LAZ launches shared-power EV charging for apartment residents

Getting a charger installed in an apartment or condo often depends on something that has nothing to do with the parking space: whether the building's electrical capacity can take it. Upgrading that capacity can make the project expensive before a single electric vehicle (EV) plugs in. LAZ Parking and EverCharge are launching a service that tries to work within the existing limits instead.

The service, LAZ Multifamily EV Charging Powered by EverCharge SmartPower, is available across LAZ's US-wide footprint. EverCharge's SmartPower manages charging output in real time, based on how much electricity the vehicles need and how much power the site has available. The power is spread across the vehicles that are charging as demand changes, so a site can add more ports without adding more supply.

LAZ operates around 2.1 million parking spaces at 5,700 locations in the US and Canada. EverCharge, a wholly owned subsidiary of indiGOtech, which goes by GO, already runs more than 10,000 charging ports at over 1,000 apartment and condo properties, serving more than 50,000 registered drivers. LAZ says the venture expands its network to 25,000 ports across North America. The rollout will use EverCharge's EVO3 Level 2 chargers.

For residents, the gain is practical: more of them could plug in where they already park, with less need for costly electrical work. For property owners, it is a way to install more chargers within their current electrical limits. The companies say the approach can support up to five times as many charging ports on the same power supply, but that is their own figure, and the announcement gives no independent measurement to back it.

The announcement is also silent on several points. It sets no target or timeline for new apartment and condo installations, does not disclose resident charging prices, and does not name the first properties that will receive chargers. Beyond residential buildings, the companies plan to explore charging and battery swapping for commercial fleets, ride-hailing and delivery services, but no dates were given for those either.