EV chargers to be required in all new Palo Alto homes

Encouraging people to go green isn’t good enough in Palo Alto. As one of the tech centers of the world, it should come as no surprise that their intention is to mandate environmental and technological common sense.

The City Council of Palo Alto, Calif. has voted in favor of a proposal that would require all new homes to be built with a Level 2 EV charger installed.

While the chargers are sure to go unused in many homes, the proposal, being spearheaded by Mayor Greg Scharff of Palo Alto, to include Level 2 EV chargers in homes is about future proofing the city. The cost to include the chargers during the construction process is estimated to add $200 to the cost of a new home while retrofitting a home with the technology is estimated to cost $800 or more.