L.A. International Airport Prioritizes EV Charging

LAX’s New Economy Parking Structure Built With Electric Vehicles in Mind

Close to 90 million people pass through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) each year, making it one of the busiest hubs in the world. To relieve traffic congestion getting to, from, and around the airport, LAX launched the Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP).

A key component of LAMP is the newly constructed 1.7 million-square-foot Economy Parking Structure. With 37% of its 4,300 parking spaces dedicated to electric vehicle (EV) charging, the four-story parkade supports LAX’s sustainability goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.

"The new economy parking lot is the first of many improvements that will completely transform the passenger experience at [LAX],” says City Councilmember Joe Buscaino.

Partnering With PowerFlex

LAX engaged PowerFlex, a leader in turnkey EV charging solutions, to supply the Economy Parking Structure with 1,242 Level 2 chargers and 16 Level 3 (DC Fast) chargers. Our experience designing, constructing, and operating large-scale EV installations made us an ideal partner.

In addition to EV charging expertise, PowerFlex ensures customers make the most of federal, state, and local green power incentives. The LAX parking project qualified for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power’s “Charge Up LA!” program, se- curing a $500,000 rebate.

Incorporating EV infrastructure into new construction at the design stage lays a foundation for a range of future sustainability initiatives. At PowerFlex, we work alongside construction companies, general contractors, architects, and building owners to develop cost-effective EV charging plans and layouts. Our flexible designs allow for EV charging to operate either alone or with other technologies, such as solar and energy storage.

Optimizing EV Charging With Adaptive Load Management

Unique to PowerFlex, our Adaptive Load Management (ALM) software solves one of the biggest challenges organizations face — deploying large-scale EV charging without requiring oversized electrical systems. In a typical EV charging model, every station operates at full power, which can lead to high infrastructure costs as well as steep peak demand charges levied by utilities. PowerFlex’s ALM approaches EV charging differently. Our patented algorithm delivers reliable EV charging through- out a network by controlling stations individually, in real-time, based on charging demand, building load, onsite generation, and other variables. This makes for a more balanced energy draw across the network, eliminating demand spikes.

By optimizing the total power available, ALM can power 6 times the number of EV charging ports as a traditional system while enabling businesses to shave as much as 60% off the cost of electrical system upgrades and peak demand charges.