Are car parks at US airports ready for electric vehicles?

One of the new challenges facing US airports today is how to respond to and meet current and future demand for parking facilities for electric vehicles (EVs), writes Vitaly Vinogradov.

In 2022, more than 10 million electric vehicles (EVs) found their way into the garages and driveways of consumers across the globe. By the end of 2023, that number is expected to soar to 14 million.

It’s a transformation that promises a cleaner, more sustainable future for travel.

However, it’s also a change that demands adaptation and foresight from the aviation industry. With more EVs on the road, airports and offsite parking businesses will be under increasing pressure to provide charging stations to accommodate these vehicles.

Already, many airports have added hundreds of new charging stations to their facilities, with more to be added in the near future.

But how fast are these changes happening? And when will the balance tip to the point where most of the vehicles that airports and offsite parking facilities need to accommodate will be EVs?

How airport parking is adapting?

The EV industry has come a long way in just a few short years. What started out as a super-niche industry has quickly become a multi-billion-dollar market that all the big players in the automotive industry are heavily investing in.

Governments have begun pushing for legislation that will encourage greater EV adoption. In the US, the Biden administration has even set the ambitious goal of having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.

What this means for airports and offsite parking facilities is that change is coming. EVs may not be the vehicle of choice for most air travelers just yet. But slowly and inevitably, the demand for EV charging stations is going to rise. As such, investments must rise to meet that demand.

Several major US airports are leading by example and embracing the EV revolution. For example, Los Angeles International (LAX) has already installed 400 charging stations and plans to raise that number to 1,200 in the near future.

Other major airports that have made significant strides in accommodating EVs include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL), San Francisco International (SFO), and Seattle International (SEA).

As for offsite parking businesses, one of the leading examples in EV adoption is Wally Park, which has EV charging stations spread across its LAX, ATL, and SEA locations. They also have ambitious plans to install charging stations in all of their parking garages.

However, one notable aspect of these airports and offsite lots is that they are among the largest and busiest in the nation. This means they have the budget – and space – to make these EV infrastructure investments. Smaller airports and offsite lots may struggle to find the necessary budget outlays.

Fortunately, there may be help in the form of grants from the Federal Aviation Agency, such as the Airport Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) programme.

While programmes like ZEV focus on supporting zero-emission airport-owned vehicles, in the US, at least, it’s reasonable to expect these and similar grants will eventually support public vehicles.

There may also be opportunities for airports to collaborate with EV charging providers, thus enabling airports to expand charging networks without overtaxing their budgets. Additionally, such collaborations can allow airports to tap into the expertise and experience of established EV charging companies.

For offsite parking lots, the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program could provide the necessary funding for EV upgrades. That said, it’s not yet clear if offsite lots are eligible for this program. Regardless, there are good reasons for believing that similar grants will become available to offsite lots as EV adoption increases.

Looking further ahead it is crucial for both airports and offsite lots to devise long-term plans. That means investing in scalable and adaptable charging infrastructure that can accommodate future technology and charging standards.

At the same time, airports and offsite lots will need to invest in providing a seamless and user-friendly parking experience for EV owners.

This includes providing clear signage for charging stations, easy payment methods, and mobile apps to help travelers locate available chargers and monitor their charging sessions.

What does this mean for airport travellers?

Air travellers can expect to see an increase in the number of EV charging stations at major airports. That’s good news for EV owners. However, it should be noted that apart from a few exceptions like ATL most airports that are currently making large EV investments are found on the US West Coast.

That may change as EV adoption continues to gain pace across the nation, but it’s still a big question as to when EVs will become the dominant vehicle on the roads.

In short, EV owners should still take care to ensure an airport or off-site lot has EV charging facilities before planning a trip. That may become less of a concern as time goes on, but for now, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

As for gas-powered vehicle owners, they can take solace in knowing that EV charging expansion is not dramatically reducing parking space for regular vehicles, at least for now. Even as EV usage increases, airports and offsite lots will remain conscious of the need to continue accommodating gas-powered vehicles.

Final thoughts

Change is inevitable for airports across the nation, and embracing the EV revolution will become an increasingly pressing priority. Starting sooner rather than later means airports can gain the necessary experience and business contacts to make any change as seamless as possible.

About the author
Vitaly Vinogradov is the founder of Cheap Airport Parking ( CheapAirportParking.org)