Legal professionals increasingly need to keep abreast of issues surrounding the rapidly proliferating electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on commercial properties. These infrastructures are appearing not only at dedicated charging facilities and automotive dealers but also at diverse places like apartment complexes, offices, hotels, shopping centers, entertainment venues, recreational sites, public parking lots, and even hospitals and other healthcare facilities. The breadth of their deployment brings to light a number of real property issues, some of which are not being thoroughly addressed.
This information comes as part of the top read material from Plugged In: An EV Newsletter Volume 1 No. 7, highlighting the legal residue that the surge in EV infrastructure might leave on the commercial property landscape. Legal professionals, especially those working with corporate clients owning or leasing commercial real estate, should be aware of potential property issues stemming from the installment of EV charging stations.
The increase in such cases can trigger an array of property law considerations from land use regulations to property line disputes, zoning laws, tenant, and landlord obligations – to name just a few. Not to mention the environmental law implications that EV infrastructure might bring about.
With such a vast landscape and a growing prevalence of EV charging stations, having a clear legal strategy can help navigate the associated real property issues. While some matters have already found their legal footing, others remain less addressed and can pose significant hurdles for both property owners and tenants.
Whether it’s a question of who takes responsibility for the installation and maintenance of these charging stations or how to regulate their usage and manage their impacts – the legal world is yet to catch up with the pace at which EV infrastructure is growing. Law firms and corporate legal departments would be wise to dedicate resources to understanding these emerging areas of property law as they have significant implications for the commercial real estate and automotive industries.