Commercial Level 2 EV Charger Installation

Commercial Level 2 installation typically ranges from $2,500 to $8,000 per port for straightforward projects. More complex installations — those requiring panel upgrades, long conduit runs, or trenching — can run $10,000 to $20,000+ per port before incentives. With SCE Charge Ready (covering make-ready infrastructure) and CALeVIP (up to $3,500 per charger), many Inland Empire multifamily properties effectively receive chargers at near-zero out-of-pocket cost. We itemize all costs and identify every applicable incentive in your free site assessment.

A common starting point for multifamily properties is 10–20% of parking spaces in Year 1, with conduit infrastructure pre-installed to support 50–80% of spaces for future expansion. For retail and office properties, count seats or expected concurrent EV drivers during peak hours. We perform a demand analysis as part of every site assessment to give you a data-based recommendation rather than a rule of thumb.

SCE Charge Ready covers make-ready infrastructure costs — trenching, conduit, panel upgrades, and electrical wiring to the charger location. It does not cover the charger units themselves. For charger equipment, CALeVIP provides up to $3,500 per Level 2 unit. Combined, these two programs cover most of the total project cost for qualifying multifamily and commercial properties in SCE territory.

Most commercial Level 2 projects take 6–12 weeks from signed contract to energized chargers. The timeline is typically: site assessment (1 week) → permit application and review (2–4 weeks, per AB 1236 requirements) → materials procurement (1–2 weeks) → installation (1–3 days depending on scope) → final inspection and utility interconnection (1–2 weeks). We manage the entire timeline and handle all permit filings.

Networked chargers connect to a cloud platform that enables remote monitoring, usage reporting, per-driver billing, access control, load management, and utility demand response enrollment. For commercial properties — especially multifamily communities that need to bill individual tenants — networked chargers are the right choice. Non-networked chargers are simpler and cheaper but offer no billing, monitoring, or load management capability. We install both, but recommend networked for virtually all commercial applications.

Yes. Any 240V electrical installation in California requires a building permit. Under AB 1236, local jurisdictions must approve EV charger permits within 20 business days. We handle all permit applications, documentation, and coordination with local building departments and the utility as part of our standard installation service — you don't need to manage this yourself.

Yes. Smart load management (also called dynamic load balancing or power sharing) allows multiple chargers to share a single electrical circuit without overloading it. The system automatically allocates available power across active charging sessions. This is especially valuable for properties with limited panel capacity — you can install more charger ports without a panel upgrade by using networked chargers with built-in load management. We size and configure load-managed systems as part of our design process.