Owning an electric vehicle in an apartment complex poses different charging challenges. Several prospective buyers are attracted to the environmental friendliness of electric vehicles and excellent driving experience. However, they may be deterred by worrying about charging.
Charging for an Apartment
Indeed, when one is purchasing an EV with a high wattage charger, the question stands on whether to charge at home. As your power connection is already at maximum, excessive usage of the charger may put the electrical system at a risk of overheating or even a fire.
Safety Considerations
Charging your EV through a domestic wall socket is unsafe for several reasons:
- Overloading Circuits: Consider a 3 kW connection with a 3.3 kW charger would not affect the wiring. But it will still be susceptible to overheating or tripping circuits, which can damage the apartment complex’s wiring.
- Fire Hazards: Extension cords or under-rated outlets present a fire hazard. Most experts also advise against using standard sockets, even with the expansion of outlets.
Real Life Charging Challenges
Vish Ganti, Bengaluru
- Vish faced stiff resistance while trying to get a charging point in place in his apartment complex. Now, after months of discussions at the RWA level, he is left with no choice but to charge in his flat, as there are no better alternatives available.
Mayuresh Devasthali, Mumbai
- While excited about replacing his ICE car with a new electric car, Mayuresh’s joy was short-lived, as his landlord rejected his request to install an electric charging station in the basement. This put him at a point of utter frustration at this constraint.
Sita Sharma, Delhi:
- She loved her electric vehicle but had one major problem with it. Charging was challenging as no proper stations existed in the apartment complex she was living in. Over time, while having conversations with neighbours, they decided collectively to push for community charging solutions and bring about change and better infrastructure.
Industry Speaks Out on Charging Challenges
Industry observers are calling for governments to set in place a more supportive framework for the charging of EVs in residential areas.
Anmol Singh Jaggi, Co-founder of BluSmart said “To pave the path for EV adoption, we need a quality charging infrastructure that spans from community-based solutions to shared installations within flats. This should further help dissipate the fear linked with individual installation.”
Solutions for Renters
Here are some alternatives and possible solutions for renters:
- Reach Out To Your Landlord: Speak with your landlord to install a particular EV charger that meets the building’s codes and safety standards.
- Look into Alternative Charging Options: If you don’t find a place for home charging, you can even opt for public charging stations or even swap batteries that are ready available in major cities.
- Government Scheme: The scheme FAME II as adopted by the government promotes electric mobility by offering incentives of setting up the charging infrastructure.
ELCTRIK Speaks
While there are many challenges to owning an electric car in an apartment complex with all the issues related to charging infrastructure. Surprisingly quite a few people have managed to successfully face and conquer these issues partially.
