Choosing an EV charger provider for a condo is about selecting a charger, finding someone to install it, and implementing a condo EV charging system that works seamlessly with residents, property managers, condo boards, and the building’s electrical infrastructure.
An EV charger provider should be able to manage the entire process, from assessing the building and planning the electrical infrastructure to installing chargers, setting up billing, and providing ongoing support. Here are the 8 key things condo boards and property managers should look for when evaluating an EV charger provider.
Installing EV chargers in a single-family home is very different from charging infrastructure in a condo building. A condo charging project may involve shared electrical infrastructure, limited power capacity, underground parking, multiple parking spaces, visitor parking, condo rules, provincial safety codes, resident billing, and different ownership arrangements. The EV charger provider needs to understand how all of these pieces fit together.
Before recommending equipment, an experienced provider should assess the building's existing electrical infrastructure and determine how much charging capacity is realistically available.
This can include evaluating:
A good plan should account for both the residents who want to charge today and the residents who may want a charger in the future.
Related: 6 Factors to Consider When Planning Your EV Charging Infrastructure For Condos
Condo boards shouldn't have to coordinate several different companies just to get an EV charging system up and running. An EV charger provider should be able to manage the major stages of the project from start to finish with a turnkey condo EV charging solution, including:
Having one provider responsible for the project can make communication simpler and reduce the risk of issues falling between different contractors. It also means the provider understands the system as a whole, rather than only being responsible for the hardware installation.
The right EV charging solution can also give residents an opportunity to benefit from charging their EV every time. For residents, this means their regular EV charging can come with an additional financial benefit, without changing how they use their vehicle or charger.
For condo boards and property managers evaluating an EV charger provider, EV charging rewards programs like this are worth considering because they can add value for residents beyond the charging infrastructure itself. Residents can simply charge their EV as usual, while eligible rewards are calculated based on their charging activity and get rewarded once the applicable credits have been processed.
Electrical capacity is one of the biggest considerations for condo EV charging. Power management systems for EV charging can distribute available power between chargers based on demand.
For example, if several residents are charging at the same time, the system can adjust charging levels to stay within the building's available electrical capacity. When demand decreases, more power can become available for charging. This can help condos add more charging stations without immediately requiring major electrical infrastructure upgrades.
The charging hardware and software selected today could be part of the building's infrastructure for many years. Condo boards should consider what happens if EV demand grows and the need for more chargers is high.
A scalable EV charging system should support widely used industry standards such as Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), rather than locking the property into one proprietary charging system.
An OCPP-compliant charging software can make it easier to:
This flexibility can be particularly important for condos that expect their charging network to grow over time.
Related: Why Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP) is Essential for the EV Charging Industry
Once chargers are installed, someone needs to manage the cost of electricity. For condos, charging costs should generally be associated with the individual resident using the charger rather than becoming an administrative burden for the property manager or condo corporation.
An EV charging platform can track charging sessions and automatically calculate the cost based on the property's billing structure.
Look for an EV charger provider that offers:
The simpler the billing process is, the less time the property management team has to spend answering questions about who used how much electricity.
Related: Understanding Types of EV Charger Fees for Condos, Stratas and Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
Chargers are technology, and like other building systems, they may eventually require servicing, maintenance, software updates, or replacement.
Before selecting an EV charger provider, ask what happens after the project is complete.
Find out:
An EV charger provider that remains involved after commissioning can make a significant difference over the life of the charging system.
A condo may start with five or ten EV chargers and decide to add more chargers in the future as EV demand grows. A condo EV charging solution should consider future expansion from the beginning. This means thinking about electrical infrastructure, conduit pathways, available parking spaces, software capacity, and how additional users will be incorporated into the system.
Related: The Importance of Implementing Scalable EV Charging Infrastructure
For a condo, the more important question is whether the EV charger provider can deliver a complete charging system that is safe, scalable, easy to manage, and straightforward for residents to use. Look for a provider that can take responsibility for the entire process from electrical planning and installation to software, billing, monitoring, maintenance, and resident support.
If you’re looking to add EV charging to your condo, contact metroEV to discuss your building's charging needs and explore a solution designed around your existing infrastructure and future demand.
Explore more:
EV Charging Migration in Condos: Can I Switch EV Charging Software?
How Much Does It Cost To Install An EV Charger In My Condo Parking Spot?
What Is The Best EV Charging Solution For Your Condo Building?
A Guide to EV Charging Solutions for Ontario Condos and Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
Learn more:
Condo EV charging solutions
Condo EV charging software
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