There is no denying that electric vehicles (EVs) are the topic of many a conversation these days. A quick internet browser search of “electric vehicles” will turn up articles from manufacturers, automakers, associations, and more. The focal point of many of these conversations revolves around the $1.2-trillion infrastructure bill that President Biden signed into law in November 2021. Specifically impacting the electrical industry is $7.5 billion of the bill that has been earmarked toward building a nationwide network of EV chargers. With auto manufacturers making sizable investments to convert a large portion of their production to EVs, some having ambitious goals to be producing most or all vehicles as EVs in the next 10 to 15 years, the creation of a charging infrastructure is going to be critical to keep Americans on-the-go.
Call to action
It is hard to imagine a time when there wasn’t a gas station on nearly every corner in the United States. From the first gas station in the United States being established in St. Louis in 1905, we have grown to the present day with a gas station almost everywhere you look. With the rapid-moving shift in auto manufacturers’ production to EVs, we don’t have 100 years to build the infrastructure that will be needed to support them.
As an electrical industry, we are being called upon to build an EV charging infrastructure that is functional, sustainable, and installed based on current codes to produce the safest possible installation that protects all consumers. The backbone behind this infrastructure will be based upon the installation of the EV chargers themselves. While electric utilities will play a large role by providing power to the chargers, a heavy lift will be placed on the electrical contractors who will install the projected 500,000 chargers needed by 2030.
Types of chargers
Currently, EV chargers can be broken down into three categories: Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast Charging (DCFC), which can also be referred to as Level 3 (see Table below).
Level 1 chargers operate at 120V and are commonly provided with the EV itself. These chargers often remain onboard the vehicle and can serve almost like a “portable gas can” that provides the ability to charge the vehicle in a pinch. While Level 1 chargers certainly can be utilized within the home, it is more common for EV owners to have a Level 2 charger installed at their residence, often within the garage. Level 2 chargers operate seven to eight times faster than Level 1 chargers and can supply a full charge to an EV overnight.
Aside from being installed in homes, Level 2 chargers are also regularly installed within public areas. Based on 2020 data, 85% of the chargers installed within the United States were Level 2. Based on our fast-moving nation, the speed of DCFC chargers will likely drive a large amount of them to be used within the EV infrastructure. Since DCFC chargers use t-phase power (commonly 480V) they are going to be found in public charging areas that have an electrical service capable and designed to meet that need. Regardless of the type of charger being installed, it is important that it is done in a manner that meets the current requirements of NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC®).
EVs and the NEC
Within the NEC, EVs are no stranger to change. The pages of the 1996 NEC first brought us Art. 625, then known as “Electric Vehicle Charging System Equipment.” While the submission to create Art. 625 acknowledged that there were random areas throughout the NEC containing information that would assist with installing equipment that was EV-related in nature, the goal was to have a dedicated Article that would put much of the necessary information in one place. The substantiation for the submission stated, in part, that “The intent of this proposed Article for electric vehicle charging, therefore, is to provide necessary safety requirements for electric vehicle charging in one convenient location within the 1996 National Electrical Code.” The derivation of Art. 625 in its roots is what needs to be utilized when creating the present-day EV infrastructure.
Technology and knowledge are constantly moving targets, and with that movement comes change. As can be expected, the past 25 years have brought about change to Art. 625. Post-1996, the next several cycles of the NEC saw changes to Art. 625 that helped shape how we see it today. Many changes were structural and editorial in nature, as well as creating definitions that aligned with EV installations.
As part of the 2005 NEC, a new Section was added (at that time Sec. 625.26), which first mentioned EVs being utilized as a part of an interactive system using bidirectional power feeds. This change acknowledged that not only do EVs consume power, but they also have the ability to supply power back to an interactive system. Therefore, from a technology and EV usability standpoint, this change was very impactful.
The 2017 NEC saw another technology-based change within Art. 625 that is likely to be utilized more in the coming years. In this cycle, wireless power transfer (WPT) was introduced as a Part IV Wireless Power Transfer Equipment. These changes gave direction on how wireless charging of EVs was to be done per the NEC.
During 2020 revisions to the NEC, Art. 625 was renamed “Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System” in part to recognize the addition of power export equipment and bidirectional current flow equipment. Article 625 was no longer just about charging – as it had grown through the years to become more about power transfer, in both directions.
Change and the NEC are inevitable, yet necessary, components. Constant evaluation of the available technologies and best practices is necessary to ensure the safest installations possible. As this article is being written, the 2023 NEC is making its way through the standards development process (currently in the second draft stage). Some of the proposed changes being considered address how branch circuits and disconnects for electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) are to be installed. Branch circuits and disconnects are foundational pieces to the 500,000 EV chargers that will be installed as part of the new infrastructure. Yet, therein lies a dilemma.
The most recent changes within the NEC are only enforceable when current codes are being used. As of Jan. 1, 2022, there were 14 states enforcing the 2020 NEC, which is the most current version, and another 10 states that have the updating process to the 2020 NEC underway. Even with the states working through the process being included, less than half of the United States is using the most current version of the NEC. How do we build a functional, sustainable, and safe nationwide EV infrastructure possible if everyone involved isn’t using the same requirements? With $7.5 billion in taxpayer funds being utilized (and the critical timeline for getting the EV infrastructure in place), alignment is crucial. That calls on legislators to expedite the use of the most current codes in their areas, governmental agencies that write the EV infrastructure contracts to require the use of the most current codes, regardless of area, or both.
Moving forward
Building the nation’s EV infrastructure requires alignment; however, at the same time we must remain nimble on our toes and adaptable to further change. Another developing means of EV charging that may find its way into the EV infrastructure is being explored in Michigan.
Circa 1909 in Detroit, also known as the “Motor City” due to being the automotive capital of the world, Woodward Avenue became the first paved road in the United States. Now, Michigan is looking to incorporate the first-ever electrified road capable of wirelessly charging EVs — yet another example of developing technology that could become a component of building the EV infrastructure.
Whether you are an engineer, utility, manufacturer, contractor, electrician, or inspector, the nation is calling on the electrical industry to shoulder the huge task of creating a nationwide EV infrastructure in a short time frame — and with ever-changing technology. But this is what we do every day. Through knowledge, ingenuity, drive, and lacing up our boots daily, we turn enormous asks into lasting realities. Our time is now – let’s answer the call.
Important Notice: Any opinion expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the official position of NFPA or its Technical Committees. In addition, this piece is neither intended (nor should it be relied upon) to provide professional consultation or services.
Corey Hannahs is a senior electrical content specialist at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He can be reached at [email protected].
