Electrify your ride
Chances are that most of you will buy a different car in the next seven years.
According to R.L. Polk the average length of time a driver will keep a new vehicle is six years. Even if you are pondering keeping your vehicle longer, you may think twice due to the major leap in technological advancements such as better safety protection, navigation or automation and fuel economy or fuel alternatives. If you decide to give up the gas, you may choose to charge at home, at your workplace or a public venue.
This growing movement in the automotive industry effects the design of our built environment. These charging stations require planning, permitting and definitely a viable power source. Electric vehicle (EV) readiness is an evolving topic amongst municipalities, utility companies and private individuals that involves residential, commercial and public infrastructure.
In a world where most of us remember to charge our phones everyday, remembering to charge our cars is not a large leap. While most EVs have the option to plug into a simple wall outlet to charge, Level 2 chargers (240 volt) are preferred and with some planning a realistic option.
How do we plan for an electrifying future?
As of just six months ago, registered EV ownership amounted to approximately twenty-five thousand in Washington, with the top three counties being King, Snohomish and Pierce.
Are we currently designing new construction to adapt to EV ownership? Consider additional electrical panel capacity, running conduit to a specific location for ease of later adoption and allocating parking spaces for the connections.
How are we retrofitting existing structures to accommodate new EV ownership? Consider installation type (permanent or removable), amperage (more power=faster charge) and cord length (location, location, location.)
Here's a bit of history, courtesy of Chargepoint, presently the leading provider of charging infrastructure in North America. Chargepoint was founded with only two thousand EVs registered in the United States ten year ago. In 2008, the Tesla Roadster hit the streets. It was 2009 when the first Chargepoint station was installed in San Jose, California. By 2010, both the Nissan Leaf and the Chevy Volt widened consumers' EV options. The following year, the numbers of registered EVs soared to 36,500. Quickly, that number tripled in 2012, and Chargepoint installed it's 10,000th charging station.
It was only five years ago that more automakers joined the EV market such as BMW, Ford and Mitsubishi boosting EV ownership to half a million. Home chargers became widely available in 2015 and last year, the United States boasted over one million EV owners. Within the next five years, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Nissan-Renault, Daimler, GM, and BMW will deliver a combined total of over seventy-five new EV models.
In 2016, the mayor of Seattle announced the Drive Clean Seattle Initiative in an effort to increase the adoption of electric vehicles and the Seattle City Council created a target of thirty percent EV ownership in Seattle by 2030.
Here in Gig Harbor, EV charging stations started appearing on the scene in 2011. Chargepoint Level 2 chargers became available to the public in Uptown at 4701 Point Fosdick Drive. After careful consideration, the City of Gig Harbor recently installed two new Level 2 Chargepoint stations: start at either end of the downtown harbor stretch-Maritime Pier at 3003 Harborview Drive or the Finholm Stair Climb at 8824 North Harborview Drive.
For residents and visitors, the combination of easy access to charging stations with a beautiful walk on the waterfront, enjoying public wifi at Jerisich Dock, participating in free fun activities at Harbor WildWatch and now complimentary access to the Harbor History Museum is a home run!
If you are a member of Peninsula Light Company, you may have learned about EVs at their 90th anniversary celebration. Jaqueline Goodwill, PenLight Communications Manager, states "We are excited about EVs and our members are starting to purchase more and more EVs. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of our members and we are interested in working closely with our members as EV adoption increases.”
Plan ahead for a future of clean power, consider EV readiness.
