Increase ownership of plug-in electric vehicles by minimizing the installation cost of electric vehicle supply equipment at major employment centers.

Experience implementing workplace charging programs.

Date Posted
09/20/2017
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Identifier
2017-L00778

Implementing Workplace Charging within Federal Agencies

Summary Information

The ability to charge a personal vehicle while at work is valuable to plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) drivers, with employees who have access to workplace charging being six times more likely to own a PEV than those who lack such access. More and more organizations are considering establishing a workplace charging program in support of motivating employees and meeting sustainability goals.

Lessons Learned

The costs associated with installing Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) can vary widely, depending on site location, available electrical capacity, and labor costs, but agencies can use the following installation best practices to minimize project cost drivers.



Procurement

  • Participate in aggregated purchases offered by General Services Administration (GSA) that reduce redundant contract administration action and provide EVSE volume pricing discounts. Contact the GSA Fleet Alternative Fuel Vehicle Team at GSAfleetafvteam@gsa.gov for more information.
  • Evaluate EVSE financial incentives offered by utilities, states or other entities.

EVSE Unit

  • Choose the EVSE unit with the minimum level of features needed considering operational and data gathering needs to minimize up-front procurement cost and minimize the more periodic maintenance required by advanced units as compared to basic units.
  • Choose a wall mounted EVSE, if possible, to minimize concrete or soil excavation or drilling of holes through building structures, known as trenching or boring, for routing of electrical conduit and wiring.
  • Choose a dual- or multi- port EVSE to minimize installation costs per charge port.
  • Determine the electrical load available at the site and choose the quantity and level of EVSE units to fit within that available electrical capacity.

Location

  • Place the EVSE close to the electrical service to minimize the need for trenching/boring and the costs of potential electrical upgrades.
  • Instead of locating the EVSE at a highly visible parking spot a great distance from the electrical panel, use signage to direct PEV drivers to the EVSE unit.
  • If trenching/boring is needed, minimize the trenching/boring distance.
  • Choose a location that already has space on the electrical panel with a dedicated circuit.
  • Consult best practices for installing EVSE in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Long Term Planning

  • Contact the site’s utility early in the planning stages to discuss electricity consumption and demand charges as well as electrical service needs. Avoid utility demand charges by balancing charging time windows with other electricity usage and working closely with the utility.
  • Consider the quantity and location of EVSE that are planned for installation over the next 10-40 years when installing the first unit. Upgrade the electrical service for the anticipated long term EVSE load and run conduit to anticipated future EVSE locations. This will minimize the cost of installing future units.
  • Consider the electricity infrastructure for EVSE when building a new facility. It is less expensive to install extra panels and conduit capacity during initial construction than to modify the site later.

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