The electric vehicle revolution is accelerating. Global EV sales surpassed 20 million units in 2025, making up more than 25% of all new car sales worldwide. In the United States alone, nearly 1,000 new public chargers are being activated every week. But for municipalities and multifamily property owners, the biggest obstacle to meeting this demand is not the chargers themselves — it is the cost, complexity, and disruption of installing the infrastructure to power them.
Traditional EV charging installation requires extensive excavation — trenching through parking lots, boring under sidewalks, laying conduit underground, and then restoring the surface. The process is expensive, slow, and disruptive. For a multifamily property or municipal parking facility, installation timelines can stretch from weeks to months, and costs can escalate quickly — each additional 50 feet of distance from electrical service can add $500 to $1,500, with rocky soil or underground utilities driving costs even higher. Retrofitting an existing property with in-ground charging infrastructure can cost four to six times more than including it during initial construction.
There is a better way.
The Case for Above-Ground EV Charging Infrastructure
Above-ground EV charging systems position all the necessary components — power cables, conduits, and charger equipment — in engineered, weather-resistant structures mounted above the surface. Instead of burying infrastructure underground, these modular systems distribute power through elevated raceways and enclosures that can be installed without excavation.
The benefits are significant and immediate:
Faster deployment. What takes weeks or months with conventional in-ground systems can be completed in days or weeks with above-ground infrastructure — a reduction in installation time of 40% to 50%. There is no waiting for trenches to be dug, conduits to be laid, inspections to be completed, backfill to be placed, and surfaces to be restored.
Lower costs. By eliminating trenching and excavation, above-ground systems can reduce total installation costs by 20% to 40% compared to conventional approaches, particularly at scale. Much of the installation can be completed by general labour rather than licensed electricians, further reducing costs.
Minimal disruption. For municipalities managing public parking and for multifamily properties where residents depend on their parking facilities daily, avoiding weeks of construction and surface restoration is a major advantage. Above-ground systems keep parking areas operational during installation.
Easy maintenance and upgrades. When charger components are above ground rather than buried, routine maintenance, upgrades, and charger swaps become dramatically simpler and faster — in some cases, a charger can be replaced in as little as 15 minutes.
Scalable expansion. Additional capacity can be added simply by connecting more modules to an existing system, without any new excavation. As EV adoption grows and charging demand increases, municipalities and property owners can scale incrementally rather than overbuilding from the start.
Relocatable infrastructure. Perhaps the most underappreciated advantage: above-ground systems can be relocated. This transforms EV charging infrastructure from a sunk cost buried in concrete into a depreciable, movable capital asset. If usage patterns change, a parking facility is redeveloped, or a lease expires, the infrastructure moves with you. No abandoned assets in the ground. No site remediation required.
Why This Matters for Municipalities
Cities and towns across North America are under pressure to expand EV charging access as part of their climate action plans and transportation strategies. But municipal budgets are constrained, and the cost of trenching through public streets, sidewalks, and parking facilities is a significant barrier.
Above-ground systems allow municipalities to deploy charging infrastructure in public parking lots, transit hubs, and curbside locations at a fraction of the cost and timeline of conventional installations. The modular nature of these systems means cities can start with a pilot deployment and expand as demand warrants — without committing to the full excavation costs upfront.
The relocatability factor is particularly valuable for municipal applications. As urban planning evolves and land use changes, charging infrastructure that can move with the community's needs is a far more responsible use of public funds than infrastructure that is permanently embedded in the ground.
Why This Matters for Multifamily Properties
The charging gap at multifamily properties is one of the most significant barriers to equitable EV adoption. Approximately 28 million U.S. households live in multifamily buildings, yet less than 5% of home EV charging occurs at multifamily properties. Meanwhile, 15% of renters plan to buy an EV within the next five years, and 58% of those say they would pay more in rent for access to on-site charging.
For property owners and managers, the traditional approach to installing EV charging is daunting. Most existing multifamily properties need substantial electrical infrastructure upgrades to support multiple chargers. Placing charging stations close to electrical closets minimizes trenching but may not be convenient for residents. The ideal placement for residents is often far from existing electrical infrastructure — which means more trenching, more cost, and more disruption.
Above-ground systems solve this problem directly. Power can be distributed across a parking facility without tearing up the surface, making it practical to place chargers where residents actually park. Installation can be completed without displacing residents from their parking spaces for weeks. And the modular design allows property owners to install a manageable number of chargers today and add more as tenant demand grows.
The financial case is equally compelling. EV charging is increasingly a competitive differentiator for multifamily properties — it attracts and retains tenants, supports sustainability certifications, and can generate revenue through charging fees. Above-ground systems make this investment accessible to properties that previously could not justify the excavation and retrofit costs.
Luvante: Purpose-Built for This Challenge
Equifaira joint venture company Luvante has developed a modular elevated EV charging system specifically designed to address these challenges. The Luvante System leverages proven power distribution technologies — widely used in indoor industrial facilities — and raises power cables, conduits, and critical charger components above ground in a safe, weather-resistant, fully engineered modular structure.
The system supports both Level 2 and Level 3 EV chargers across fleet and street charging environments, and is designed for deployment at municipal parking facilities, multifamily properties, retail locations, and fleet operations. With estimated savings of 10% to 25% over conventional systems at installations of 12 or more ports, and dramatically faster deployment timelines, the Luvante System represents a practical, scalable path to closing the EV charging infrastructure gap.
Most importantly, the Luvante System's modular, semi-portable design transforms the EV charging finance model. Rather than burying depreciating assets underground, property owners and municipalities invest in capital equipment that retains value, can be relocated, and can be expanded as the market evolves.
The Infrastructure Problem Is the Opportunity
The demand for EV charging is not in question — it is growing rapidly and will continue to accelerate. The bottleneck is infrastructure deployment. The municipalities and property owners who solve the installation problem first will be best positioned to serve the millions of EV drivers who need reliable, accessible charging where they live, work, and park.
Above-ground modular systems are not an incremental improvement. They represent a fundamental rethinking of how EV charging infrastructure is built, financed, and managed. For municipalities under budget pressure and multifamily properties looking to attract the next generation of tenants, the case for above-ground charging is clear — and the technology is available now.
Want to Learn More?
Visit luvante.com to learn about the Luvante System, or get in touch to discuss how Equifaira partners with companies building critical infrastructure for the energy transition.