Should the owner of an electric vehicle supply/service equipment station set a time limit on how long a resident can charge their car at the station — and should they charge for the service?
Both are good questions as municipalities prepare for a new world of EV charging stations. And there are no clear-cut answers.
While there’s certainly money to be made, some EVSEs may find providing the service for free could bring in more customers to patronize their business, be a way to provide a benefit to employees and customers, or just be something good for the environment, state officials say.
There’s clearly a lot to think about when it comes to EV stations. That’s why the Governor’s Office released a guidebook Tuesday that it said will give municipalities a blueprint to become “Electric Vehicle Ready.” It includes everything from implementing the statewide electric vehicle supply/service equipment ordinance to streamlining the permitting process and installing charging stations for fleet or public use.
The state said “Charge Up Your Town — Best Management Practices to Ensure Your Town is EV Ready” is a comprehensive guide that walks communities through the process to enhance EV accessibility for all.
To read the guide, click here.
The state said the guide provides easy-to-understand descriptions of the various types of charging stations, power outputs, costs and electrical supply needs that will enable towns to pick the best charging station for their particular use case. Guidance on where to install signs, whether to put a time limit on charging and whether to charge usage fees are just three of the topics covered. Alleviating range anxiety by increasing the density and proximity of charging stations will give residents the confidence to drive electric.
The Best Management Practices guide, combined with numerous financial incentives, regulations and policies, is paving the way for EV adoption in New Jersey.
The document is a joint project of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Board of Public Utilities, with additional contributions from Sustainable Jersey, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Planning Organization.
As part of its commitment to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, New Jersey is implementing a suite of strategies to increase the number of EVs on the road and ensure sufficient public EV charging infrastructure. Municipalities are at the core of this effort. A significant percentage of EV charging stations installed throughout the state will be overseen by municipal officials, and the new guide is designed to help facilitate that process.
Municipalities can anticipate being asked to review EV charging station applications from homeowners, landlords, developers and third-party installers in the near and long term.
Numerous public officials weighed in on the value of the guide and EVs:
- Gov. Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA commissioner: “We’ve seen a great amount of interest from New Jersey municipalities in electric vehicles after the implementation of the statewide municipal ordinance this past September. With this guide, we are equipping towns with a roadmap to help develop cost-effective EV charging infrastructure. Taking these steps is part of our administration’s larger strategy to help the state meet its climate goals for achieving 100 percent clean energy by 2050.”
- Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette: “New Jersey’s local governments are essential players in the work to electrify our transportation sector — the largest source of climate pollution in the Garden State. Our DEP is thrilled to share this new ‘one-stop’ resource with municipalities. It will ease the pathway to an electric vehicle future across our communities as we improve local air quality and health outcomes for our neighbors.”
- NJBPU President Joseph Fiordaliso: “New Jersey municipalities have an incredible opportunity to lead the way on clean energy and electric vehicles, and we are committed to assisting them every step of the way. By working together with our sister agencies and local governments, we can electrify our transportation sector to reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality, especially in our most overburdened communities, as we strive for Gov. (Phil) Murphy’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2050.”
