Modern Tenant Amenities: Direct-to-Tenant Billing for EVs

Tenant amenities have evolved over time—from wall-to-wall carpeting, trash compactors, and color TVs in lobbies to granite countertops, pre-wired internet, pet relief areas, and in-suite laundry. Where electric vehicle charging fits into this progression remains to be seen. However, with EVs making up 25% of new car sales in California—and likely an even higher percentage in the Bay Area—it’s clear we’ll find out soon enough.

With numerous options and companies competing for apartment owners' attention in the EV charging space, this article focuses on the direct-to-tenant billing approach. In this setup, charging power is drawn directly from tenants' electrical meters, allowing them to charge their vehicles on-site. This method keeps the property operator out of the payment process and enables income-qualified tenants to apply discounts like CARE or FERA to their electricity use.

This approach differs from the traditional shared charger model offered by providers like ChargePoint. With shared charging, tenants must wait for an available station, move their car, initiate a charging session via an app with credit card billing, and then relocate the car afterward to avoid idle fees—essentially playing a game of "musical cars." In contrast, direct-to-tenant billing simplifies the process: tenants simply plug in and charge without the hassle.

How to do I wire my existing apartment building?

Any electrician can connect tenant meters or subpanels to parking spots, making this a functional but somewhat limited solution in terms of flexibility.

At my company, we provide a switch box that enables flexible reassignment and easy management. As parking leases for electric vehicles change, chargers can be seamlessly reassigned to the corresponding meter. This solution is ideal for starter systems as well, allowing just a few parking spots to be wired initially while maintaining adaptability for future needs.

Is an electrical service upgrade required?

Probably not. With direct-to-tenant charging, cars are typically parked and charged slowly overnight when the building's power demand is low. Additionally, charging limits can be set to manage usage effectively.

However, certain older fire prone electrical equipment is unsuitable for expanded use, and a proper electrical inspection is crucial to identify existing weak spots.

Are there monthly fees?

The direct-to-tenant approach has no ongoing fees and no cellular or Wi-Fi connection is required or used.

Wrapping Up

There are a variety of solutions for EV charging as an amenity, but direct-to-tenant-meter is the way the State of California is moving the market: new apartment developments permitted after January 1st, 2026, with dedicated parking spots “shall be provided with a dedicated branch circuit connected to the dwelling unit’s electrical panel” (Cal Green §4.106.4.2.2)

What about just hanging a cord out the window?

A tenant EV can be charged from a regular household outlet such as using a cord hanging out their window. But having dedicated charging is safer and provides more effective charging experience.

Bryce Nesbitt, Obviously Inspects, is a property inspector, EV charging designer, and grant writer. He can be reached at 510-383-6663 or bryce2@obviously.com