The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Needs: An Early Market Guide for Facility Managers

The new age of mass-market Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs or EVs) is here as the first shipments of the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf have arrived while the Tesla Roadster, a high-performance all-electric vehicle, has been selling for over a year.

In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for putting one million EVs on the US roads by 2015 to build on America's technical leadership, create new jobs and reduce transportation dependence on foreign oil. Pike Research anticipates the US will be the largest market for EVs in 2015, followed by China and Europe.

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

EV market adoption (and therefore auto sales) will depend on consumers having convenient access to charging stations in their daily lives. EV charging stations are part of the needed EV infrastructure and are sometimes referred to as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE). Early market commitments are already being seen with Level-2 charging stations in major cities like San Francisco and New York; retailers like Best Buy and Walgreens; and employer workplaces like SAP and Netflix. Most early adopters are making headlines and are proud of their investments to encourage their citizens, customers and employees to purchase eco-friendly vehicles.

A critical milestone was reached in 2010, where all EV vehicle manufacturers for the North American market agreed to a universal standard for the charging station connector - SAE J1772. This breakthrough opened the industry to free market competition to drive better pricing and variety while eliminating the risk of placing the wrong bet or finding a charging station with the wrong connector (remember Beta vs. VHS video standards in battle?) EV parking structures, shopping centers, retail outlets, and work sites will have charging equipment compatible with their new vehicle.

And of course each EV auto dealer will have charging stations on-site so they can sell and service their EV models and deliver them to customers fully charged.

Buying an EV, Charging at Home

Prior to buying an EV, customers need to ensure they have safe and easy access to charging at their home. LIke a hospital requiring new patients to have a baby seat before they can drive their bundle of joy home, the EV dealer needs to ensure their customer has the charging infrastructure at home to have a great EV ownership experience.

The Chevy Volt is a different type of EV. It is a plug-in extended-range electric vehicle. Its lithium-ion battery stores power from the electric charge and a nine-gallon gasoline tank fuels an on-board gasoline generator. According to manufacturer websites, the electric motor powers the car for the first 40 miles and then the gas kicks in to provide 375 miles of range on a full tank and relieve the concern of "range anxiety". The Chevy Volt charges in about half the time as a Nissan Leaf, although it has about half of the pure electric range.

The ultra-performance Tesla Roadster, an all-electric sports car with a price tag of over $100,000 can accelerate from 0-60 in 3.67 seconds and has a range of 240 miles on a single charge, according to manufacturer websites - all while emitting zero emissions!

The Need for EV Charging Stations

EV charging stations are required across a variety of venues:

• Parking structures - Commercial complexes, airports, shopping centers
• Government - City, county, state, federal publicly accessed buildings
• Commercial and industrial - Employer locations and EV fleets
• Residential single family - Charging is needed at every EV home
• Residential multi-family - Multi-tenant sites will need to accomodate

To kick-start the rollout of EV infrastructure, the US government has committed $400 million for rolling out charging infrastructure across selected geographic markets. Therefore, various incentives are available to certain building owners, government agencies and homeowners that meet specific eligibility requirements. In some cases, with certain restrictions, a facility can get a 100% rebate on the cost of the EV charging equipment. The Linc Group, an ABM Company, can assist with evaluating eligibility, rebate processing, as well as acquiring, installing and maintaining EV Charging Stations.

Reasons for Installing EV Charging Stations

As electric vehicle adoption grows, consumers will gravitate to places where they can charge up while doing other things like working, shopping or dining. Stadiums with EVSE can let customers charge up while taking in a game or a concert.

Consider:

1. A facility might reward employees who make early stage investments in non-petroleum transportation by offering free or subsidized charging.
2. Companies, universities and local governments want to show they are doing their part in helping America achieve energy independence while fostering environmental stewardship.
3. A large entertainment venue (stadium, theatre, etc.) might offer close-up or covered EV charging and parking near the VIP section.
4. Commercial facilities can add a surcharge on top of a standard parking fee.
5. New EVs are equipped with GPS systems that show where charging stations are located. This awareness will help attract EV drivers to those locations where they can stop in for a charge.

Type of EV Charging Stations

• Level-1 uses a standard 110/120-volt receptacle. Onboard the vehicle and uses a standard household-style AC plug.
• Level-2 uses the SAE J1772 (240-volt, 40 amp) for faster charging.
• Level-3 DC Fast Charge: will be a rapid DC charger (not yet standardized)

Considerations Prior to Installing EV Charging Stations

Facilities should consider EV infrastructure as part of a larger Sustainability or Energy-Efficiency strategy, not just an independent 'green' project. Need to understand how the new EVSE load can alter the energy profile and costs of a building or a campus and how a balanced approach can help facilities offset the new load through other energy-reduction programs. Other considerations:

Government, commercial and public parking sites:

• Requires engineering, electrical permits, and city planning approvals
• Wireless networking, software and billing system processes may be required
• Must select the best hardware manufacturer for the desired application
• Underground work to bring power from buildings to parking lot, plus concrete work
• Training of building personnel to ensure proper operations and safety
• Additional electrical load requirements. Additional circuits, panels, meters, transformers might be needed, so it is wise to get an expert estimate before deciding on an installation partner
• Commercial and public use - Need to consider the use of chargers, equipment upgrade-ability, after-hour access, security, and flexibility in billing.
• The electrical load created by the EVSE could significantly raise the cost of electricity. High electrical price tiers, especially during peak daytime hours, can negatively impact operating costs.

EV Auto Dealerships:

• Requires Engineering Electrical permits, plus underground and concrete work for bases
• Training and dealership personnel. Dealers need to be fluent on options and processes for arranging charging stations at customer homes.
• Consider possible emergency services or roadside assistance for stranded motorists with a dead EV battery.
• Customers living in multi-family developments need to work with their property owners.
• Various EV charger manufacturers are available for different applications and with different levels of sophistication and pricing.

Residences:

• Requires electrical permit and inspection by qualified or certified electrician
• Home might need electrical panel upgrade and routing of electrical power to charger that is installed in the garage
• Purchase of charger (multiple vendor options) and installation fees need to be considered. Pricing and features vary