An EV, or electric vehicle, is a vehicle propelled at least partly by an electric motor using energy stored in a battery that is charged from the grid.
For parking, EVs matter because cars are refueled where they park. That turns stalls into charging places and garages into part of the electric grid, with new questions about power capacity, pricing, accessibility and utilization.
Types of EVs
- Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) run only on battery power and must be plugged in.
- Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) combine a smaller battery with a gasoline engine. See plug-in electric vehicle.
- Hybrids (HEVs) charge their small battery from the engine and braking and do not plug in.
What EVs change in parking
- Charging needs electrical capacity, conduit and panels. See EV capable, EV ready and EV installed.
- Charging speed should match dwell time. See EVSE and DC fast charging.
- Heavier vehicles and battery fire risk are prompting new design questions. See thermal runaway.
- Charging can be managed to avoid demand charges. See managed charging.
The Parkonomics view
EVs make parking operators into energy retailers whether they planned to or not. The facilities that do well will treat charging as a service with its own pricing and utilization targets, not as a stall with a cord.
Related terms: EVSE, Charger, Managed Charging, Charging Utilization, EV Ready, Plug-In Electric Vehicle, Internal Combustion Engine (ICE)