Denver's new building code requires garages to support electric vehicles

[RobStark]

Denver's new building codes include a change aimed at making it easier — and cheaper — for more residents of the fast-growing city to charge electric vehicles at home.

Although opposed by homebuilders, the electric vehicle readiness requirement says new single-family homes and duplexes built in the city will need to have the right electrical wiring to support electric vehicle plugs in their garages. At the least, the new homes must have conduits leading to the electrical panel.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_29615729/new-garages-must-support-electric-vehicle-plugs-denver

 

[flankspeed8]

It is my opinion that this should be added to the national code as well. Plug-In is the future pure and simple.

 

[TexasEV]

Requiring conduit is a great idea. It future proofs the garage for whatever circuit may be needed later, but the homeowner with only ICE vehicles isn't paying for wiring he won't use. This is what our electrician recommended when we remodeled our house in 2011 and I was interested in an EV. He installed conduit and an empty junction box before the wall was completed. Then when we bought our Model S in 2013 he came back and installed a 50A breaker, 14-50 outlet, and ran the necessary wiring through the conduit that was in place.

 

[adiggs]

Requiring conduit is a great idea. It future proofs the garage for whatever circuit may be needed later, but the homeowner with only ICE vehicles isn't paying for wiring he won't use. This is what our electrician recommended when we remodeled our house in 2011 and I was interested in an EV. He installed conduit and an empty junction box before the wall was completed. Then when we bought our Model S in 2013 he came back and installed a 50A breaker, 14-50 outlet, and ran the necessary wiring through the conduit that was in place.

That's a person with vision!

 

[JER]

Good to hear. This kind of legislation is sorely needed.

 

[KJD]

Rob, That is a good article, Thanks for posting that.

Interesting to me that SLC was sited as an example of existing requirements for Multi-Family dwellings. It looks like it requires the installation of conduit on new construction, so that the wiring could be added easily afterward as needed. See page 4 of this document. (The post article linked to this one)

https://www.denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/696/documents/BuildingCode/2015_public_amendment_proposal_IRC_SectionR324_2_ElectricVehicleChargingOptions.pdf

 

[David99]

That is awesome! That's what we need.