have EVs that need charging, so Chargepoint does not wish install a bunch of gear that can't recoup the investment. Likewise, the lack of demand from tenants provides no incentive for property owners to pay for an amenity that virtually nobody wants. The fact that the company wants to make money on the equipment from those who won't use the equipment is indicative of the business problem. Since there aren't enough end users to justify it, it wants intermediaries to foot the bill. Good luck with that; without a tax incentive or rebate, there isn't a reason to bother.
Okay, maybe I'm stupid, but one ChargePoint charger can charge one car, correct? So if I get home late from work, and someone else has their EV plugged into the charger, I'm SOL for the night? Meh. I have a 120VAC outlet in my garage that runs the garage door opener. I'd be better off using that.