Painting Your Electric Vehicle Parking Spaces

The adoption of plug-in electric vehicles is on the rise, which means charging stations and other types of parking spaces for electric vehicles are becoming more common, as well. You might already have a few in your parking lot—or be thinking about adding them. As more and more car companies turn their focus to electric vehicles, you’ll likely need to consider adding these new parking spaces and clearly labeling them sooner rather than later.

While Charlotte doesn’t currently have any ordinance in place indicating how EV parking should be marked, clear trends are developing, and garages and properties are getting creative about how EV parking spots are displayed.

Color

As more and more EV parking spaces pop up all over the city, you might notice a certain trend: most of them are green. Since electric vehicles are more environmentally friendly than their gas-powered counterparts, using the color green to demark their parking spaces makes sense.

Usually, the signage is green with white iconography and wording, but the parking spaces themselves are often painted green, as well. If you’re adding EV parking spaces to your lot, consider doing this, as it makes the spaces stand out and difficult to mistake for a traditional parking spot.

Iconography

Almost universally, a cord and plug are used in signage for EV parking, usually accompanied by the image of either a car or a charging station. The electrical connotation is clear, making this iconography a great choice that most drivers will understand right away. Consider using this iconography on signs, and paint it onto the parking space, as well.

Wording

While some signage and painted spaces include the words “charging station” or “electric vehicle,” many simply use “EV” to indicate parking for electric vehicles. When used in conjunction with a green background and clear iconography, EV is often enough for drivers to infer what it means. However, if you want to make it extra clear that a specific area is meant for electric vehicles only, stating so on a sign or painting it into the parking space is a good idea.

Clearly Indicate Your EV Parking Spaces

While EV parking spaces are a relatively new, they’re only going to become a more and more common sight around the city of Charlotte. Make sure yours are clearly indicated with color, iconography, and wording. Doing so will ensure your customers and tenants are always using appropriate parking spaces, which creates a better experience for everyone.