Tesla Seeks to Install Charging Stations in Santa Monica Public Parking Structure

By Jorge Casuso

August 24, 2018 -- The Santa Monica City Council on Tuesday is expected to pave the way for the installation of ten Tesla charging stations in a public parking structure at Santa Monica Place.

The Council would need to modify the agreement with Macerich, the owner of the outdoor mall, to install the superchargers on the rooftop parking level of one of the two public structures it leases from the City.

Tesla, which currently rents a storefront on the Third Street Promenade, is expected occupy spaces on the first and second floors of the mall.

"While these chargers would only be compatible with Tesla vehicles, they would relieve demand on the City’s existing public chargers," staff wrote in its report to the Council.

In February, the Council voted to modify Macerich’s Lease Agreement to allow the mall owner to sublease ten of the public parking spaces in the structure to Tesla in anticipation of the car company's move from the Promenade.

Under the lease modification before the Council, Tesla would pay the estimated $150,000 for the equipment and cover the installation and maintenance costs, staff said.

Tesla also would cover the cost of electricity for charging, staff said. It takes about 40 minutes to charge a Tesla vehicle battery to 80 percent.

Under the agreement, the City will contribute a percentage of costs to replace the aging street-level bus lane panels and curb affected by the installation.

The ten Tesla superchargers will bring to 16 the total number of chargers in the parking structure.

"Staff agrees that adding these EV chargers would serve the public and is consistent with the City’s EV Action Plan (EVAP)," staff said.

The plan's goal is to expand the number of public charging ports in the City to 300 within five years and to increase EV ownership to 15 percent by 2025, staff said.