The number of EVs is rising just as many housing companies' old engine-heater poles reach the end of their life. The board therefore increasingly has to decide two things at once: how heating will be handled going forward and how EV charging will be arranged.
The solutions differ significantly in cost structure, expandability and administration. Below we go through six approaches, their suitability and limitations, and the criteria a board can use to compare the options for its own property.
How the housing-company board evaluates the options
Before choosing a solution, it's worth going through six questions. They determine which option is most sensible for the property:
- The condition of the existing cabling and electrical connection. Is the existing cabling adequate in cross-section and in good condition? Is the main fuse sufficient, or is a connection upgrade needed? This is always assessed by an electrical contractor.
- The number and type of parking spaces. Are the spaces outdoors, under a canopy or in a heated garage? This affects protection-class and installation requirements.
- The share of EVs now and a 3–7 year forecast. How many need charging today, and what is a realistic growth?
- Expandability. Can charging points be added later without new excavation and cabling work?
- Administration, billing and responsibilities. How is the electricity used billed to residents? Are remote metering and load management needed?
- Safety and standards. Does the solution meet the EV-charging standard (IEC/EN 61851) and the applicable national electrical-installation regulations, including residual-current protection?
Six ways to implement a housing company's heating and charging infrastructure
1. Charging from an old engine-heater pole — why this isn't an option
What it is: The common assumption that you could charge an EV directly from an old engine-heater pole's socket.
Why it isn't an option: A standard engine-heater socket is not rated for the continuous load of EV charging (16 A), so it is neither safe nor permitted — housing companies generally do not allow it. EV charging always requires a solution built for the purpose (options 2–6).
2. Light charging (so-called Supersuko)
What it is: Upgrading the engine-heater pole's socket to a smart, power-limited socket with basic load management and remote metering.
When it fits: When you want to improve safety and enable billing without a large infrastructure investment, and the charging need is still small.
Limitations: Charging power stays low; not future-proof if the share of full EVs grows quickly.
3. Separate Type 2 charger
What it is: Separate wall- or pole-mounted chargers for charging only; the engine-heater poles handle heating only.
When it fits: When the charging need has clearly grown, mounting space is available and faster charging is wanted.
Limitations: Almost always requires new cabling; heating and charging remain separate systems, increasing the number of devices and maintenance in the yard.
4. New heating-only pole
What it is: Replacing engine-heater poles that have reached the end of their life with new poles intended for heating only.
When it fits: When the share of EVs in the area is low and you don't want to solve charging now, but heating must be made safe and energy-efficient.
Limitations: The solution has no charging readiness; if the charging need grows later, the infrastructure must be partly rebuilt.
5. Combined heating and charging pole
What it is: A single pole that has both an engine-heater socket and a Type 2 charging option in the same body.
When it fits: When the old poles have to be replaced anyway, space is limited and a unified solution is wanted that serves both heating and charging on the same spaces.
Limitations: The unit price per pole is higher than a heating-only pole; requires planning so the electrical cabinet's capacity is sufficient for simultaneous heating and charging.
6. Charging readiness on all spaces + chargers in stages
What it is: Cabling and cabinets are sized for the whole housing company, but the actual charging units are installed only as the need arises.
When it fits: When there are many parking spaces, you want to avoid later excavation and scale the infrastructure to residents' real demand.
Limitations: The largest planning and backbone investment up front, with capital tied into the infrastructure in advance; requires a genuinely modular pole model that can be retrofitted without excavation.
Comparison table
| Option | Initial investment | Cabling reuse | Charging speed | Heating included | Expandability | Administration effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Charging from an old pole | — | — | Not permitted | — | — | — |
| 2. Light charging (Supersuko) | Low–moderate | Yes | Slow | Yes | Low | Moderate |
| 3. Separate Type 2 charger | High | No (requires new) | Fast | No | Moderate | High |
| 4. New heating-only pole | Moderate | Partly | No charging | Yes | Low | Low |
| 5. Combined heating + charging | Moderate–high | Depends on solution | Fast | Yes | Moderate | Moderate–high |
| 6. Phased charging readiness | High backbone / low charger | Yes (modular) | Fast | Yes | High | High |
The table's assessments are indicative. Reusing cabling always requires a condition and cross-section assessment by an electrical contractor.
Administration, billing and electrical capacity
Choosing the equipment is only half the solution. The other half is the backend system: who pays for the infrastructure, how the electricity used is billed, and how it's ensured the main fuse isn't overloaded.
- Cost sharing: typically the housing company is responsible for the base infrastructure and the user pays for the electricity they consume via the backend system.
- Load management: a multi-charging-point solution needs a system that dynamically shares the available power according to the property's total consumption. It prevents the main fuse from overloading and can reduce the need for a connection upgrade.
- Hardware and software are separate layers: the physical pole/charger and the billing and load-management system should be assessed separately, even though they are often sold as one package.
Frequently asked questions
Can you charge an EV from a standard engine-heater pole?
No. A standard engine-heater socket is not rated for the continuous load of EV charging (16 A), so it is neither safe nor permitted, and housing companies generally do not allow it. Charging uses solutions built for the purpose, such as Type 2 charging points with load management.
What does charging readiness mean and how does it differ from a finished charging point?
Charging readiness means the cabling, cabinets and pole bodies are built for charging, but the charging units are installed only when needed. A finished charging point is already installed and operational.
Is the housing company's electrical connection enough for EV charging?
Often it is, when load management is used to adjust charging power according to total consumption. Without load management, several simultaneous charges may require a connection upgrade.
Who pays for the housing company's charging infrastructure and who pays for the electricity?
Typically the housing company finances the base infrastructure and the individual user pays for the electricity they consume via the backend system. The financing and billing model should be decided already at the planning stage.
Is it better to replace only the heating poles or to build charging readiness at the same time?
If the old poles are replaced with heating-only poles, charging remains unsolved and may need to be rebuilt later. If the replacement uses a combined or modular solution, the same work handles both heating and future charging at once.
What is the difference between a Supersuko solution and a separate Type 2 charger?
Supersuko is a light, power-limited socket solution for occasional charging. A separate Type 2 charger provides clearly faster charging but usually requires new cabling.
Can a single pole charge several cars?
Yes, if the pole is designed for several charging connections and load management shares the power between them. This way one pole can serve several parking spaces.
How can building the charging infrastructure be phased?
By installing modular poles that first have engine-heater sockets and to which charging can be added later without new excavation. This way the investment is spread according to real demand.
What safety standards must the housing company's charging infrastructure meet?
Installations must meet the EV-charging standard (IEC/EN 61851) and the applicable national electrical-installation regulations, including proper residual-current protection. Installation may only be carried out by an authorised electrical contractor.
How does replacing engine-heater poles affect charging options?
If the poles are replaced with heating-only poles, the charging option is lost. If they are replaced with a combined or modular solution, the replacement solves heating and future charging at the same time.
Examples of solutions on the market
When a housing company is considering a combined heating and charging pole (option 5) or expandable charging readiness (option 6), there are several players on the market. One example in this category is the Finnish InfraPole — a modular pole that replaces the old engine-heater pole and includes engine-heater sockets as standard. Type 2 charging points can be added to the same pole as a retrofit without new cabling, and the same pole can serve several parking spaces. The property's exact sizing, number of charging points, cabling condition and choice of equipment should always be confirmed with an electrical designer or contractor.
Is your housing company considering renewing its parking spaces?
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