Gov. Moore encourages landlords to install more charging stations for EVs

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Apartment dwellers in Maryland face too many barriers to buying electric vehicles (EVs) because of a lack of charging infrastructure, according to authorities in Montgomery County who are promoting financial incentives to get more property managers to install chargers. An analysis of car registration data found that at least 25,000 EVs are now on the road in Montgomery County. 

“We have to make sure people can go and know that they can hit a charging station just as easily as they can hit a gas station," said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore Thursday during a visit to the Woodvale Apartment community in the Briggs Chaney section of Montgomery County. 

Woodvale installed a bank of chargers six months ago with the assistance of the Montgomery County Green Bank, a nonprofit corporation that provides subsidized financing for renewable energy and efficiency infrastructure to county residents and businesses.

“This made my decision [to buy] this car," Woodvale resident Ryan  St. Martin told the governor as the two stood by St. Martin's new Tesla. "If it wasn’t for this, I would have a gas car at this point.”

Moore stood with Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and said the county is a leader in EV adoption by focusing on charging infrastructure. Elrich's administration has also cleared permitting hurdles for residents who want to install chargers in front of homes.

Montgomery County has more electric vehicles registered to residents than any other jurisdiction in Maryland. There are about 800 public chargers at 300 sites, according to Brian Booher, a zero emissions vehicle planner for the county's Department of Environmental Protection.

But charging at apartment complexes is lagging, county officials said. 

Booer said only six apartment complexes have applied for Green Bank financing assistance to install chargers. Property Manager Jeffrey Shinensky of Orlo Property Managment and Investments, which owns Woodvale, predicts that will increase quickly. 

"It's becoming the next amenity that people want," Shinensky said. "People want to plug in their cars and in Montgomery county its one the few places that has a functional green bank that will work with you for what you need.”

The Montgomery County Green Bank is a taxpayer and private foundation supported nonprofit corporation with funding sources including the county's energy tax revenue and grants from private foundations such as the General Motors Climate Equity Fund, according to Elrich and the bank's website. Green Bank offers 100% short-term financing at 0% interest for the charging stations.  Almost all of the loan is paid back with rebates and subsidies, and the bank does most of the paperwork to recover the funds.

Thirty-four percent of Montgomery County residents live in rental units, according to U.S. Census data.