Real estate managers are “plugging in”
to the developing electric vehicle (EV) marketplace, trying
to determine how their businesses might be impacted
by mass production of electric cars and eventual public
demand for EV plug-in charging stations.
“Commercial real estate is going to be affected by
electric vehicles; it’s just a question of when,” said Bob
Best, executive vice president and product lead for Jones
Lang LaSalle’s Energy and Sustainability Services division.
Considering the newness of the technology, though,
and the fact that electric car sales have yet to surge,
real estate managers have many questions regarding
the investment and logistics involved with installing EV
charging stations—devices that connect to electric cars
through a power cord and connector plug, charging cars
with electricity from a power grid.
Even though concerns exist, this potential emerging
trend should not be ignored, said Angela Phillips, CPM,
and owner, broker and CAM manager at Dependable
Property Management, in Satellite Beach, Fla.
DRIVING CHANGE
In 2009, the Department of Energy (DOE) increased
consumer awareness of electric vehicles by awarding $2.4
billion to organizations developing electric vehicles and
EV infrastructure.
More specifically, the DOE awarded a $99.8 million
grant to ECOtality—a company focused on clean, electric
transportation and storage technologies—to undertake
