Consumer warning: New York requires charging stations for electric vehicles in new buildings

ROCHESTER, NY – As electric vehicle sales decline, New York State is accelerating charging expansion with a recently passed law that requires new commercial properties, private homes and apartment complexes to have electric vehicle charging stations or parking spaces suitable for electric vehicles.

“If you live in a multi-unit development and you don’t have the ability to easily charge the vehicle because you don’t have your own Level 2 charger, that can be very difficult. So I think it’s a good idea to give more people who live in an urban area access to charging,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst at www.ISeeCars.com. “But that also means that it will significantly increase construction costs. On-site charging stations are not cheap.”

Single- to three-family homes with off-street parking, such as a driveway, must have at least one EV-capable parking space. Multi-family homes and commercial buildings must also have Level 2 charging stations and EV-capable parking spaces.

This law comes just as prices in the electric vehicle market are plummeting by 27%, or in some cases even more. According to experts at ISeeCars.com, prices for used electric vehicles have fallen so drastically that the average price of used electric vehicles is now lower than used gasoline cars.

Brauer explained the arguments for and against the law just passed in New York. People who say they won’t buy an electric car usually say there aren’t enough charging stations. This law is intended to solve that problem. However, Republicans argue that this will make building homes in New York more expensive.

“When it’s cold, charging slows down. If your car is already over 50 or 60 percent charged, that slows things down. I always want to make it clear to people that they are not being realistic when they think they can charge consistently for 20 minutes because that’s what they see in advertising and the advertising promises from charging companies,” Brauer said.

If you are looking for a used electric vehicle, Brauer says you need to consider whether the electric vehicle fits your lifestyle before purchasing.

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