The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is taking the world by storm, and for many car owners, switching to an electric car is an attractive prospect. But for residents of multi-family dwellings, such as apartments and condominiums, the lack of charging infrastructure is a major barrier to adopting EVs.

For starters, many multi-family dwellings simply don't have enough parking spaces to accommodate the installation of charging stations. Furthermore, the high cost of installation and the limited access to electrical infrastructure can make it challenging to provide charging options for residents. This is particularly true in older buildings that were not designed with EVs in mind.

In many cities around the world, the lack of charging options in multi-family dwellings has led to a phenomenon known as "range anxiety." This is the fear that electric car owners will run out of charge before they can reach their destination, especially if they live in an apartment without access to a charging station. This fear has been a major barrier to widespread adoption of EVs, and it's a challenge that needs to be addressed in order for the EV revolution to gain momentum.

To tackle this challenge, cities and governments are starting to invest in charging infrastructure for multi-family dwellings. In some cases, this has involved partnering with private companies to install charging stations in public areas, such as street corners and parking lots. In other cases, cities are offering incentives to property owners to install charging stations in their buildings, such as tax credits and subsidies.

With so many residents relying on charging stations, it's important that they be able to count on them to be available when they need them. However, this is not always the case.

There have been instances where charging stations have been out of order for extended periods of time, causing frustration for residents who depend on them to charge their cars. Furthermore, there have also been instances where charging stations have been damaged or vandalized, making them unavailable for use. Spend a few minutes on YouTube watching countless videos where EV owners cannot charge their vehicle because public stations simply aren't functioning. Tesla's Supercharger charging network does provide that brand with a distinct benefit because it's limited to their customer's use. As Tesla becomes more and more popular, even their charger availability will be affected by their own success. General use public chargers need to be more reliable to overcome this challenge.

To address these reliability issues, it's important for charging station providers to ensure that they are built to withstand heavy use and are designed with durability and security in mind. Additionally, it's important for charging station providers to have a plan in place to quickly repair any damaged or broken stations, and to provide regular maintenance to ensure that they continue to function smoothly. Better software and communication with customer's vehicles is also important.

The reliability of charging infrastructure is a critical factor in the success of the EV revolution. Without charging stations that are available and reliable, residents of multi-family dwellings will be less likely to adopt EVs, and the transition to a more sustainable transportation system will be slowed. Addressing these reliability issues is an important step towards making EVs a more viable option for everyone. Gasoline fueling stations continue to be extremely reliable and abundantly convenient.

Finally, it's worth comparing the time and convenience of charging an EV to that of filling up a gasoline-powered car. One of the benefits of EVs is that they can be charged overnight, when the car is not in use, eliminating the need to make a separate trip to a fueling station. However, the time it takes to fully charge an EV can still be much longer than the time it takes to fill up a gasoline-powered car. For multi-dwelling residents, an overnight charge is simply not available.

For example, a fast-charging station can typically charge an EV battery to 80% in about 30 minutes, while a full charge can take several hours. This is in stark contrast to a gasoline fill-up, which can be completed in just a few minutes.

In conclusion, the lack of charging infrastructure in multi-family dwellings is a major challenge to widespread adoption of EVs. Cities and governments must work together with private companies to provide more charging options for residents, and car manufacturers must continue to develop innovative charging solutions that can be used in these types of dwellings. Until the charging infrastructure is in place, and technology improves charging times, the EV revolution will continue to face headwinds--residents of multi-family dwellings will face the biggest challenge of adopting EVs.

__________

Paul Salzman is an enthusiast of the automotive industry and general technology. Check out his other ramblings on LinkedIn or Medium.