In Northern California, a condo complex has taken a significant step towards addressing the challenges of electric vehicle (EV) charging. With 90 housing units equipped with charging facilities, the complex has found a cost-effective way to provide convenient charging for its residents. This innovative project not only solves one of the main problems associated with EV charging but also sets an example for other multifamily communities.

Revolutionizing EV Charging in Multifamily Communities

Convenience at Home

Electric vehicles offer the convenience of charging at home, eliminating the need to go out of one's way to fuel. At this condo complex, residents can park their cars at home and leave with a full charge. However, this convenience is not available to all. Apartment-dwellers often face complications when it comes to installing charging at their homes. But this condo complex has overcome these challenges by providing charging facilities for all units.

The project was installed by Pando Electric, an EV charging company focused on multifamily and commercial buildings. Its CEO and founder, Aaron Li, shared some insights into the project. Pando claims this is the largest "100% coverage" project in North America, covering every parking spot on the property.

The chargers are small boxes equipped with connectivity and a NEMA 14-50 outlet. Each owner is responsible for providing their own charging cable, which ensures better care and ownership. This approach also eliminates the need for a dedicated maintenance guy to keep all 90 units up and running.

Cost-Effective Solution

The most impressive part of the project is the cost. After taking advantage of a hefty utility credit from Peninsula Clean Energy, the all-in cost per unit, including charging units, project design, installation, etc., was only $405. This is significantly lower than the typical cost of adding traditional level 2 charging for an apartment complex.

Typically, adding such charging can cost a lot more, especially if more capacity needs to be pulled from the utility. The load-sharing method used in this project results in great benefits on cost, making it an economical solution for every unit.

By covering every unit, residents don't need to worry about sharing chargers or waiting for upgrades. It future-proofs the complex, ensuring that even if everyone gets an EV, there will be places for them to charge.

Grid Services and Dynamic Load Management

Having centralized control over charging opens up possibilities for grid services. Pando would like to move in the direction of leveraging grid-connected storage to feed the grid on demand. While the current NEMA 14-50 solution is not bidirectional-capable, dynamic load management is still useful.

The system can try to deliver maximum power at times of lower demand and scale back when demand is high. Some utilities have started offering incentives for users to cut back usage, and a centralized system can help manage power automatically without getting every resident onboard.

When a car wants to charge, owners can plug in, initiate a charging session through the app or a "tap-to-charge" NFC system, and get added to a queue. If there is a need for immediate charging, they can pay a premium to jump to the front of the queue.

Electrek's Take

I've long emphasized that the main problem with EVs is charging for those without access to their own garage. Pando's solution seems to be a good one, providing convenience and affordability. While there is an app involved, Pando is working on bringing a "plug-and-charge-like experience" to using its chargers.

In conclusion, this condo complex's EV charging project is a significant achievement. It solves a big problem and sets an example for other multifamily communities. With the cost as low as $405 per unit, it makes it more feasible to install charging facilities for every parking spot. We hope to see more such projects in the future.