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Innovation

Real estate giant invests in electric vehicle chargers

So far, Simon Property Group has installed 55 chargers across the United States; more are planned for the company's 337 retail real-estate properties.
Written by Heather Clancy, Contributor

The largest real estate management company in the United States, Simon Property Group, has stepped up its installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure at its properties nationwide.

The company, which manages 337 retail real estate locations that account for 245 million square feet of space in North America and Asia, has so far installed 55 Level 2 chargers in the United States. Those chargers can be found in the Washington, D.C., Chicago and San Francisco metro areas as well as in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Southern California.

As I reported in late December, Simon Property Group is working with electric vehicle infrastructure and project management company 350Green. Level 2 chargers aren't the fastest way to juice up an electric vehicle; they take six to eight hours for a full charge.

I believe you will continue to see commercial and retail property managers continue to distinguish themselves through electric vehicle charging infrastructure, even though some people have begun to balk at what they perceive as special treatment for electric vehicle owners in public parking lots. So, if you are a retail business manager, you should definitely be exploring your options but tread carefully before you decide to put a charging station in front of the parking lot near the parking reserved for handicapped badge holders.

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This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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