EV Charging for Apartment Complexes in California: What Property Managers Need to Know
Thirty-four percent of renters say they won't sign a lease at a property without EV charging access. For California apartment communities, the SCE Charge Ready program makes installation nearly free — while delivering a $28–$66/month rent premium per unit.
The Renter Demand Reality
EV ownership in California is growing faster than in any other state — 30%+ of new vehicles sold in California are zero-emission. Renters who drive EVs need somewhere to charge. When you can't provide that, they sign leases elsewhere. Learn more about our multifamily EV charging solutions and our Level 2 installation service.
The research on renter EV charging demand has been remarkably consistent across multiple studies:
34%
of renters won't sign without EV charging access
NMHC/Grace Hill
$28–$66
monthly rent premium per EV-enabled unit
National research
5–14%
of multifamily units currently have EV charging
Market estimate
30%+
of new cars sold in CA are zero-emission vehicles
CARB
The supply side is equally stark: only 5–14% of multifamily units currently have access to EV charging. The gap between supply and demand is widening every quarter as EV adoption accelerates. Properties that add EV charging today capture the premium now; properties that wait will need to catch up while competing against peers who already offer it.
The Math Is Unusually Simple
For California multifamily properties in SCE territory, the business case for EV charging is as straightforward as any property improvement gets:
This is an illustrative example, not a guaranteed outcome. Actual incentive availability depends on program funding levels, your property's eligibility, and current SCE and CALeVIP program status. Get a free site assessment to see what your specific property qualifies for.
California Laws Affecting Multifamily EV Charging
Requires California landlords to allow tenants to install EV charging in their parking space at the tenant's expense — and prohibits landlords from unreasonably withholding permission. The landlord can require the tenant to use a licensed electrician and carry insurance.
Why It Matters
If tenants are requesting EV charging and you're declining, AB 2565 may already require you to allow it. Getting ahead of this with a managed property-wide installation is cleaner operationally than managing ad-hoc tenant installs.
New construction multifamily buildings must include EV-ready electrical infrastructure — raceway, conduit, and panel capacity — for a percentage of parking spaces. Specific requirements vary by building type and year built.
Why It Matters
If you're managing a recently built property (2020+), you likely already have EV-ready conduit installed. Adding chargers is faster and cheaper than at older properties.
Requires California jurisdictions to approve EV charger permits within 20 business days of a complete application. This law makes permit timelines more predictable for multifamily projects.
Why It Matters
Permit delays are less of a risk factor in California than in other states. This law exists specifically to accelerate EV charging deployment.
The California Incentive Stack
Inland Empire commercial properties can stack three major incentive programs — in many cases reducing the effective cost of installation to near zero.
SCE Charge Ready
Make-ready infrastructure: trenching, conduit, panel upgrades, and electrical wiring to charger location.
For qualifying properties in SCE territory. Zero out-of-pocket for infrastructure.
CALeVIP Rebate
Per-charger rebate on Level 2 and DC fast charging equipment installed at commercial properties.
Stackable with SCE Charge Ready and federal tax credits.
30C Tax Credit
30% of total equipment and installation costs for commercial EV charging property.
For qualifying commercial properties and businesses. Consult your tax advisor.
Incentive eligibility depends on property type, location, and project scope. Contact us for a free assessment — we identify all programs you qualify for as part of every project.
Multifamily EV Charging — Common Questions
For a typical 50-unit multifamily property installing 10 Level 2 ports, gross costs before incentives run $30,000–$75,000 depending on electrical infrastructure condition and parking layout. With SCE Charge Ready covering make-ready infrastructure and CALeVIP providing up to $3,500 per charger, many qualifying properties in SCE territory bring net cost to near zero. The 30C federal tax credit covers 30% of any remaining cost. We model the full incentive stack in your free site assessment.
Yes. Network-enabled Level 2 chargers allow you to bill tenants per session or per kWh. You can set rates to recover electricity costs, recover equipment amortization costs, or run the service at breakeven. Most property management software can integrate with major network platforms (ChargePoint, Enel X, Autel) for billing. We configure the network platform as part of installation and can advise on billing structures.
No. A common starting approach for multifamily properties is 10–20% of spaces in Year 1, with EV-ready conduit infrastructure pre-run to 50–80% of spaces to enable future expansion without costly retrofits. CALGreen-compliant new construction often already has conduit stub-outs in place. We design phased deployment plans that match your current tenant demand while protecting against future expansion costs.
Load management (also called smart charging or power sharing) allows multiple chargers to share a single electrical circuit by automatically distributing available power across active sessions. For apartment communities where many residents may charge overnight simultaneously, load management lets you install more ports than your panel's raw capacity would allow — without an expensive panel upgrade. This significantly reduces installation costs in older multifamily buildings.
Research consistently shows a rent premium for EV-enabled units — $28–$66/month per unit in studies by NMHC and others. For a 100-unit property where 20 units use EV charging, that's $560–$1,320/month in incremental rent revenue — or $6,720–$15,840/year. At those numbers, a free or near-free installation via SCE Charge Ready pays back in rent premium within the first month of operation. That math is why multifamily EV charging is the fastest-growing segment in commercial EV infrastructure.
Ready to Add EV Charging to Your Property?
Gorgen handles everything from site assessment to installation. Get a free quote for your commercial property.
Get a Free Site AssessmentReady to Bring EV Charging to Your Property?
Gorgen handles everything from site assessment to installation. Get a free quote for your commercial property.
- Commercial-grade Level 2 and DC fast charger installation
- SCE Charge Ready eligible — $0 make-ready cost for qualifying properties
- Federal 30C tax credit covers 30% of installation costs
- Licensed C-10 Electrical Partners, EVITP certified, fully insured
- Serving all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties