Want apartment EV charging? Read this...

It's no secret that charging your electric vehicle in an apartment building brings its own set of challenges.

For instance, how do you convince your neighbours and body corporate that electric vehicles are a) here to stay b) will be widely used within the decade and c) cost next to nothing to 'fuel' compared with petrol or diesel?

Short of running an extension cable (NOT recommended) for your level 2 EV charger or sneaking some three phase charging power from the nearest outlet, installing electric car charging can be an exercise in information, education and diplomacy.

It's a question we get from electric car charging clients all the time; how do I charge my EV in an apartment block?

First things first

Each apartment building will have its own challenges, such the location of the EV car parking space/s, available power and whether load management is required. And because we've done it all before, our team can help you with answers to those questions.

But, once you've worked out the practicalities of electric car charging for apartments, there are still some by-laws formalities to organise.

Which is where the amazing EV community come to the rescue.

Check out this set of sample EV charging for apartments body corporate by-laws

Veda Prime, an EV owner on the Tesla Model 3 Australia Facebook page recently posted this fantastic sample set of body corporate by-laws to make life easier for both EV owners and building managers to talk about the issue (without falling out!).

We've copied the entire set below, but you can also download it from Veda's Google Docs file here. These are open source and can be rewritten to suit your particular circumstances.

And, if you'd like to say thank you to Veda for this bit of EV apartment charging gold, you can visit this website to track your Tesla Model 3, become a patron or use Veda's referral code.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES - sample by-law, written by Veda Prime

This by-law covers the installation, use, and maintenance of electric vehicle charging facilities.

54.1 Approval and Installation

All equipment related to electric vehicle charging installation and use on common property is to be approved by the body corporate committee in accordance with these by-law conditions. The owner is to submit a proposal to the body corporate committee for approval.

54.2 Any connection to building electrical equipment is to be performed by an appropriately qualified electrician.

54.3 The owner is responsible for all installation costs from the nearest relay distribution point in the car park to their car park location.

54.4 Installation must be at least IP55 waterproof in all locations.

54.5 All Installations must have an appropriately sized circuit breaker located as near as practical to the car park relay distribution point.

54.7 Installation will be single phase 240 volt.

55.8 Any costs of upgrading the electrical mains distribution point and associated equipment in the electrical room to the car park relay distribution point is a cost of the body corporate subject to body corporate approval.

55.9 The charging end point must be either a waterproof general power outlet or wired directly to the specific car charger unit on common property as near as practical to the vehicle.

55.10 The car charger unit is owned and operated by the owner. The body corporate does not own or maintain this unit. The body corporate permits the installation of the car charger unit and associated wiring on common property. The body corporate is not responsible for any damage to the car charger unit whatsoever.

55.11 Authorised Use of Charging Equipment

If the owner has their own charging equipment, the outlet can be used only by that owner or authorised occupier. No other owner is permitted to use the power outlet of another owner without agreement of the other owner or occupier.

55.12 Insurance

The body corporate insurance covers all equipment attached on common property. This includes all electric vehicle infrastructure.

55.13 Maintenance

All maintenance and repairs of electric vehicle electrical infrastructure from the relay distribution point to the vehicle is the responsibility of owner at the owner’s cost. In the event of flooding, theft, or fire, all claims can be made through the body corporate insurance policy.

55.14 Infrastructure Sharing

Sharing of equipment is only approved in adjacent parking spots if owners agree to sharing of costs.

55.15 There is no reimbursement of installation costs by either the owner or body corporate.

55.16 Usage Cost Reimbursement

All electricity usage costs are to be reimbursed to the body corporate.

55.17 Usage Charges

The body corporate agrees to recover costs and not profit from owner usage charges.

55.18 Charging and metering arrangements

The body corporate committee are authorised to enter into a reimbursement of costs arrangement with the owner at body corporate committee discretion.

55.18.1 Metering

55.18.1.1 Meter deposit

The owner will pay a $200 refundable deposit as payment in advance for electricity costs.

Should the owner leave The scheme or terminate charging arrangements, this deposit is fully refundable net of any outstanding usage charges.

55.18.1.2 The owner is required to meter usage charges. The meter must be capable of measuring and store kilowatt usage per hour, day, week and month up to 12 months. The owner is responsible to keep and maintain a fully working meter.

55.18.1.4 The owner will reimburse the body corporate at current peak and off peak electricity rates per kilowatt hour used.

55.18.1.5 Meter reading. The owner is to supply meter reading arrangements as part of their proposal to the body corporate.

55.18.1.6 Meter Failure. In the event of meter failure, reimbursement is made on an estimated basis of historical usage.

55.19.2 Termination of electric vehicle charging arrangements due to non-payment

The body corporate may disconnect the owner from body corporate power at any time due to non-payment and agreed arrangements between the owner and the body corporate cease.