Demand for infrastructure to install residential electrical vehicle chargers and commercial chargers has risen steadily in the Inland Northwest, industry experts say. 

And some electrical contractors don't believe the demand has peaked yet. 

Gavin Tenold, owner of Spokane-based Northwest Renewables LLC, says requests and inquiries regarding EV charger installation in people’s homes has been an increasingly growing piece of business. 

“A week does not go by where we do not get asked for a bid, or information, or do a site visit about installing electrical vehicle chargers,” Tenold says. “It’s an (addition) to every one of our contracts .… People have increasingly been selecting that addition because they are planning to go electric.” 

According to data compiled by the Electric Power Research Institute, Washington has one of the highest rates of EV adoption, second to California. In 2023, 1 in 5 cars sold in Washington is able to plug into an electrical outlet, the report states.  

Kyle Adams, owner of KD Electric LLC, of Spokane, says that with the various incentives, laws, and measures coming out of the state capital, demand is expected to get even higher. 

“Right now is not as high as it’s going to get,” he says. “The more they push for the electric cars, the demand is going to get a lot higher.” 

In December 2022, Washington state laid out plans to phase out sales of gas-powered cars and light- and medium-duty trucks by 2035 and has subsequently adopted more measures and incentives for the transition to renewable energy. 

One such law is the electrification of new development law, which requires new construction of multifamily or commercial buildings to designate 10% of total spaces with wiring available to accommodate electric vehicle charging. An additional 20% of spaces must be charger-ready. The new law was passed in February and went into effect in March. 

“The latest update to the Washington state building code is requiring homes to be ready for electrification,” Tenold says. 

There are three levels of EV chargers. The first level is similar to appliance or phone chargers and can be plugged into any 120-volt electrical  outlet delivering alternating current energy. Typically, level 1 chargers can deliver between 2 and 5 miles of range per hour of charging and don't require the installation of new equipment. Level 2 requires installation of equipment and provides charging through a 240-volt plug, delivering 10 to 20 miles of range per hour of charging.  The third level is known as a DC Fast Charge and provides direct current charging through a 480-volt plug. DC Fast Chargers require specialized equipment. Those types of chargers are more often used in commercial settings, along highways and gas stations, and can deliver 60 to 100 miles of range in about 20 to 30 minutes.

“The desire for a level 2 is that it can be at your home,” Tenold says. “It’s a peace of mind, knowing you can get a full charge when you need it.” 

The level 2 charger is the most commonly installed charger, says Adams. Most Tesla car owners will opt to purchase a charger from the company at a discount and only require installation services, which could range between $650 and $850, if they wish to have the charger hooked up next to the power. Additional work, such as installing the charger on the opposite side of the power panel or outside their garage ranges from $1,250 to $1,850. 

KD Electric offers a few brands of chargers for purchase for clients who need equipment and installation. Grizzl-E level 2 chargers are $350, Leviton level 2 chargers are about $600, and more expensive models go up to as much as $1,300, he says. 

"To me, it all works the same," Adams says. 

Commercial installation is a far more expensive endeavor, says Adams. At the Holiday Inn Express, in Cheney, the total cost for installing one level 2 charger was about $50,000, he says. Costs included excavation work and laying down the wiring and groundwork for the equipment. 

One of the biggest obstacles for drivers of electric vehicles or for those considering purchasing an electric vehicle is what is called range anxiety, Tenold says. 

To that end, the Washington state Department of Transportation’s Plan for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment calls for installing a charging station every 50 miles or less across the state’s highway network. 

According to PlugShare, an online database that maps charging stations, Spokane County has 331 charging stations. Of those, 109 are free EV charging stations, 66 are DC Fast Chargers, and 20 are Tesla Superchargers.

Level 2 charging remains the most cost-effective form of charging an EV, says Tenold. At public charging stations in Spokane County, most level 2 chargers are offered free of charge. Fast DC chargers range in fees depending on the company or business.

At the West Plains Transit Center at 10810 W. Westbow Road, for example, the rate for DC charging is 42 cents per kilowatt hour, according to PlugShare.  At Kendall Yards there are two chargers, a DC Fast Charge and an adaptor that provides level 2 charge. The DC Charge is 35 cents per kilowatt hour plus a 5% transaction fee. The adaptor for level 2 charge is 28 cents per kilowatt hour plus a 5% transaction fee. At Huckleberries Natural Market on the South Hill, level 2 chargers are free to use, courtesy of Spokane-based Avista Corp. 

Local agencies and municipalities also have been on the front line of creating an EV charging infrastructure. As reported by the Journal of Business, in 2019, Avista Corp. invested $3 million to install 200 charging locations throughout its Washington service area. The initiative, dubbed the electric vehicle supply equipment pilot program, was completed in June 2019 and included the installation of 226 residential chargers, 123 workplace chargers, 24 fleet chargers, 20 multiunit dwelling chargers, and seven DC chargers. 

Avista's latest plan to create an EV charging infrastructure is in collaboration with the Spokane Regional Transportation Council with guidance from the Washington state Department of Transportation to install over 100 additional charging sites by 2025. The buildout plan will identify strategic locations along busy travel corridors in the Inland Northwest.