The Cost of Installing EV Chargers in Apartment Complexes: What Property Managers Need to Know

May 20

2 min read

As electric vehicles go mainstream, more tenants are asking the same question: “Can I charge my EV where I live?”

For apartment owners and property managers, this demand presents both a challenge and a huge opportunity. Offering EV charging isn’t just about checking a sustainability box—it’s about staying competitive, increasing NOI, and boosting property value.

But the most common question we hear from multifamily stakeholders is simple:How much does it cost to install EV chargers at an apartment building?

In this post, we break down the true costs, how to reduce them, and why it’s more affordable than you think—especially when you choose the right technology.

Why EV Charging Is Now an Essential Amenity

Today’s renters are driving the future. In fact:

52% of renters under 45 say they’re considering an EV
EVs now account for nearly 10% of all new cars sold in California
Charging is one of the top three amenities requested in new apartment searches

In short, if your building doesn’t offer EV charging, it’s falling behind. But what does it take to get started—and what’s the cost?

The True Cost to Install EV Charging in Apartments

Here’s a high-level breakdown of the average cost per charger for traditional systems:

Installation Component	Traditional EVSE	Pando Smart Outlet
Hardware	$1,200–$2,500	$599
Electrical Panel Upgrade	$1,000–$3,000	Often not required
Trenching/Conduit Work	$1,000+	Reduced or eliminated
Labor & Permits	$500–$1,000	$500–$1,000
Software & Maintenance Contracts	$250–$500/year	$200/year

Total (Traditional EVSE): $4,000–$6,000 per portTotal (Pando Smart Outlet): ~$1500 per port

This difference is a game-changer for multifamily properties, especially when installing multiple chargers across dozens or hundreds of units.

Why Traditional EVSE Costs So Much

Most legacy EV charging stations—like pedestal-mounted chargers—were never designed for multifamily housing. They require:

Dedicated power for each unit
Expensive trenching or rewiring
Annual maintenance fees and vendor lock-in

This quickly adds up and makes scaling financially unsustainable.

How Pando Electric Cuts EV Installation Costs by 70%

At Pando, we created a smarter way to deploy Level 2 EV charging at apartments. Our Smart Outlet plugs into standard 240V infrastructure, requires no service contracts, and scales easily as adoption grows.

Here’s how we keep your project affordable:

Shared circuits with adaptive load management
No need for electrical panel upgrades in most cases
Compact hardware that mounts easily in garages or carports
Low-labor installs that avoid trenching, breaking concrete, or adding metering equipment