California will require EV charging for all new residential units in 2026
California’s new building codes will require EV chargers in most new overnight parking spots starting in 2026, going a big way towards solving the only actual problem with EVs.
One of the main benefits of an electric vehicle is in the convenience of owning and charging the car. Instead of having to go out of your way to fuel it, you just park it at home, in the same place it spends at least 8 hours a day, and you leave the house every day with a full charge.
But this benefit only applies to those with a consistent parking space which they can easily install charging at – like a garage or a driveway, or perhaps a charger at work. When talking about owners who live in apartment buildings, it can sometimes get more complicated.
While certain states have passed “right to charge” laws to give apartment-dwellers a solution for home charging, apartment charging is nevertheless a bit of a patchwork solution so far.
But in California a fix is about to come, in the form of new building codes with sweeping EV charging requirements, ensuring that a huge percentage of new parking spots in California will have to be ready for EV charging.
New building codes mean huge increase in charging points
California building codes already required a lesser percentage of units to be “EV ready,” depending on the size of the development. But now, the new rules require at least one charger per unit, in most cases.
For any new unit with a parking space in a multi-family development (apartments/condos), at least one of the parking spots must be “EV Ready.” An EV Ready space is defined as having at least a 240V/20A outlet or charger for EV charging, either with a standardized outlet (NEMA 6-20, 14-30 or 14-50) or a J1772 or J3400 (NACS) charger.
However, EV ready spaces are allowed to share power between them, as we saw in one recent condo project we highlighted, as long as the system can provide a minimum of 3.3kW simultaneously to each unit. That project happened with a final cost of $405/space, though that was after a $2k/space incentive from the utility – still, quite cheap to wire up an entire apartment complex.
If the parking space is the unit’s own space, the new rules say it should be on a separate circuit wired to that unit’s electrical panel “when feasible” (a phrase that will likely do some heavy lifting in power-sharing situations). If the space is shared, then at least one EV ready space needs to exist per unit. If there are more parking spaces than there are units, at least 25% of the excess need to be EV ready (and there are options for individual cities to increase this requirement).
But the rules go on from there – beyond multi-family developments, they also apply to hotels. A new hotel or motel must have 65% EV-ready parking spaces, with an option for cities to increase that requirement to 100%.
Even non-residential parking lots have new EV requirements. 20% of spaces in any commercial, office or retail lot must be EV ready, with an option for cities to increase the requirement to 30% or 45%. In these cases though, property owners can install DC fast charging to get “extra credit” and reduce the number of lower-powered spaces required.
Presumably, this will incentivize an increase in the number of public DC charging spaces, which should make DC charging on the road just that much easier (even though it’s already pretty easy in California).
Finally, the rules don’t just apply to entirely new developments, but to any added parking on an existing development. Any time a parking space is added or altered in a way that requires a building permit, that space must be EV ready.
This last point is important – not only do new developments get covered by the codes, but we’ll gradually see older developments having to add EV charging as time goes on and they make renovations or improvements. This includes new solar canopy parking projects, which are required to add chargers, but doesn’t include retrofits of existing parking lots that add level 1 charging – they’re exempted from the minimum 240v/20a/3.3kW service requirements.
A positive reaction from advocacy groups
We spoke to a number of organizations about these changes, and everyone seems quite happy. Peninsula Clean Energy, a utility in the SF Bay Area, said the new rules are a “HUGE win,” highlighting how the success of local building codes (like Bay Area Reach Codes) helped push the state to ramp up from its previous incremental approach in setting regulations.
PCE highlighted that the “advocacy community” pushed hard for these regulations – namely, the EV Charging for All Coalition, who were the first to bring this news to our attention. EVCAC consists of EV advocates and environmental organizations who realized that building codes were a relatively underfocused area where a lot of progress could be made, and started pushing the state to accelerate improvement of its codes.
We talked to Sven Thesen, one of EVCAC’s co-founders, who highlighted that a “small group of dedicated individuals” were able to stand up against the glacial pace of change and resistance from the building industry “to get something much faster out there that needed to be out there. And it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Thesen highlighted that while this is a strong goal, it’s not excessive – the focus was on right-sizing installations, allowing for lower-power Level 2, power-sharing, and Level 1 retrofits to ensure that everyone has a charging option, but that systems aren’t oversized.
The new rules were finalized in a unanimous vote Tuesday, and will go into effect at the start of 2026 – just over a year away. And all of this can’t come soon enough – given that California also wants to ensure that all new cars have a plug as early as 2035, building codes like these need to be in place ahead of time so there’s time for them to percolate through the housing stock and make sure those EVs will have a place to charge.
Electrek’s Take
I’ve long said that charging for people who don’t own their own parking space is the only real problem with EVs. The last time I said it was in the story of a condo complex that covered all of its parking spots with charging.
In that story, I said “and, frankly, we also need legislation/building codes to hop in and require this sort of thing.” And here we are, two weeks later, and I got exactly what I asked for. Well ain’t that just a Merry freakin’ Christmas!
One note on cost: while I’m rarely sympathetic to the desires of big residential developers, who seem pathologically opposed to any sort of minimum guidelines for construction and always looking to cut corners (often putting them at odds with the state of California), it is true that California is an expensive place to build, and that’s not a problem we want to contribute more to.
But what’s great about these codes is that while they do require minimum standards, they seem open to allowing some flexibility on feasibility. A strict requirement of a certain amount of power per unit, each set up on a separate circuit, would likely still be a drop in the bucket for new developments in already-expensive California – but making lower-power installations possible, especially for existing developments without triggering new-build requirements, is a great middle ground.
So I’m in agreement with Thesen from the EVCAC that these codes strike the right balance of ensuring minimum standards for EV charging while also keeping costs reasonable and not unduly burdening multi-family developments – which are something that California desperately needs. There’s a lot of low-density, car-dependent areas in California, and we don’t want to make it too hard to build higher density neighborhoods, so we can hopefully start working towards more walkability and less car dependence.
But the codes also include some measures to help in that respect – by adjusting requirements for bicycle parking. Instead of basing bike rack requirements on motor vehicle traffic, the rules now base them on square footage, which helps to decouple these rules from their current car-centric mentality. It also eliminates an exception which allowed developments to get out of offering bike parking.
Between these two moves, it should go a long way towards solving the one real problem with EVs.
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Capable of delivering up to 1,200 kW of power to get electric commercial trucks back on the road in minutes, the new ABB MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System is part of an ecosystem of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that ABB’s bringing to this year’s ACT Expo.
ABB E-mobility is using the annual clean trucking conference to showcase the expansion of its EVSE portfolio with three all-new charger families: the field-upgradable A200/300 All-in-One chargers, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty vehicles shown (above), and the ChargeDock Dispenser for flexible depot charging.
The company said its new product platform was built by applying a computer system-style domain separation to charger design, fundamentally improving subsystem development and creating a clear path forward for site and system expansion. In other words, ABB is selling a system with both future-proofing and enhanced dependability baked in.
“We have built a system by logically separating a charger into four distinct subsystems … each functioning as an independent subsystem,” explains Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “Unlike conventional chargers, where a user interface failure can disable the entire system, our architecture ensures charging continues even if the screen or payment system encounters issues. Moreover, we can improve each subsystem at its own pace without having to change the entire system.”
The parts of ABB’s new EVSE portfolio that have been made public so far have already been recognized for design excellence, with the A400 winning the iF Gold Award and both the A400 and C50 receiving Red Dot Design Awards.
New ABB chargers seem pretty, good
ABB says the systemic separation of its EVSE enhances both reliability and quality, while making deployed chargers easier to diagnose and repair, in less time. Each of the chargers’ subsystems can be tested, diagnosed, and replaced independently, allowing for quick on-site repairs and update cycles tailored to the speed of each systems’ innovation. The result is 99% uptime and a more future-proof product.
“The EV charging landscape is evolving beyond point products for specific use cases,” continued Halbherr. “By implementing this modular approach with the majority of our R&D focused on modular platforms rather than one-off products … it reduces supply chain risks, while accelerating development cycles and enabling deeper collaboration with critical suppliers.”
Key markets ABB is chasing
- PUBLIC CHARGING – with the award winning A400 being the optimal fit for high power charging from highway corridors to urban locations, the latest additions to the A-Series All-in-One chargers offer a field-upgradable architecture allowing operators to start with the A200 (200kW) with the option to upgrade to 300kW or 400kW as demand grows. This approach offers scalability and protects customer investment, leading to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings over 10 years.
- PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FLEET – the new Charge Dock Dispenser – in combination with the already in market available HVC 360 – simplifies depot charging with a versatile solution that supports pantograph-, roof-, and pedestal charging options with up to 360kW of shared power and 150m/490 ft installation flexibility between cabinet and dispensers. The dispenser maintains up to 500A output.
- HEAVY TRUCKS – building the matching charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles and fleets represents a critical innovation frontier on our journey to electrify transportation. Following extensive collaboration with industry-leading truck OEMs, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System delivers up to 1,200kW of continuous power — 20% more energy transfer than 1MW systems — providing heavy-duty vehicles with purpose-built single-outlet design for the energy they need during mandatory driver breaks. To support other use cases, such as CCS truck charging, a dual CCS and MCS option will also be available.
- RETAIL – the award winning C50 Compact Charger complements the family as the slimmest charger in its category at just 9.3 inches depth, optimized for convenient charging during typical one-hour retail experiences. With its large touch display, the C50 takes the award-winning A400 experience even further — setting a new standard for consumer experience and very neatly echoing our own take on that “Goldilocks” timing zone for commercial charging.
ABB says that the result of its new approach are chargers that offer 99% plus uptime — a crucial statistic for commercial charging operations and a key factor to ensuring customer satisfaction. The new ABB E-mobility EVSE product family will be on display for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) in Anaheim, California next week, then again at Power2Drive in Munich, Germany, from May 7-9.
Electrek’s Take
The ACT Expo is one of – if not the most important sustainable trucking event in North America, featuring all the big names in heavy trucks, construction equipment, material handling, infrastructure – even Tier 1 suppliers. Mostly, though, it’s many fleet buyers’ only chance to test drive these zero emission trucks before writing a big PO (which just makes it even more important).
Electrek will be there again this year, and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from press events and product reveals as it happens.
SOURCE | IMAGES: ABB E-mobility.
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Along with Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-based ultralight aircraft company Whisper Aero has secured a $500,000 grant to help advance the company’s innovative electric jet motor concept off the drawing board and onto the testing phase.
Earlier this month, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced plans to award $500,000 to Tennessee Tech and Whisper Aero through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.
“We look forward to using these award dollars to place students in internships working directly with Whisper Aero leaders,” said Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham. “By learning from an electric propulsion innovator like Whisper Aero, our students will gain invaluable perspective and can take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it right here in Tennessee.”
The grant will see a Whisper Aero glider fitted with a pair of the company’s eQ250 electric-powered jet “propulsors” for UltraQuiet flight. Tennessee Tech faculty and students will carry out copper-bird ground testing to ensure the safe integration of engines, batteries, and controllers, and kickstart Tennessee Tech’s new Crossville Mobility Incubator.
Those propulsors, by the way, are super cool.
Whisper Aero’s main claim to fame is its innovative UltraQuiet WhisperDrive (above). It’s effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly. As such, the “blade passage frequency” moves up to more than 16,000 Hz – outside the range of most human hearing but not, supposedly, high enough to freak out the beagles.
The Whisper Aero ultralight is effectively an Aériane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust. The Ultralight has a wingspan of over 40 ft with a maximum L/D of 35:1 and can be stressed to a design loading of +6/-4g, making it capable of some pretty impressive acrobatic feats.
The Swift3 glider is designed for a low speed, low power cruising speed of 45–55 knots with “just” 6.5 hp. Power-off glides from a few hundred feet showed a low sink rate, and a climb rate of 1,250 ft/min with full self-launching power (in other words: the Whisper glider doesn’t have to be towed by a launch vehicle, like a conventional ultralight glider).
Quiet cool
Range under full power is about 109 miles with current battery tech, but it’s expected that range under the latest EPiC 2.0 energy batteries would rise to nearly 170 miles.
Nathan Millecam, CEO of Electric Power System, said, “EPiC 2.0’s leap in energy density and thermal performance has enabled a significant increase in range, a clear validation of our next-gen cell technology. We are impressed by what the Whisper team continues to achieve in advancing electric aviation.”
The press release concludes explaining that flight tests are expected to show that the Whisper Aero glider can be flown, “a few hundred feet away from neighborhoods without any disturbances, while carrying a 220 lbs. payload with full range,” which is all kind of ominous in today’s political climate, but still pretty neat from a purely tech perspective.
The TNGO grant follows a separate grant from NASA awarded last year, though that grant aims to develop the eQ250s – not as a propulsion system, but as a key component in future spacecraft ventilation systems.
Tennessee Tech announces TNGO grant
With support from TNECD’s Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative, Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero are partnering to advance next-generation propulsion technology in the aerospace industry. This collaboration will enhance aerospace research and workforce development, ensuring Tennessee remains a leader in cutting-edge mobility solutions.
SOURCE | IMAGES: TNECD; via eVTOL Insights, New Atlas.
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A Tesla Cybertruck owner believed Elon Musk’s claims that the Cybertruck would be able to “act as a boat” and “cross rivers”, and he got his $100,000 stuck because of it.
Elon Musk has often made claims about how Tesla vehicles could float and briefly serve as a boat in the past.
We have never been taken too seriously because Tesla’s warranty states something different about taking the vehicle into water.
However, the CEO doubled down on the claim specifically for the Cybertruck.
Ahead of launching the production version of the Cybertruck, Musk claimed the vehicle would be “waterproof enough” to serve as a boat and cross rivers:
Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.
The CEO added that the goal is for a Cybertruck to be able to cross the water between SpaceX’s Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas, which is about 360 meters (1,100 feet).
We have been taking the Cybertruck more seriously with water because we learned that Tesla built a ‘wade mode’ for the truck to be able to go into the water. Tesla says the mode increases the ride height to the max and temporarily “pressurizes the battery pack.”
The problem is that it is activated through the off-roading mode, which is not covered under Tesla’s warranty – so we are taking everything with a grain of salt.
Whenever Tesla’s warranty contradicts what Musk says, it is better to follow to the warranty.
A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Truckee, California, appears not to have received this sage advice since they activated the wade mode and attempted to get into the water.
The Cybertruck owner quickly got stuck. The local California Highway Patrol (CHP) shared some pictures of the aftermath (via Facebook):
CHP Truckee helped with the recovery and commented on the incident:
Cybertruck activated “Wade Mode”… and waded a bit too far… We’re all for testing boundaries… but maybe not the waterline. Remember folks, “Wade Mode” isn’t “Submarine Mode.” If your plans include exploring the great outdoors, make sure to know your limits and the terrain.
There’s no detail on the damage to the Cybertruck, if any.
As we recently reported, repair costs for the stainless steel electric pickup truck can increase rapidly.
This Cybertruck owner is also not the first one to get stuck in water. We previously reported on a Tesla Cybertruck sinking into the water when launching a jet ski.
Electrek’s Take
At the risk of stating the obvious, this is clearly more of a user error than a Cybertruck problem.
I think the verdict is clear: Cybertruck is far from the best electric pickup truck for off-roading.
However, in general, you shouldn’t expect a truck to get out of water on a muddy bank.
I think a lot of Cybertruck owners are new to trucking and off-roading, and they are making the truck look worse than it is at off-roading.
If you want to take your Cybertruck off-road, I recommend to first go with an off-roading guide that can help avoid some simple mistakes like this.
Also, in general, don’t take Elon Musk’s claims at face value when he says that Tesla vehicles can do something that sounds like an exaggeration. It probably is an exaggeration.
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