Summary
Starting in 2026, California will require all new residential units with parking spaces to be EV charger-ready, significantly increasing access to electric vehicle charging.
Multi-family developments must equip at least one EV-ready spot per unit, while hotels, commercial lots, and parking renovations will also face new EV charging mandates.
Advocacy groups praise the policy, emphasizing its balanced approach to affordability and infrastructure needs.
The initiative aligns with California’s 2035 ban on new gas-powered car sales, aiming to address key barriers to EV adoption and support the state’s transition to electrification.
Frankly incredible that the NEC isn’t requiring this in all new editions yet. Absurdly short sighted. Like, it’s just 1 circuit to a garage if a garage is present. All the yokel states can refuse to adopt that section if they want, whatever.
Run two, for a future battery.
An ESS is a bit of a different animal though. They are generally wired directly to the meter’s output, before any circuits and may even come with their panel that would then control all the circuits in the house.
So run the wiring. It will cost nearly nothing to do that while also pre-wiring for EV charging vs doing it later for $$.