SCE Community EV Charger Project

This contains the latest information on our SCE Community EV Chargers Project. Bookmark this page as information will continue to be updated here.

Project Background

In November 2022, the Board approved our HOA's application to SoCal Edison's Charge Ready program in which SCE will invest about $500,000 to upgrade our electric infrastructure to support a series of EV chargers in our community along with rebates to cover the entire cost of the chargers. 😊

SCE has received over 5,000 Charge Ready applications from HOA communities and other multi-family developments like ours.

In addition, our EV charger vendor EVgateway will cover all software and maintenance fees and share $0.03 per kWh in charging revenue with our HOA.

View the specifications of our EV chargers, which are manufactured by Tellus, a leading EV charger manufacturer.

Our EV chargers will use a J1772 plug, which is the most common type of L2 connector and is compatible with most EV models. Those who own an EV with a CCS connector will need to use a J1772 adapter when charging.

Fourteen Level 2 EV charger ports will be available for the exclusive use of HOA residents and homeowners:

• 3 dual-port and 2 single-port charging stations next to the Viejo guest parking - view the design drawings
• 3 dual-port stations next to the Nuevo guest parking - view the design drawings

The chargers are slim in design, each occupying a space of only about 7 inches in width. View a photo of the EVgateway chargers

Addressing a False Rumor About Our EVgateway Chargers:
Some residents have been told that if EVgateway does not make “a profit” on our community chargers that they will make them publicly available to those living outside our HOA community. This is false.

Nowhere in our EVgateway contract does it state that they have the right to make our chargers publicly available – profit or no profit – without the authority of the HOA. EVgateway configures our chargers at the direction of the Board. In fact, the Board publicly (and unanimously) voted at our February 27, 2024 open session board meeting to instruct EVgateway to make our community chargers private and available to only those homeowners and residents who provide proof of an RSJ HOA home address.

View a 1-minute video below to learn more about SCE's Charge Ready grant program for multi-family HOA communities like ours:

FAQs About Our SCE Community EV Chargers

Read the answers to past questions, such as:

• "When did this project start and how has the Board communicated it to the community?"
• "Why can't the chargers be 'spread out' with fewer chargers at different locations in our community?"
• "Why can't the HOA upgrade the stack garages' electrical infrastructure to support EV charging?"
• "Doesn’t our HOA CC&Rs or Bylaws require a homeowner vote on this project?"
• And More!

Read the answers to our Frequently Asked Questions >>

Latest Project Updates

• UPDATED 27 Apr 2024: SCE issued a work order to their metering department to "energize" (turn on) the meters which will take place soon. Once the meters are energized, SCE will complete final testing.
  
  SCE also removed the temporary fencing at both guest parking locations.
   
  EVgateway is also completing the configuration of our EV chargers in their system. Once completed, an announcement will go out to all homeowners and HOA residents with instructions on how to register to begin using the HOA's community EV chargers!
   
• SCE completed installation of the new electrical meters. (The meter installation was held up by needed repairs to the meter cabinets which was recently completed.)
   
• EVgateway installed our new EV chargers, which are 3 dual-port chargers next to the 6 guest parking spots on Nuevo, and 3 dual-port and 2 single-port chargers next to the 8 guest parking spots on Viejo.
   
• Concrete pour for the EV charger pads completed and has been cured. SCE has finished installing the electrical equipment to support the chargers -- e.g., switchgears, main panelboards, new SCE meters, electric & network cables, etc.
   
  SCE corrected a minor "address label" issue with the new SCE meters that is required by the city of Irvine building inspector. SCE is also completed making a minor repair to one of their meter cabinets.
   
• Due to the multiple (record-breaking) rain storms in the past several weeks, SCE was forced to extend their projected completion date to April.
   
• After being delayed due to several rain storms. SCE began "hand-trenching" on February 14th, then continuing on February 21st.
  
  Also, underground utilities were discovered in locations where some of the proposed conduits were to be installed. SCE agreed to allow their General Contractor to move the proposed conduits a few feet away. However, this required another DigAlert to be performed, as required by state law.
   
• Trenching outside the fence perimeter took place on Thursday & Friday, January 25th & 26th next to the Nuevo and Viejo guest parking. Guest parking remained available during this phase of SCE's construction project.
    
• Per SCE's instructions, Villa Park has trimmed back and removed some of the plantings next to the Nuevo and Viejo guest parking areas to make room for the EV chargers and equipment.  NOTE: After SCE completes its construction, the HOA will review if any new plantings are needed in these two guest parking areas.
   
• SCE's construction crew erected a temporary fence around the Nuevo guest parking (the one closest to San Joaquin Dr) and Viejo guest parking to ensure our residents remain safe during construction.
   
  SCE's construction will consist of trenching and installing conduits for the electrical and network cables, reinstalling new concrete, and installation of the electrical equipment. EVgateway will then install the chargers.
   
  Nuevo or Viejo residents who experience any inadvertent disruption or blockage by SCE during construction may speak to any of SCE's crew members who will be onsite and happy to assist.
    
• SCE held an onsite "pre-construction" meeting on January 10th with their general contractor, electrical equipment installation vendors, our EVgateway charger vendor, as well as representatives from the HOA Board, Maintenance and Landscape committees to discuss and define the construction and installation schedule, and homeowner and resident communications.
   
• During the week of January 1st, SCE completed a DigAlert work order to survey the project areas next to the Nuevo and Viejo guest parking and mark the areas for underground cable, electrical and other conduits and facilities.
    
• In early 2023, SCE ordered all of the electric equipment – e.g., switchgears, main panelboards, new SCE meters, electric & network cables, etc. The equipment has been built for our HOA's project and was delivered to SCE. The final piece of equipment, the switchgear boxes have been built and is being delivered to SCE.
   
• Homeowner and resident communications for those on Viejo and Nuevo will continue, as needed, in the form of fliers and emails.

How Will Our Homeowners and Residents Use Our EV Chargers?

Homeowners and residents who wish to use our community EV chargers will be required to complete an online registration form, then install an EVgateway phone app on their Android or iPhone to use the chargers and pay for the charge.++

++ The cost to charge will be about the same as other EV charging networks in Irvine – e.g., EVgo, Electrify America, and ChargePoint – in which EVgateway accepts all major credit cards and PayPal

The EVgateway phone app features:

• Real-time status of which of our chargers are available for charging
• Alerts on when your EV has finished charging
• History of your past charging sessions and billing & payments
• Access to EVgateway's 24/7 customer support+++

+++ EVgateway actively monitors the health of all of their chargers. When they detect a charger is not working or is alerted to a down charger by a driver, EVgateway's 24/7 support team can often fix the charger issue remotely. If not, a maintenance representative will go onsite to make the repair.

To limit our EV chargers to RSJ residents only, after registering with EVgateway, the resident will be issued a uniquely identified magnetic card in which he/she “taps” the card on our EV charger to activate the charger. Without this card, the EV charger cannot be used by anyone who is not a registered RSJ resident.

RSJ resident-issued EVgateway magnetic "tap" card

Note that the card will be linked to the resident's EVgateway user account, including the resident's method of payment. This means the card cannot be freely “shared” with others since the resident's payment method will be used to pay for the charge.