Car brands like Ford, Cadillac, GMC, and Chevrolet require dealerships to have different numbers of different EV chargers. For example, by 2026, Ford Model e Certified Elite dealerships must have six Tier 2 Superchargers and three Tier 3 Superchargers.
Dealers can spend up to $750,000 to install each charger faster than the Level 3 charger, depending on the required infrastructure upgrades. They also have to pay additional electricity costs to operate the charging stations.
According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, car dealerships use nearly 20% more energy than office buildings. This comes from the energy needed to run compressors, paint booths, car wash and conditioning systems, special lighting, and large windows that heat and cool outside the window.
The company said utilities like Con Edison will support dealers and other businesses that choose to install solar panels.
“Solar power works best when you have a lot of space. That's why you don't see them taking off as massively in urban areas,” said Joseph Moriali, director of EV pilot projects and charging management at Con Edison. Agencies can take advantage of large outdoor exhibition spaces, large showroom roofs, and installation of solar panels.
The savings can be significant. The 2020 filing from the National Automobile Dealers Association says the Minneapolis-based Luther Auto Group estimates its 454-kilowatt rooftop solar panels will save it more than $45,000 a year. Fitzgerald Auto Mall in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He saved about $258,000 in his first year using solar panels.
About 300 business franchisees have installed solar panels since 2011 and another 250 will complete installation by 2023, according to Freedom Solar.
Agencies can also take advantage of grants and incentives such as the Solar Investment Tax Credit, which is a federal deduction of at least 30% for solar projects that meet certain requirements. Some agents may qualify for higher incentives based on location.
Con Edison performs net metering, which measures the difference between power produced by generators, such as solar panels, and power consumed, allowing customers to sell electricity to the grid in exchange for bill credits. However, practice varies from state to state: not all local utility companies are required to buy back excess electricity. In Texas, for example, merchants must negotiate individual agreements.
Morreale said it's unlikely, but not impossible, that brokers will generate enough electricity to meet their needs and that some will take out short-term loans.
"To be net zero, you need to have as much solar power as you're currently using," he said. “For example, if you have air conditioning or a refrigerator that runs all night, there is no sun, but you need electricity.”
