This article was originally published by Margaret Carmel in BoiseDev.
The City of Boise wants to make it easier for Boiseans to power electric vehicles in their homes.
On Tuesday, Boise City Council approved a new building code in the city requiring every newly constructed single-family home or townhouse with garages to have a higher voltage circuit. This allows the homeowner to install a charging station for their electric vehicle if they choose.
The city council did not discuss the change to the code during a meeting Tuesday, but McLean announced it in a news release Wednesday.
“As we create a clean city for everyone, the shift in providing an option to include an electric circuit capable of charging an electric car has the potential to make a significant impact by removing a barrier to owning a green vehicle in Boise,” she said in the release. “As more and more residents choose electric vehicles, our community will benefit from a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.”
A discussion post on Tesla.comabout the cost of installing a 240 volt outlet needed for a charger showed a range of prices. Commenters said the cost of installing the higher voltage outlet ranged as low as $100 up through $1,650 depending on geographic location and the existing electrical infrastructure of the home.
This is part of Boise’s goal to have all homes, businesses and other buildings 100% powered by renewable energy by 2035 approved in 2019. The city also has a goal for all city buildings to be renewably powered by 2030. Earlier this year, Boise’s Public Works Department created a new division focused on addressing climate change.
