July 2023
Industrial EV Charging Faces Infrastructure Challenges
From “CRE Struggles To Keep Pace As EV Industry Surges Toward $100B” – Bisnow
With the proliferation of electric vehicles, the days of Americans making trips to the gas station to fuel their vehicles are fading, ushering in a new era in which workplaces, stores and restaurants serve as the main provider of power, creating a new challenge and an opportunity for property owners.
What may seem like the simple addition of a few charging stations is actually a complex puzzle, weighing capital investment and incentives against potential profit and infrastructure needs against desired charging speeds.
Some properties will need significant upgrading to make them suitable, and there isn’t a standard model of who will pay for what when it comes to the tech. All the same, CRE is now partnering with EV specialists to make it happen.
Though her company doesn’t provide EV charging stations for trucks at its industrial properties yet, Hiffman Director of Property Management Operations Sarah Canella said that there is a lot of conversation about the infrastructure necessary to do so.
“There are a lot of items that still need to be ironed out,” Canella said.
“At industrial buildings, there are charging stations for tenants’ personal cars, but charging a heavy-duty truck is different, requiring a lot of upgrades to the power grids,” Canella said. “Still, it’s something that we can’t ignore. We have to be thinking about [it] as part of our ESG offerings that we’re building out for our clients and our tenants.”
About NAI Hiffman:
NAI Hiffman is one of the largest independent commercial real estate services firms in the US, with a primary focus on metropolitan Chicago, and part of the NAI Global network. We provide institutional and private leasing, property management, tenant representation, capital markets, project services, research, and marketing services for owners and occupiers of commercial real estate. To meet our clients’ growing needs outside of our exclusive NAI Hiffman territory, we launched Hiffman National, our dedicated property solutions division, which provides property management, project services, and property accounting services across the country. NAI Hiffman | Hiffman National is an award winning company headquartered in suburban Chicago, with more than 250 employees strategically located throughout North America.
About Hiffman National:
Hiffman National is one of the US’s largest independent commercial real estate property management firms, providing institutional and private clients exceptional customized solutions for property management, project management, property accounting, lease administration, marketing, and research. The firm’s comprehensive property management platform and attentive approach to service contribute to successful life-long relationships and client satisfaction. As a nationally bestowed Top Workplace, and recognized CRE award winner, Hiffman National is headquartered in suburban Chicago, with more than 250 employees nationally and an additional six hub locations and 25 satellite offices across North America.
