Free Lecture: EV Charging for Multifamily Housing

[ZanDubinScott]

Please join us for this topical lecture:

FREE LECTURE ON ELECTRIC CAR CHARGING FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING

Industry Experts Offer Immediate Solutions & Suggestions for Progress

SANTA MONICA, CA, Jan. 14, 2011--How can condo and apartment dwellers charge their electric cars without a home garage? To answer the question, Santa Monica Nissan will present a free public panel about Electric Vehicle (EV) charging for multifamily housing residents on Monday, Jan. 31, 6:30-9 p.m., at Santa Monica Public Library, Main Branch.

Only last month, in a historic transformation of the transportation industry, Nissan began to deliver the first mass-marketed EV, its all-electric LEAF. Homeowners who purchased or leased the cars are having chargers installed in their garages. But policies and practices for installing these high voltage chargers in multi-family dwellings are just now evolving nationwide.

The panel will provide immediate solutions to some of the challenges surrounding charging options for multifamily housing residents and offer suggestions for progress going forward.

Panelists will include representatives from Southern California Edison, The City of Santa Monica Building and Safety Division, and Clean Fuel Connection, an EV charging-infrastructure company. Independent EV-charger installer William Korthof, who has driven an EV for years, will also participate.

Admission to the panel is free and open to the public. No reservations are required. For more information, call (310) 403-1303. The panel will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Auditorium, Santa Monica Public Library, Main Branch, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica, 90401. For library information, call (310) 458-8600.

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[malloryk]

hi Zan! We met at the Coda event a few months ago. Welcome to the forum. I'm going to be at that panel. Thanks for posting the info!

 

[EVNation]

I can't make it but this should be very useful.

William just installed my EVSE at my apartment building (for 10% of the price I had quoted by Nissan) so he definitely has experience in this area. Also Clean Fuel Connection did my initial Mini-E install and did a great job.

Getting an EV installed in an apartment is not only doable but in my experience the landlord was really open to the idea and thinks it will help get tenants in the future.

 

[Boomer23]

Great to see this kind of discussion happening and great to know that Mallory is involved, she'll add a lot of personal experience. Bit too far of a trek for me, but I want to hear about the key points that are made.

 

[Kataphn]

I plan to try to go. Downtown LA to Santa Monica at rush hour....we'll see if I make it.

 

[malloryk]

sorry, I won't be able to make it tonight. I have to work late on a project. Hope it's informative to those attending!

 

[Kataphn]

I was able to go to meeting and Mallory was able to come for most of the Q and A session. It was a pretty full auditorium with a panel of a SoCal Edison rep (Ed), Clean Fuel Connections rep (Enid), Santa Monica Building and Safety rep (Ron), and an installer (Bill Korthof) with Paul Scott as mod. Lots of interest and discussion from variety of people representing apt. managers, condo managers, condo board members, tenants, and condo owners, as well as 3 Santa Monica city council people. Lots of questions about how to work around issues of:
1. How much line capacity was coming into bldg. and whether there was "extra" capacity for L2 EVSEs or even L1s.
2. Where electrical rooms were located and where individual panels were located.
3. Given that people move a lot, who would foot the bill for EVSE.
4. What to do where parking is part of common area.
5. Whether dedicating a parking spot or two for EVSE and putting something like pay as you go Chargepoint in was the way to go and many more questions and issues.

The four things I found most helpful were:
1. Learning about Bill Korthof and maybe having him come over to our condo to get his opinion on what is feasbile.
2. Hearing Paul Scott tell about getting a dedicated L1 outlet in his condo (I am going to PM with more questions).
3.Learning that there are others in apts. and condos grappling with this same issue and maybe we can form a socal grassroots group to share info and experiences.
4. Hearing that Hawaii had passed legislation similar to that passed for PV in many states that says EVSE is for a common good and cannot be denied outright by HOA or apt owner if tenant or owner is willing to foot the bill. Similar legislation is pending in California.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

sounds like a very worthwhile meeting!

and why should PG&E not foot the bill? its another source of revenue for them. we MUST stop looking at EVs as vehicles for the privileged that must be paid for. We dont pay extra for gas stations and why should this be any different? the ability to fill up should be something that the provider of the electricity should pay for.

who pays for solar panels? the homeowner does because they collect the benefit.

granted as we first start out, the cost is higher. that is the "benefit" of being first. but that cannot, should not nor has it continued for any other technology innovation in the past.

yes, we pave the way (and pay!!) to the technology for the people in the future.

 

[malloryk]

I was surprised at the turnout--there were a lot more people there than I was expecting to show up. It looks like the future of EV is very promising. It's going to be difficult, and expensive for us first adopters, but hopefully in just a few years, there will be many public EVSEs available where people can pay as they go for electricity.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

in residences, PG&E should install the devices. their cost will be minimal and much less than we pay.

for public options, lets just toss it to the private sector like BP (not the oil company!!) for their options

 

[mwalsh]

Video here:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79ShT3YUVVA[/youtube]

Skip to 1:10:00 to see Kathleen and Mallory (who promptly hides behind the guy in front of her, once she figures out she's on camera. Probably a part of that witness protection program she's in).

 

[malloryk]

Skip to 1:10:00 to see Kathleen and Mallory (who promptly hides behind the guy in front of her, once she figures out she's on camera. Probably a part of that witness protection program she's in).

LOL oh no, my cover's blown! Now I have to move again!