Developers ‘charge’ ahead with infrastructure for electric cars

Many residential developments in Manhattan now offer charging stations
for electric cars, but the majority of them go unused, according to
the New York Times.

In recent years, apartment buildings such as 1510 Lex, the Solaire,
the Verdesian and the Visionaire have all incorporated charging stations into
their parking garages. But developers say the charging stations are
largely left unused.

“They’re not frequently used, to be honest with you,” Michael Gubbins,
vice president at the Albanese Organization told the Times. “And it’s
more transient users than your New York-based residents.”

But that could soon change, as a number of car companies roll out
electric cars in 2012. Developers and manufacturers predict an uptick
in the use of electric cars, which would put buildings with the
stations at an advantage.

The Seward Park Cooperative in Lower Manhattan, for example, has
introduced a building-wide car-sharing program to introduce residents
to environmentally friendly cars. The co-op installed four charging
stations on its property, two exclusively for residents and two open
to the public.

If developers aren’t yet installing charging stations, many are
thinking ahead, incorporating infrastructure in their projects to make
adding them easier in the future. [NYT]