San Francisco has introduced legislation to require all new buildings and parking structures to be 100% EV ready.
Under the 100 percent EV Ready ordinance all new residential and commercial buildings are to configure 10 percent of parking spaces to be “turnkey ready” for EV charger installation, and an additional 10 percent to be “EV flexible” for potential charging and upgrades. The remaining 80 percent of parking spaces will be “EV capable,” by ensuring conduit is run in the hardest to reach areas of a parking garage to avoid future cost barriers.
“San Francisco is working towards smart, long-term investments and policies that reduce pollution and make sense economically,” Mayor Lee said in a statement. “We are committed to continuing our leadership on fighting climate change. By improving access to electric charging citywide, San Francisco is accelerating our transition to a clean-energy transportation future.”
Existing buildings in San Francisco were not built to charge significant numbers of EVs, and while retrofitting is possible, it can be cost-prohibitive. A 2016 report revealed that including electrical infrastructure for EV charging in new construction can reduce costs by 75 percent or more, while making buildings more responsive to growing market demands.