Welcome!
How do you install a charging station in an apartment building with a shared, underground parking? And how do you get co-owners without electric cars on board with this story?
At Blink Charging we know: especially that second question is the challenge. Elias Van Dijck, EV transition expert at Blink, shares his insights on working with syndics and HOAs.
I received this answer in 2024 from a syndic, after a month of intensive consultation. It perfectly illustrates how our collaboration with HOAs and syndics went at the time: slow, awkward and full of miscommunication.
And that is very understandable. Electric charging was new, and the questions about charging in a communal parking lot were endless. How safe is it? How do I only pay for my own consumption and not for that of my neighbor? And does the building have enough power for this?
As an EV transition expert at Blink Charging, I have been supporting co-owners with these and other questions for years. So I am the ideal person to look back and forward to our charging solution for HOAs and syndics. Here we go!
When electric charging still seemed futuristic to most people, Blink Charging was already working on it. In 2011, we installed our first public charger in Belgium. Blink's mission: to give every EV driver access to easy electric charging. Including apartment owners, who share a parking space.
When that charging need started to arise among apartment residents, we immediately got to work. We spoke to residents who wanted a private charging station and to syndics and VMEs who were looking for an overarching solution.
In 2017, our first charging solutions for apartments were a fact. I think I can speak for my colleagues with a clear conscience: every installation in a shared parking lot was a serious challenge. The market was new, the technology was changing rapidly and the legislation was unclear.
To be honest: the desire to give up was sometimes great. But that went against our mission. So we seized the opportunity to learn. In this way, we found a solution for three recurring obstacles quite quickly.
Anyone who wants to charge needs electricity. Apartment residents are connected to the building's electrical system. How do you split the extra consumption for EV charging? The first reflex: private chargers on private meters.
That quickly turned out to be a no-go. Separate meters are still connected to the main meter of the building, and therefore to the available power. Are multiple residents charging at the same time? Then there is a risk of overload - and therefore also a risk of fire.
Fire safety is crucial in apartment buildings. That is why a separate distribution board with its own EAN code is the only solution. This way, charging stations end up on their own circuit, completely independent of the building's common connection.
💡 An EAN code is a unique identification for one specific gas or electricity supply point. By providing a separate supply point for EV charging, the building gets an extra EAN code, so that the charging stations end up on a separate power circuit.
A separate distribution board is therefore a must. But: who is going to pay for that? A logical move is to pass on the cost to the residents with a charging need. But what about residents who also want a charging station a few years later? Is an extra distribution board necessary, and above all – is there enough space to place it?
A better solution is to immediately buy a distribution board ‘for growth’, to which you can connect extra chargers later. But: who will pay for the extra cost? In short: the financial picture is unclear and provokes resistance from residents without EV.
EV driving is only gaining popularity, and a third of all homes in Flanders are apartments. That is why we thought it was high time in 2023 to bundle our learnings about charging in shared parking lots into one concrete model for HOAs and syndics.
The common thread in our insights? Residents are especially longing for peace of mind in the entire charging story. They find safety and transparency the most important. How can Blink offer that? And are there other needs and concerns that we should take into account? We entered into a dialogue with the three most important stakeholders: the syndic, the fire brigade and the co-owner.
When I say that I sometimes drove 1000 kilometers in one week, that is not a lie. In the research phase of our model I visited syndic offices almost every day. With a coffee (that caffeine was necessary) and a good chat, my colleagues and I mapped out their biggest concerns.
Syndics are concerned about the extra workload that comes with electric charging infrastructure. They lack the necessary knowledge about EV charging and fear difficult questions from their residents.
Underground electric charging raises safety questions. That is why we entered into discussions with the fire brigade. What were we already doing well? And where are the opportunities to give co-owners even more peace of mind?
Separate distribution board: check. That was already in our charging solution for HOAs. In addition, we now also offer a connection to the RWA system and install an emergency stop.
Through online campaigns we asked for input from apartment dwellers, with and without EV. What are their concerns?
Electric charging often causes tension within the HOA. Residents with an EV want to be able to charge in the shared parking, but co-owners without an EV do not want to contribute to the infrastructure. Understandable.
The common cost is therefore the stumbling block. You need a two-thirds majority at the General Meeting to adjust common parts.
We are now in 2025, and I can proudly say that the model is well received.
A few figures
⚡ 3 webinars on the HOA model with 100+ participants
⚡ More than 250 installed charging points
⚡ Direct contact with ± 1200 HOAs
Traditionally, an adjustment to the common areas requires a contribution from each resident. Because Blink invests in the infrastructure itself, this cost for the HOA is eliminated. Charging stations are only paid for by EV-driving residents (or their employer), as is the energy consumed.
We take over all administration and coordination from the syndic. In addition, we are ready with advice and we are happy to step in when a resident has a complex question. My colleagues and I are also happy to come to the General Meeting to clearly explain the model.
The model works, and that motivates us to roll it out further. Have all obstacles been removed? Not entirely. The vote at the General Meeting remains unpredictable, but that is beyond our control.
That is why I continue to write to syndics and drink coffee. I firmly believe in the model. And with the increasing popularity of electric driving, hopefully the support among HOAs will also grow. On to many more apartment residents who can easily charge their EV!
Ook met jou drink ik met veel plezier een koffie om vrijblijvend ons model toe te lichten.
Neem contact op via evandijck@blinkcharging.com en we zijn vertrokken!
