ChargePoint and OBE Power have announced a partnership that will bring 2,500 new EV charging ports to apartment and condo complexes starting in 2026, tackling one of the most stubborn barriers to electric vehicle adoption: the lack of convenient home charging for renters and condo dwellers.
The problem is stark and well-documented. According to a Plug In America survey, 85% of EV owners and 84% of EV intenders live in single-family homes, where dedicated charging stations are far easier to install and maintain. That same survey found that low-cost, convenient home charging was the single most significant economic factor driving EV adoption. For the millions of Americans living in multifamily buildings, this advantage simply doesn't exist. While some apartment and condo complexes do have onsite chargers, they remain scattered exceptions rather than the rule. This gap has quietly become one of the biggest brakes on EV growth in urban and suburban markets where renters and condo owners have little say in infrastructure decisions.
The new partnership offers a concrete step forward. ChargePoint, the global EV charging leader, is supplying its technology and expertise, while OBE Power—a charge point operator with over a decade of collaboration with ChargePoint under its belt—will handle the deployment and ongoing operation of the infrastructure at multifamily sites. Alejandro Burgana, Cofounder and Managing Director of OBE Power, emphasized the focus on reliability: "By combining ChargePoint's technology with OBE Power's owned-and-operated model, we deliver EV charging solutions purpose-built for multifamily communities," he said. The partnership represents private-sector investment working alongside growing demand, without relying solely on government funding.
What makes this particularly significant is that it signals genuine market confidence. OBE Power and ChargePoint aren't building this infrastructure out of regulatory obligation alone—they see apartments and condos as a genuine growth opportunity, both for themselves and for the communities adopting the technology. Building owners and managers, in turn, benefit from offering renters and residents a modern amenity that can help retain tenants and increase property value. It's a win that doesn't require constant government subsidy.
The deployment timeline matters too. While 2,500 chargers might sound modest against the backdrop of tens of millions of Americans in multifamily housing, the phased rollout starting in 2026 builds on an established track record. Both companies have proven they can install and maintain infrastructure reliably, giving renters and condo dwellers real reason to expect their chargers will actually work when they need them—a surprisingly high bar in an industry still finding its footing.
There's also an intriguing secondary opportunity that the source material hints at: multifamily buildings can pair EV charging with rooftop and ground-mounted solar power, creating the potential for renters to charge their vehicles with clean, onsite-generated electricity. That's a future worth watching.
For now, the 2,500-port commitment represents momentum in an ecosystem that still needs it. EV adoption continues its steady upward trend, but infrastructure gaps remain the quiet constraint that never makes headlines. These chargers won't make the news when they're installed, but they'll matter profoundly to every apartment dweller who drives home and plugs in without wondering where their next charge will come from.