Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States jumped 15.2% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 365,824 units, setting a new volume record for any quarter, according to Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book. In 2024, full-year EV sales reached 1.3 million units, an increase of 7.3% from the upwardly revised total in 2023.
Experts expect EV sales to continue to boom this year, with more than 15 new EV models hitting the U.S. market, supplemented by generous purchase incentives and improving charging
infrastructure. According to the Cox Automotive Forecast, EVs will account for close to 10% of total sales this year.
EV charging stations are essential for the continued increase of U.S. EV car sales. A network of charging stations and outlets is necessary for EVs to be practical for most drivers. As of Aug. 27, the U.S. had 192,000 publicly available EV charging ports, with approximately 1,000 new public chargers added weekly, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
Facility managers nationwide are realizing the value EV charging stations bring to their regular building occupants, visitors, and employees. Currently, 90% of EV charging is done at home or
the workplace on level 2 chargers or chargers that use 240-volt AC electricity. These chargers can charge an EV with a modest-size battery overnight.
As the density of EV vehicles grows, the convenience of having chargers in every facet of day-to-day travel will increase. In turn, most facilities will offer level 3 chargers, which use 400- or 800-volt DC electricity. Level 3 chargers can charge an EV’s battery from 10% to 90% in a half-hour.
“Drivers will want to add charge to their vehicles while at dinner, the theater, a doctor’s appointment, sporting event, the grocery store, and more,” explained Thomas Berton, a professional
engineer and director of e-mobility solutions with building service provider ABM. “These locations will be built and house level 2 and 3 chargers—depending on the dwell time and the prominence
of available stations in a relative area.”
Existing versus upgraded electrical
When facility managers consider installing EV charging stations at their facilities, they first need to determine what type of stations to install based on the dwell times of the vehicles that will be
charging. For example, a stadium would install a different dwell time speed than a charger near a highway.
“That is a fundamental question because that will drive the decision on what chargers to invest in,” said Gaurav Agarwal, building automation director of sustainability solutions with Honeywell
International Inc. Answering the question also will help determine infrastructure costs.
Understanding why you are adding EV charging stations to a facility also will help define the type of chargers to add. Determining the “why” can help you identify which EV chargers to select for fleet or public-facing vehicles, and this will help select the power level of the equipment: level 2 or level 3. “In accordance, the power level of the chargers is determined by the stay duration and turnaround requirement of the vehicle,” Berton said.
For instance, if fleet vehicles charge all night, level 2 is the best choice for a facility. However, if the fleet consists of medium- or heavy-duty vehicles, level 3 chargers might be required. This
decision also will allow facility managers to know where to install the chargers, for example, in guest parking, employee parking, or fleet parking areas.
Electrical infrastructure needs will vary and will involve two distinct considerations:
- Is there sufficient infrastructure to distribute the available power from the electric utility around the facility to the EV chargers?
- Is there enough capacity available from the electric utility service to satisfy the power needs of the new EV chargers? “If facility managers have the tools to solve these questions, [the answers] can help steer them in the correct direction,” Berton said.
Most electrical services can support an additional one to four level 2 chargers. However, larger quantities or higher-powered chargers often require new or upgraded service requirements. Berton said the utility may also have special EV charging rates requiring separate metering and limiting the loads for EV charging.
Installation and maintenance costs
Building EV charging infrastructure is not an isolated task.
“You have to look at it in a very holistic manner about the time it takes, the cost and budget, and the financing available, then [determine] what are the short-term and long-term benefits they
are going to get on their investment,” Honeywell’s Agarwal said.
For example, facility managers may have to put new EV chargers on a separate meter with a separate electrical feed coming into the facility. This option allows facility managers to negotiate
with the utility for the EV charging infrastructure decoupled from the building and keeps the EV charging stations separate from the rest of the building operations.
Installation costs vary widely based on many variables, requiring facilities and operators to consider multiple perspectives. Costs include the use of existing services, the distance from the panel to the EV chargers, exposed conduits or trench and patch civil work requirements, the power level, and quantity of the chargers. EV chargers also vary in cost depending on the brand and speed (level 3 charges cost more) in addition to the software a facility may need depending on requirements, including user and payment management. A certified EV charging station electrician also is highly recommended or required for installation in most areas.
The age and type of electrical infrastructure also are cost factors. Agarwal said facility managers might consider doing a basic electrical assessment of the building to discover if repairs and upgrades are needed before installing EV chargers.
Agarwal cautioned that the market is very fragmented, though, and facility managers can shop around for EV charging stations, infrastructure, and software like they would for any general contractor work. Considering the holistic environment, an end-to-end strategic solutions partner can help determine costs, infrastructure, etc. “Many facility managers don’t
have the bandwidth or expertise,” Agarwal said.
He added that facility managers should investigate or work with their solution providers to explore federal and state incentives and rebates to ease the costs of EV charging station investment.
Maintaining flexibility also is key. Considering the location of the EV charger installations and understanding the facility’s available power will help determine the most cost-effective approach
to the installations.
Due to the nature of increasing utilities, maintenance costs depend on the power and complexity of the charging station and the duty cycle or use case of those chargers. Factors like location, environmental conditions, and operational needs can affect maintenance costs.
Electricity usage, cost, and the overall peak demand, or kilowatt (kW) peak load of the site/chargers, can cause a significant monthly utility charge as well as the time of day. The best strategy
could be a levelized charge to balance the power combined with multiple chargers to ensure all the vehicles have completely charged batteries by their morning start of service while allowing for
an average low overnight charge level during the lowest Time of Use (TOU) rates.
Location, location
When installing EV chargers, the ideal location is close to the power source in an open-air environment, not in underground garages.
“We also recommend having good cellular reception for communications and network connectivity,” Berton said. “As our public and consumer facilities need to balance available space
between reserved parking spaces for [Americans with Disabilities Act] ADA, employee of the month, veterans, expectant mothers, and more, it can be daunting to manage parking spaces—especially those near the front of building.”
ADA is still a requirement, and companies must install their first charger in an ADA Van accessible space, but it cannot be an existing ADA space. In turn, this means losing one parking stall and
making the stall meet the ADA requirements.
“It is important to understand the parking lot user’s perspective and the constraints being placed on the facility to do a proper design and installation in harmony with competing requirements,” Berton said.
Another location consideration is determining who will use the EV chargers. Are the chargers for the public, building occupants, or employees?
The number of chargers per facility varies depending on its type, size, and demographics. A facility manager must also determine how much future-proofing to consider.
“EV charging is a dynamic space and growing,” Agarwal said. “…We are talking about a space that is evolving year over year, so you have to think about the future.”
Station connectivity
Facility managers should ask a few questions before deciding on their charge management software. For example, do you need employee access or
power management? Do you need integration into your fleet telematics data, or do you need guest vouchers for charging? Are you opening the chargers to the public, or does your application
require high uptime and 24/7 monitoring?
“By answering these questions, operators can find an appropriate solution for their specific EV charger network,” Berton said. “It’s recommended to avoid vertically integrated charger hardware
and software offerings, as it limits the ability to change network systems over time.”
Maintenance plans
Maintenance requirements for charging stations are dependent on the type of batteries, space, and chargers a company has. For instance, EV charging station maintenance can be necessary as little as once a year or as frequently as daily or monthly, depending on the equipment and usage case.
Additionally, level 2 charging stations generally require maintenance once a year, but the cables and cable management systems may need additional fixes as these wear quickly over time
and use. They also are more likely to need more service when they are public-centric.
Level 3 chargers generally require more maintenance than level 2 chargers. Their maintenance needs will be determined by intensity of use and environmental conditions, as the filters
in the charger may need to be changed quarterly or monthly, based on conditions. Further, cables and cable management have a higher repair rate when opened to the public.
“Choose a partner with preventative maintenance offerings and data-enabled, real-time equipment monitoring that can identify issues quickly, protect your investment, and keep your services running smoothly,” Berton said.
EV momentum will remain, due to government incentives, environmental concerns, gas prices, and other reasons, and so too for EV chargers.
“Certainly, the need is there,” Agarwal said. “Every facility is unique in its needs and how much investment it needs to make on its chargers. Regardless of how slow the growth rate is, the growth is there. So, you must future proof your solution against that growth.”
