With gas prices rising, electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are hot commodities once again. According to Bloomberg News, the Chevy Volt posted record sales in March 2012 as gas prices hit their highest levels since 2008. Moreover, by 2020, some analysts project that EVs and PHEVs will account for 10 percent of all vehicles sold in the United States.
As more EVs and PHEVs hit the road, commercial properties will be uniquely impacted as tenants, shoppers and other building users will increasingly come to expect access to an EV charging station. Even if a commercial property resists voluntary changes, some local governments may require the installation of charging stations as a condition of land use approval. Commercial property owners would be wise to begin thinking about the challenges and opportunities associated with an EV charging network that will likely extend into their parking lots and garages. This article is intended to provide lawyers working with commercial property owners, parking lot owners and other parties interested in owning/operating EV charging stations with a primer on charging station technology, and the practical and legal issues associated with owning and hosting a station.
