As more American drivers choose electric vehicles, the demand for chargers is also on the rise.

Installations of chargers and charging stations are happening in a growing variety of locations. A recent survey shows that despite the increase in activity, safety is not being compromised.

The Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI) surveyed building owners and managers to gauge their understanding of EVs and the safe installation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), or EV charging stations and chargers.

ESFI conducted the survey in late 2023 and interviewed EVSE installers, building owners and EV owners. The survey’s purpose was to understand their knowledge of EV charging safety and how prepared each group was for EV charging. The findings were positive overall.

The survey found that more than 91% of building owners had a site inspection conducted before installing EVSE, and 89% of them were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their EVSE installation experience.

Attitudes toward safety and training also support safety training in the workforce. Of the installers surveyed, 76% had received specific EVSE training, and 82% believe EVSE installation should require specific certification.

Vehicle owners are generally conscientious about safety, too. Of those surveyed, 63% had a site inspection completed before installing their EV chargers.

They are also conscientious about who they hired to do the installation. The overwhelming majority (65%) of installers were electricians. The next closest profession, 18%, were contractors. Only 11% were do-it-yourself installers, and 5% of installations were done by a “handyman.”

Installations of charging stations and chargers are expected to continue and will likely increase. Of the building owners surveyed, two-thirds (66%) expect somewhat or significantly more EVSE installations in their buildings in the next two months. Only about a quarter (28%) expect the number to remain the same, and 7% expect the number of installations to drop.