URBAN AND CURB/PARKING STRIP CHARGING

Description:  Modify laws and regulations to make it easier to permit and install curb side or off-street electric vehicle charging.  Most residential area street lighting is 110/220, while a lot of the arterial lighting is higher voltage and a bit more problematic.  Generally, the main problem is policy and regulations, not technical.  Questions that would need to be addressed include:  1) How do you meter it and collect payment? (Giving away publicly generated power is considered a gift of public funds, which is not allowed), 2) Who owns and maintains the equipment? And 3) How do you regulate the parking spaces?

Why This Should Be Supported:  There are many households that don’t have access to charging at work or at home.  They generally live in multi-family dwellings without a garage or parking, or they live in single family homes that do not have garages.  They must currently charge at public charging stations which are not necessarily convenient or plentiful.  Allowing curbside and off-street charging would make it possible for more people to own an electric vehicle.

Options: 

  1. Create a simple, low-cost charging permit system with placards and signs.
  2. Encourage EV Car2Go, Uber and taxi fleets.
  3. Encourage EV ownership with pole charging in residential areas

Estimated State Costs:  $0 (probably none at the State level)

Legislative Summary: