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How to Evaluate an EV Charging Partner: 10 Key Considerations for MURBs
- Grace @ Plugzio
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Choosing an EV charging provider isn't just about selecting a charger or finding the lowest price.
For multi-unit residential properties (MURBs), success depends on far more.
The right partner should help you address electrical constraints, plan for future expansion, maintain reliable connectivity, and deliver a positive experience pre, during and post-installation.
To help you assess your options, we've rounded up a practical checklist of key considerations and questions to ask when comparing EV charging vendors.
Scalability & Future Proofing
Your EV charging needs today may look very different a few years from now.
Whether you're currently supporting a handful of EV drivers or planning for broader adoption, it's important to understand how your charger setup can grow alongside resident and visitor demand.
The right EV charging partner should help you plan beyond today’s requirements, making it easy to expand without costly infrastructure replacements or major overhauls.
Questions to ask:
Based on our property's current demand and EV adoption trends in our market, how many chargers would you recommend today?
Can the system support increasing EV adoption across the property?
How easily can additional chargers be added in the future?
What would expansion look like at 10%, 25% or 50% EV adoption?
Power & Load Management
For many retrofitted MURB properties, available electrical capacity is often the biggest hurdle to EV charging deployment.
Limited panel capacity, aging infrastructure, and the cost of electrical upgrades can throw a wrench into your project feasibility and budgets.
Your EV charging provider should offer smart power and load management capabilities that maximize existing electrical infrastructure, allowing more chargers to be deployed on available circuits while minimizing or even avoiding the need for costly upgrades.
For new developments, providers should be able to work closely with your electrical and construction teams to assess available capacity, identify potential constraints, and design a charging strategy that supports both current needs and future growth.
If you don't already have an electrical partner in place, they should also be able to provide recommendations or connect you with their trusted local installers and contractors experienced in EV charging deployments.
Consider:
Real-time load balancing and smart power allocation
Circuit sharing capabilities
Energy monitoring and optimization
Expansion planning for future EV adoption growth
Flexible Networking Options
Reliable connectivity and comprehensive networking planning are critical to keeping your devices online, and EV charging programs running smoothly.
Whether your building relies on Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Cellular connectivity, your provider should be able to accommodate your property's existing infrastructure and unique site conditions.
This is especially important for underground parkades and concrete parking structures, where signal strength and network reliability can often be challenging.
The right provider should assess your property's connectivity environment early in the planning process and recommend the most appropriate solution based on coverage, performance requirements, and long-term reliability.
Look for:
Devices that support Ethernet, Wi-Fi or Cellular Connectivity
Reliable connectivity accessories/solutions in low-signal parking environments
Flexible to support varying network requirements across properties
Resident Experience Matters
Residents' primary concerns aren't with your charger’s technical specifications - they care about whether charging is reliable, easy to use, and available when they need it.
A positive charging experience can drive adoption and resident satisfaction.
A poor experience on the other hand can quickly lead to frustration and complaints for your property team.
If a charger is offline or difficult to use, residents may be left without the charge they need to get to work, school drop-offs, or other daily commitments.
Charger availability becomes even more important for residents who rely on overnight charging to start the next day with a full battery.
Look beyond the hardware and consider the entire driver experience - from initial onboarding and setup, to starting monitoring and completing their charging sessions.
Questions to ask:
Are app-free charging or Guest Checkout options available?
How easy is account setup and onboarding?
What payment options are supported? Is it secure?
Are there any additional fees, such as idle fees or session fees, that drivers should be aware of?
How easy is it for drivers to locate, access, and use chargers, especially for overnight charging?
Can drivers easily view charging status and session history?
How many steps does it take to start a charging session?
What support is available when drivers encounter an issue?
What are the typical support response and resolution times?
Open Ecosystem & Device Agnosticism
An open, OCPP-compliant solution can help future-proof your investment by reducing vendor lock-in and providing greater freedom to adapt as technology evolves.
An open ecosystem gives property owners the ability to manage multiple charger models, replace hardware as needed, and scale their charging program without being tied to a single manufacturer.
Questions to ask:
Is the charger OCPP compliant?
Can multiple charger models or brands be managed through the same platform?
Can hardware be replaced without replacing the entire management system?
What happens if the vendor discontinues a product line?
Will I be locked into a specific hardware or software provider?
❓ Did You Know: Plugzio’s Management Software is agnostic and supports OCPP compliant chargers including the Wallbox Pulsar Plus and Siemens chargers - take a look at a few of our supported third party devices.
Revenue Billing and Flexible Payment Plans
Every property's EV charging strategy will vary.
Some buildings view EV charging as a revenue generator, while others are simply looking to recover electricity costs or provide a valuable resident benefit.
The right provider should offer flexible pricing, billing, and payment options that align with your property's goals.
Look for solutions that support conditional payment plans (per kWH, per hour and rule based pricing) as well as the ability to pass charging and associated processing costs directly to end users when appropriate.
Transparent reporting is equally important, giving you visibility into charging activity, revenue, and operating costs so you can measure performance and adjust your approach as adoption grows.
Look for:
Flexible pricing structures
User-pay models (ie. Cost per activation)
Revenue sharing options
Cost recovery programs
❓Did You Know: With Plugzio, property owners keep 100% of their EV charging revenue - no profit sharing!
Reporting and Management Tools
Property management teams often require clear visibility into EV performance, usage, earnings and energy consumption, especially when participating in clean fuel initiatives, utility incentive programs or carbon credit programs.
The software should provide a centralized view of charging sessions, energy consumption, revenue and charger health and connectivity, giving admins the tools to manage users, chargers, and any additional settings.
Plugzio's management dashboard enables property teams to independently track usage, revenue, and system performance while generating ready-to-export reports that support operational, financial, and compliance needs.
Capabilities to evaluate:
Revenue reporting
Energy consumption
Utilization reporting
User management tools
Exportable reports for ownership groups, property management teams and third party partners
Support and Service Structure
EV charging is a long-term amenity, so it's important to understand what onboarding, training, and ongoing support your provider offers after deployment.
Your chosen partner should help reduce the burden on property managers by providing responsive support, proactive monitoring, and resources for both your property management team and drivers.
Questions to ask:
Is onboarding and training provided for property management teams?
Who supports residents and drivers when issues arise?
What are the typical response and resolution times?
Are remote monitoring, diagnostics, and troubleshooting available?
How are warranty claims handled?
What level of ongoing customer support is included?
Are resident-facing resources, guides, and support materials available?
Cost and Long Term ROI
The lowest-cost option today may result in higher operating expenses, costly electrical upgrades, or limited expansion options down the road.
Instead, consider the total cost of ownership and how the solution supports your property's long-term EV strategy.
Consider:
Upfront hardware and installation costs
Future expansion and scalability costs
Your building’s EV ROI goals, pricing structure and anticipated payback if applicable*
Ongoing fees:
Software and networking fees
Maintenance and support costs
Utility and operating expenses
Revenue generation or cost recovery opportunities
Proven Multi-family Experience
EV charging in multifamily properties comes with a unique set of considerations - from electrical constraints, and resident expectations to parking logistics and ongoing property management.
Look for partners with experience supporting condos, apartments, strata/ HoA communities or rental properties similar to your own.
Ask for:
Relevant case studies or references from comparable properties
Understanding of common operational and electrical challenges faced by residential buildings
Final Thoughts
The right EV charging solution should do more than power vehicles- it should fully align with your property's operational goals, resident needs, and future plans.
Taking the time to evaluate providers beyond hardware and price can help avoid costly surprises, simplify day-to-day administration, and create a charging program that remains effective as demand grows.
A little due diligence today can go a long way toward building a stronger EV strategy for the years to come.
Ready to explore EV charging for your property? Connect with the Plugzio team at sales@plugzio.com to discuss your project and requirements.
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