EV Charging Stations
According to the U.S. Access Board, entities that are subject to ADA and ABA standards must have accessible EV charging stations usable by people with disabilities.
A technical assistance document, provided by the U.S. Access Board, outlines the design, marking, quantity, and payment system requirements of ADA-compliant EV charging stations. For more information visit the U.S. Access Board website.
What are the issues?
Despite standards set forth by ADA and ABA, not all EV charging stations are required to be accessible.
Our CEO encountered a barrier when he visited a Tesla charging station in Illinois and found it was not accessible to him as a wheelchair user. There was not enough space around the car for his wheelchair to get through, there was no access aisle, and the cord on the charging port was too short.
For this reason, he passed Senate Bill 3323 out of committee in the Illinois General Assembly to ensure that all new EV charging stations are built to be used by anyone.
API’s Impact
Our model bill will encourage states around the country to require their EV charging stations to be accessible. In turn, we eliminate a barrier to transportation and ensure everyone has equal opportunity to operate any vehicle that they desire.