Why Apartment Dwellers Are Being Left Behind in the EV Transition

The Story

Over a third of the U.S.population lives in multifamily housing without charging access.That.

Report: GM Allegedly Pumping The Breaks On Full-Size EVs Connie Peters Drives The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor Chinese Vehicle Content Rules Forcing Polestar Out of U.S. Next Year See Edits News Blog Electric vehicles Podcasts 857 Views Why Apartment Dwellers Are Being Left Behind in the EV Transition by Rob Hoffman | TTAC Creator (IC: ) Published: September 2nd, 2026 Share Over a third of the U.S. Population lives in multifamily housing without charging access. That’s a massive EV transition hurdle.

The Urban EV Podcast is about electric vehicle ownership in a city – and how that can be daunting when you don’t have access to a plug. We explore urban charging infrastructure along with the day-to-day experience and economics of public charging your vehicle in a big city.

A major theme is that EV adoption cannot become widespread if people living in apartments and condominiums cannot charge at home. Bordenave points out that more than one-third of Americans live in multifamily housing, where residents often share parking garages or park on the street. He argues that these residents — who are disproportionately lower income — risk being excluded from EV adoption if charging infrastructure isn’t available where they live.

The economics are also changing. Bordenave notes that EVs have historically been more expensive and that early adopters tended to have higher incomes, but used EV availability is increasing and more affordable new EVs are entering the market. He argues that lower-income consumers may actually benefit from EV ownership because the total cost of ownership can be lower than that of a gasoline vehicle.

Installing chargers in existing apartment buildings is considerably more complicated than putting a charger in a single-family garage. Many multifamily and commercial buildings are decades old and weren’t designed to accommodate dozens of EVs charging simultaneously.

Why It Matters

Next Year See Edits News Blog Electric vehicles Podcasts 857 Views Why Apartment Dwellers Are Being Left Behind in the EV Transition by Rob Hoffman | TTAC Creator (IC: ) Published: September 2nd, 2026 Share Over a third of the U.S.

CarMotion Daily’s Take

Electric momentum is uneven across the industry, and moves like this reshape how buyers compare EV lineups. Range, charging speed, and price still dominate EV shopping — every new entry forces competitors to either match or reposition. Watch for EPA range certifications and DC fast-charge benchmarks once independent tests land. Pricing tiers, software updates, and any regional trim adjustments will tell us how serious the launch intent is.