New rules may fuel construction of electric charging posts

Residential properties

Media have reported that many residential property companies have refused to allow electric car owners to install their own charging posts due to safety hazards.

Some residential properties don't have the power capacity for charging facilities. Installing charging posts could be potentially dangerous.

Considering the safety issues in residential properties, Beijing is motivating commercial properties to facilitate NEV charging.

The director of the Beijing municipal science and technology commission Yan Aoshuang said that several shopping malls in the CBD area already offer public charging posts in their parking lots, and that the government is encouraging more shopping malls to do the same.

The commission is also working to convert street lamps into charging posts. Eighty-eight street lamps in Changping district were upgraded to LEDs and the reserved power can be used to charge more than 10 NEVs at the same time.

A pure electric taxi driver in Beijing said: "I won't use the public charging posts in those parking lots as the cost is unacceptable. I have to drive far from home to find those without parking fees."

He said he cannot afford the two or three hour parking fees to get the car fully charged. The parking fees are at least 5 yuan or 6 yuan per hour, with some even costing 10 yuan an hour or more.

Some NEV owners use wiring boards to charge their cars through their home power outlets. Pangda Automobile Trade Co has produced extended charging lines to help electric car owners wholive on higher floors to access power in their homes.