Introduction
Electric vehicles (EVs) are revolutionizing the way we think about transportation, offering a greener and more sustainable future. However, strata apartment EV charging presents unique challenges. This guide aims to provide a guide to apartment EV charging in Australia, including installation tips, apartment EV charger costs, and overcoming body corporate EV charging issues.
Understanding the basics of Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging
Before diving into the complexities of EV charging in strata apartment buildings, it’s crucial to understand the basics. EV charging is the process of supplying electric energy to recharge an electric vehicle’s battery. To enjoy the convenience of never needing to visit a petrol station again, having a method to charge your vehicle at home is es.
Types of EV Chargers
- Level 1 Chargers: These chargers can be plugged into a standard electrical outlet and are typically used for charging at home. Although they’re convenient and require no additional setup, they charge rather slowly.
- Level 2 Chargers: A step up from Level 1, these chargers need a dedicated circuit and deliver a higher charging speed. They’re often found in commercial settings but can be installed at home with the right setup.
- DC Fast Chargers: Not feasible for apartment complex EV charging due to their hefty infrastructure requirements.
How do I get started?
The first step for any Apartment to get started on a EV Charging project is to complete a EV Charging Feasibility Assessment. This will involve engaging a consultant to assess the buildings infrastructure, measure power availability at the building and put together a report and strategic roadmap for the owners on the possible options for installing EV Charging infrastructure.
There is some good advice and information available online, however every Apartment Building is unique and will have their own set of challenges to solve. There is no short-cut to getting a professional assessment completed.
A resident, owner, committee member or strata manager can request a quote for an EV Charging Feasibility Assessment on behalf of the building. This quote should be shared with the strata manager and owner’s committee for approval.
Once the feasibility assessment is completed – you should have a clear plan on how to get your Apartment Building EV ready.
What’s involved in an apartment EV charging feasibility assessment?
Before allowing strata apartment EV charger installations, we recommend the building complete a feasibility assessment and establish a roadmap to enable all owners to have access to EV charging infrastructure.
Solar Choice has completed EV charging feasibility assessments for strata buildings all across Australia and is highly experienced in advising apartment owners on the best and most cost-effective solutions.
Our approach includes the following:
- Organising a qualified and experienced electrician to complete a detailed site survey of all the existing electrical infrastructure, including the incoming mains, main switchboard, meters and breakers, parking bays and potential cable pathways
- Installing a temporary power consumption logger onto the incoming mains so we can determine the power consumption within the building and how much available capacity exists to dedicate to EV Charging
- Solar Choice’s engineering team will review all collected information from site and set out the recommended options for enabling EV charging infrastructure for all apartment owners, including staging out the project where possible to avoid a big upfront cost
- A Solar Choice consultant will explain the recommendation and finds to the owners
- Solar Choice can recommend an reputable electrical contractor in every state with experience installing EV charging infrastructure within apartment buildings.
As part of signing up to complete a feasibility study for your building Solar Choice will remain available to guide you all the way through the project through to installation. Our goal is to help owners actually implement solutions and we have experience solving the various fire, insurance, strata laws and voting problems that may arise.
If you are looking at other consultants to complete a feasibility study, we highly recommend ensuring that a qualified electrician attends site and installs a power consumption monitoring device as part of the assessment. We have seen many ‘off the shelf’ feasibility studies that really don’t look at all the options or provide clear guidance to Owners on the best pathways forward.
Get a quote for a EV Charging Feasibility Study for your Apartment Building
Common challenges for installing EV chargers in apartments
You may think, why can’t the new owners of the electric vehicle just pay for their own chargers to be installed on their own meter?
Firstly and foremost, almost every strata apartment building we have examined does not have sufficient power supply for every parking space to have an operating EV Charger without tripping the power supply to the whole building. You might be able to get away with the first couple of EV Chargers, but at some point you are going to need a solution.
Most solutions will apply some guides to the owners on what type of charger they can install, how the cables are connected to the main switchboard and how they pay for the electricity used.
It is recommended that strata buildings have a strategy and roadmap in place for EV Charging before they give permission to an owner to install a charging device.
Crucially this avoids costly processes of unwinding installations or replacing chargers at a later date and ensures that all owners have equal opportunity to access EV Charging infrastructure.
If there is already power running to the parking spaces and each space has a power outlet, it is quite common that this power is run from the common property meter. This means that the whole building will be sharing the cost of charging the vehicle.
Speak to an expert about EV Charging for your building
Solutions for EV charging in apartments
The feasibility and costs of each solution will vary greatly depending on the existing power supply and electrical infrastructure, the design of the parking areas and the requirements of the owners in terms of the EV charging equipment.
Visitor parking bays
One way to get started with EV charging at your strata apartment without committing to a bigger solution is to install EV charging equipment in the visitor parking bays.
Some rules can be embedded into the charging devices which help limit the maximum use time to ensure the charging equipment can be shared.
Clearly, this isn’t a long-term solution, but can buy some time for the building in lieu of a larger solution.
Trickle charging only
There are different levels of EV charging which require different amounts of power. Trickle charging (level 1) is the slowest option which usually uses a regular 10 Amp power socket. A 15Amp socket can also be considered which can improve the charge speed.
In some cases, we have seen that there is sufficient capacity available on the power supply for most residents to install a trickle charger without risking an overload on the power supply. There are solutions for the Owners Corporation to recover the power consumption costs if the power sockets are connected to the common meter.
Load management systems
For buildings with low power capacity, or looking to add fast-charging EV infrastructure a ‘load management system’ will ensure that the total power demand doesn’t exceed the power available in the building.
The load management system monitors power availability in real time, and has the ability to control the power draw of the EV chargers and throttle back power usage where necessary. Often power throttling will only occur in peak demand times (e.g. 5pm to 9pm) and there is plenty of power available overnight.
The are several different solutions on the market varying in capability and cost. The below table outlines some of the choices:
| How They Work | Cost | Evaluation | |
| Branded Solutions | Some EV Chargers have the capability to speak to each other via Wifi or data cable and can control the maximum power draw of all devices to a certain limit. After measuring the draw for the building and the capacity on the power supply you can set that limit to reduce the risk of exceeding the building’s power supply. All chargers must connect to the same electrical circuit (common property meter), necessitating payment software on the charger for users to pay for electricity. Examples:Tesla Gen 3 |
$$ | Pros: – Cheapest solution Cons:– Every owner must install the same EV Charger – Often a limit exists on the number of chargers you can connect. – Set the max power limit for the chargers lower than the building’s busiest time |
| 3rd Party Load Management Systems |
Installers fit a central device that can communicate with any charger compatible with the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP). These solutions also link CT sensors to the incoming mains, enabling dynamic measurement of available energy, which significantly boosts the charge rate of the EVs in the system. For some smaller apartment buildings, it might be possible to connect the EV chargers to individual meters, eliminating the need for a payment solution from the common area meter. Examples: |
$$$$ | Pros:
– Increases the amount electricity available to the EV chargers (faster charging)- Greater choice of EV chargers- Can usually connected unlimited number of chargers Cons:– Higher cost for additional hardware- Potential requirement for data cable connecting to each charger |
Benefits of installing an EV charger in your apartment
Despite the initial costs and challenges, there are several benefits to strata apartment electric car charging:
Flexibility for Owners
Having an EV charger capability in your apartment carpark means owners have the choice to buy an Electric Vehicle and not suffer any inconvenience. Many owners will not make a purchase until this infrastructure is available which is a big problem for Australia’s electrification journey.
Increased Property Value
As Electric Vehicle adoption continues to grow, the availability of charging infrastructure in parking bays is increasingly going to be a consideration for potential buyers. Renters with EVs are also willing to pay more for apartments with EV Charging access.
Improve Charge Speeds and Solar Integration
If you have solar installed at your apartment building, then the EV Charging solution can benefit from the lowest cost power. The benefits can be passed onto the owners or flow back to the Body Corporate. EV Chargers will also decrease the recharge time for owners which can save time and money on public fast-charging stations.
How much does it cost to install an EV charger in an apartment?
A typical wall-mounted (level 2) electrical vehicle charger can cost anywhere from $700 to $3,000 just for the hardware. Installation will depend heavily on how the charger will be connecting to electricity.
Some considerations that impact costing:
- Can the charger be wall-mounted or is a free-standing solution required?
- Will a bollard need to be installed to prevent vehicles from accidentally reversing into the charger?
- What distance a cable will need to travel to connect to the main switchboard or closest sub-distribution board?
- Will trenching be required for the cable to pass underground?
An electrician must assess each installation. When we create an EV charging roadmap for a strata building, we often recommend that strata cover some of the above-mentioned costs. This approach makes it easier and cheaper for individual owners to connect their own chargers.
For example, a building with 15 parking bays may decide to put in 3 strategically located sub-distribution boards across the car park so that when each parking bay wishes to connect a charger they have a simpler task and shorter cable run. This also minimises the connections required at the main switchboard and can often mean that any trenching needs only be completed once.
What are the voting and strata requirements for EV charging decisions?
Strata legislation usually requires that changes to common property (including installing electric vehicle chargers in parking areas) follow specific voting requirements.
In most states, achieving a special resolution requires that no more than 25% of the votes (based on the unit entitlement set out in the strata plan) oppose the motion.
In NSW, they classify motions relating to EV charging infrastructure as ‘sustainability upgrades’. This means the vote only requires that less than 50% be against the motion.
Can I just install my own EV charger at my apartment?
The short answer is no.
Most strata buildings have limited power supply from the grid. It would only take a small number of residents installing their own charger in order to exceed this limit. If this happens, the mains power supply to the building would trip and you would lose power to the entire building.
Installing EV chargers without a prior plan could lead to additional costs, either for replacing existing EV chargers with future-compatible models or for rewiring.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Due to the high power requirements, installing a DC Fast Charger is generally not feasible for electric car charging in apartment blocks.
While there are no specific incentives for EV charging stations for condos, some states offer general incentives for sustainable upgrades, which can include EV chargers.
Yes, it’s necessary to inform your home insurance provider about the new addition to ensure you’re covered.
The answer varies depending on the type of charger used: A Level 1 charger can take 24 hours or more to fully charge a battery from flat, while a Level 2 charger can do this in 4 to 6 hours. Understanding this will help you select the right charging solution for your apartment.
The choice of an EV charger for rental properties depends on several factors including the type of EVs owned by tenants, the electrical infrastructure of the property, and budget considerations. Level 2 chargers are generally recommended for their faster charging capabilities and suitability for overnight charging.
The answer varies based on your apartment’s infrastructure, but many find Level 2 chargers to be a suitable option for faster home charging. Tesla chargers which are able to provide this level of charging.
Conclusion
Strata apartment EV chargers in Australia is a complex but increasingly necessary undertaking. From understanding the basics of EV charging in apartment buildings to navigating the challenges and costs associated with body corporate electric vehicle charging, this guide aims to provide a comprehensive overview to help you make informed decisions.
Not sure where to start? Get some free advice from one of our consultants!
Further Reading
For more in-depth information, you can consult Solar Choice’s Complete EV Home Charger Guide or check our Product Reviews.
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