Key takeaways:
- Commercial EV charging projects often entail making modifications to existing parking structures.
- It’s important to preserve your ADA-compliant parking spaces and make sure EV charging equipment won’t affect accessibility.
- EVPlugz can help you plan for EV charging projects that keep your commercial property accessible.
If your business is open to the general public or has more than 15 employees, it may need to follow the rules outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The goal is to make sure people with disabilities can access your properties and use your amenities safely.
When adding EV charging to your commercial property, you should consider two things:
- Will the EV chargers affect accessibility and ADA-compliance?
- Should you offer ADA-compliant charging spaces?
In the following blog, you’ll learn more about ADA compliance and commercial EV charging.
What’s an ADA-Compliant Parking Space?
The number of accessible parking spaces you should offer goes up based on the size of your parking facility. For instance, if you have 25 parking spots, you should have at least one ADA-compliant spot, and if you have 50 parking spaces, two of them should be accessible.
These accessible spots need to meet a few requirements:
- Accessible car parking spaces must be at least 96 inches wide and have an adjacent access aisle at least 60 inches wide.
- The space and access aisle must have a stable, firm, slip-resistant surface with a slope no steeper than 1:48, or about 2.08%.
- Proper signage must identify the space as accessible.
- Van-accessible spaces must be either at least 132 inches wide with a 60-inch-wide access aisle or at least 96 inches wide with a 96-inch-wide access aisle.
Take a look at this official resource if you need a refresher on how ADA-compliant parking spaces are defined. Beyond making these parking spots accessible, you need to make sure there is a clear path from these spots to your main entrance.
How EV Charging Can Affect Accessible ADA Parking Spaces
Adding EV chargers to your parking facility means you’re adding more infrastructure, from signage or bollards. Make sure these new elements don’t get in the way of accessibility:
- Charging cables and cable slack: A cable stretched across an access aisle or sidewalk can make your building hard to access.
- Charger pedestals or equipment cabinets: Equipment installed inside the parking space, access aisle, or clear floor space can affect clearance around ADA-compliant parking spots.
- Bollards: Bollards protect charging equipment from vehicle impacts, but poor placement can limit accessibility.
- Curbs and raised equipment pads: New curbs, concrete pads, or changes in elevation can create barriers along an accessible route if they do not include an appropriate curb ramp or other accessible transition.
- Wheel stops: Wheel stops can interfere with wheelchair movement if they extend into the required access aisle or pedestrian path.
- Sidewalk and walkway obstructions: Charging equipment, signs, poles, landscaping, and utility boxes should not reduce the clear width of an accessible route.
If you don’t take accessibility into consideration when planning your project, you may face expensive reworks later.
Do You Need ADA-Compliant EV Charging?
It depends on your property, who can use the chargers, and the rules that apply to your project. Generally speaking, EV charging at public facilities, publicly available commercial properties, and certain workplace or multifamily sites may need to follow ADA rules.
When planning accessible EV charging, you should consider:
- Location: Accessible EV charging spaces should be placed close to an accessible route to the building entrance or destination. When possible, they should provide a similarly convenient route as other accessible parking spaces.
- Space and access aisle dimensions: The charger, pedestal, cables, bollards, wheel stops, and other equipment must not reduce the required width of the charging space, access aisle, or pedestrian route.
- Access to the charger: The access aisle should connect to a clear ground space at the charger without curbs, steps, steep slopes, cable hazards, or other obstacles.
- Accessible charger controls: Make sure users can easily access displays, payment systems, emergency controls, and other operable parts.
- Cable management: The charging cable should reach a vehicle inlet without stretching across an access aisle, sidewalk, or accessible path.
- Signage and markings: You should add signs to indicate where your EV chargers are, but make sure they don’t get in the way of signage for your ADA-compliant parking spots.
Lastly, adding EV chargers shouldn’t reduce the number of accessible spots. Offering ADA-compliant EV charging is great, but if you’re giving everyone access to these chargers, you’ll have to create alternative accessible parking spaces.
Plan for Accessible EV Charging With EVPlugz
You can offer accessible EV charging and prevent new infrastructure from getting in the way of accessibility with proper planning.
If you need help, EVPlugz is a local EV charger installer for commercial properties. We’re familiar with building departments across Central Florida and can help businesses navigate local ordinances, site requirements, and ADA accessibility for their EV charging project.
Contact EVPlugz today online or at +1 (321) 549 7002 to discuss an EV charging solution that supports your property’s accessibility goals and long-term charging needs.
FAQ
Do commercial EV charging stations need to be ADA-compliant?
It depends on the property, who can use the chargers, and which federal, state, and local requirements apply. Public facilities, publicly available commercial locations, and some workplace or multifamily charging projects may need to meet ADA accessibility requirements.
Can I install an EV charger in an existing ADA parking space?
You should not convert an existing accessible parking space into an EV charging space if doing so reduces the number of ADA-compliant spaces your facility is required to provide. If you modify an accessible space for EV charging, you may need to add a compliant replacement elsewhere.
How can charging cables affect ADA accessibility?
Charging cables can create barriers when they stretch across access aisles, sidewalks, curb ramps, or clear ground space around the charger. Proper charger placement and cable-management systems can help keep accessible routes clear.
