Ultra-fast and in demand

Fast electric vehicle (EV) charging has rapidly become one of the most requested amenities for multi-unit residential buildings. As EV adoption rises, large residential developments must accommodate the EV charging needs of their tenants. To this end, realtors, developers, property owners, and property managers are quickly integrating chargers into existing and future projects.

David Holland, MBA, CPM^®, ARM^®

Property managers know that adding amenities can differentiate a property in a competitive market. David Holland, MBA, CPM^®, ARM^®, director of strategic accounts (Capital Region) for BELFOR Property Restoration, shared that a quick search on Apartments.com showed him how few properties currently offer EV charging, making it a standout feature. “By framing EV charging as an amenity rather than a revenue source, property managers can position their properties as forward-thinking, attract tenants, and align with sustainability goals,” he says. 

Noah Barnes

Noah Barnes, communications director of the Electrification Coalition, concurs. “As more Americans switch to electric vehicles, with EVs now accounting for 10% of new car sales in the U.S., those drivers are already looking for residential buildings that offer EV charging,” he says. “Apartment and condo buildings should begin considering EV charging as an amenity to remain competitive, similar to pools, Wi-Fi, or other community offerings for residents. There are several options to provide charging to residents, so we strongly recommend that residential buildings begin evaluating these options and installing charging now to ensure they do not get left behind.”

Easier said than done

Adding EV charging to an existing building can be a complicated process. While the U.S. Department of Energy reports that more than 80% of EV charging occurs at home, the charging landscape at a condo or apartment complex is much more complicated than in single-family homes or small multi-unit dwellings. I know this from first-hand experience. 

As a bit of background, the property I manage is a 470-unit luxury high-rise condominium complex in North Miami Beach, Florida. Our owners and tenants are generally well-heeled, and some early adopters started driving EVs when the complex opened 10 years ago. To support these EV drivers, we installed six Level 2 chargers to meet the residents’ needs: three chargers in three spaces at ground level in each of our two multilevel parking garages.

With the Level 2 chargers, charging a vehicle is slow going, as they deliver approximately 10 to 25 miles per charging hour, requiring many hours to fully charge a battery. Most residents left their EVs to charge overnight. In the beginning, this was fine. But by early 2022, it was clear that the Level 2 chargers could no longer support the needs of residents, who were clamoring to use the charging spaces. We needed to explore alternatives.

The exploration process involved evaluating residents’ needs now and for the future via a survey, researching the EV charging options available as well as their respective electrification and infrastructure requirements, educating and rallying the community for support, choosing the solution that best met our needs, hosting town hall meetings with residents, installing the system and then, finally, rolling it out.

It’s been a long but rewarding journey. For starters, I advised the board to consider not just today’s needs but to look five to 10 years out. What could we install today that would still support our needs in 2030? We evaluated all options, including adding more Level 2s and looking at Level 3 DC Fast Charging (DCFC). Neither was the ideal fit.

In search of the ideal fit

The U.S. Department of Transportation defines three levels of EV charging according to charging speed.

• Level 1 chargers are connected through a common residential AC outlet and charge an EV from 0% to 80% in 40–50+ hours at a power output of 1 kW. 
• Level 2 charging is provided through a higher-rate AC connection that can charge an EV from 0% to 80% in 4–10 hours at a power output of greater than 7 kW. 
• Level 3 chargers—or DCFC—enable drivers to recharge an EV in 20 minutes to 1 hour from 0% to 80% at a power output up to 350 kW. 

Electrifying parking spaces with more of the slower Level 2 chargers in our large complex was simply not a viable short-term or long-term solution. When we initially installed the first six, it was a major investment, given that the condo association didn’t own any parking spaces. To make it possible, the association had to purchase these spots from the building’s developer at a high price. On top of this was another pricey consideration: power-grid constraints. We were at our electrical capacity and would need to upgrade the power grid connection, whether we went with more Level 2 chargers or upgraded to several Level 3s. 

With the combination of electrical updates, Level 2 charging system costs, and installation fees, each installation would average out to about $7,000 per resident, according to estimates we received. This would not work; we needed to find an option that would support residents and still be within budget.

A long-term solution

We were leaning toward direct-to-grid Level 3 fast charging when one resident introduced us to a new technology called battery-buffered, ultra-fast EV charging. The approach is ideal for existing buildings as it requires virtually no additional construction to install. Although it draws from our existing on-site electrical capacity, the system can charge a vehicle in approximately 20–30 minutes, equally as fast as direct-to-grid Level 3 chargers, which would require a major electrical upgrade and significant construction. Because of its unique capabilities, battery-buffered charging seemed like a logical, long-term solution for Marina Palms.

We ultimately decided to install two battery-buffered ADS-TEC Energy ChargeBox systems, the first of which was installed and introduced to residents in mid-2024. Built-in batteries allow these charging systems to draw power from the existing electrical grid, store it, and then output it at speeds of up to 320 kW per vehicle, enough to charge the most power-hungry EV in 30 minutes or less. The batteries and overall system design meant we could avoid investing in costly upgrades or time-consuming construction and install the system in weeks versus months, which is typical for “traditional” fast chargers.

The operating costs of an EV fast-charging station are another important factor to consider, and this also influenced our decision to go with the battery-buffered option. Level 3 DC fast charging creates a distinct power demand and load profile on the electricity grid. It requires high-power capacity for a relatively short period of time to deliver a fast charge to vehicles. This peak power draw will trigger high demand charges and result in massive electricity bills. In contrast, the battery-buffered solution limits peak power to just 100 kW—about two-thirds less than Level 3 options—while delivering ultra-fast 320 kW charging power to any vehicle that can charge at that speed. This reduced peak power demand leads to substantial savings in charging station operating costs.

Going with battery-buffered charging was a bold but wise decision for us. Already a major presence in the EV charging space in Europe, the ADS-TEC Energy technology was first developed in conjunction with Porsche. Considering the company uses these chargers at dealerships worldwide, we knew it was field-tested by the best.

Today, our single ChargeBox with two dispensers serves up to 100 EVs per week using only two parking spaces. We still operate our Level 2 chargers to support residents with older EVs that ChargeBox does not support, but we are on track to install our second system in late 2025.

Educating residents

Once we decided to go with battery-buffered, ultra-fast charging, we conducted town hall meetings specifically to discuss this unique amenity and its benefits relative to the resale appeal and value of residents’ properties. It was truly unique as the first deployment of ultra-fast, battery-buffered EV charging at a multi-family property in the country. 

After the system was installed, we then ensured that the residents were aware of it and the steps they needed to take to use it. Those who choose to use it pay an annual fee plus a per kW usage fee and are given access to a smartphone app and an RFID card to activate the system. Our awareness campaign primarily involved email communications specific to the EV drivers. We also trained our front-desk reception, valet parking, security, and building management staff on the system so they could assist residents as needed. 

Several months into the deployment, the rave reviews started rolling in. Residents could not believe how quickly and easily they could fully charge their EVs. While public EV chargers are great, they are no substitute for the convenience of “filling up” at home. And when you can pull up to a ChargeBox and get a full battery in 20–30 minutes, it’s like a dream come true in a condo environment. Residents are using the ultra-fast system similarly to the way they use a traditional gas station. They come in, plug in for 10–15 minutes, and are ready for the next day.