Gov. Jared Polis wants Colorado to be a leader in helping reduce the nation’s imprint on greenhouse gases. According to the Colorado Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution Reduction Roadmap, transportation is the largest source of GHG pollution in Colorado, with light-duty vehicles accounting for nearly 60 percent of transportation sector emissions.
To reduce emissions from this sector, Polis’s administration has set a goal of 940,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on Colorado roads by 2030.
EV CO Initiative and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases
To help Colorado work toward that goal, the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) launched an initiative to increase the purchase of EVs across Colorado.
“EV CO” is a public awareness and education campaign designed to promote the convenience and financial and environmental benefits of driving electric and answer common questions about incentives and charging.
The campaign is the first of its kind by the state and reflects the Polis administration’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions from the transportation sector while allowing Colorado consumers to make choices that best meet their lifestyle and budget needs, said Ari Rosenblum, Public Information Officer/Communications Manager Colorado Energy Office.
The EV CO campaign includes a website, a partner toolkit, social media outreach, and other materials. Together, these resources will connect Coloradans with the information they need to choose electric for their next vehicle purchase or lease.
“Transportation emissions are the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Colorado, which makes electrifying the transportation sector a top priority to meet our GHG emissions reduction targets,” Rosenblum said. “The Polis Administration has set a goal of 940,000 light-duty electric vehicles on the road by 2030. The state is on track to meet, if not exceed this goal. Demand for electric vehicles is growing quickly, especially as new pick-up and SUV models hit the market. As of early-April 2023, there were over 80,000 electric vehicles registered in Colorado. Electric vehicles have made up 13.2 percent of 2023 new vehicle sales in Colorado, compared to only 3.5 percent in 2019, making Colorado first in the region and sixth in the nation in EV market share.”
EV Tax Credits
According to the EV CO website, tax credits are available for EV purchases; $2,000 is the amount of Colorado’s EV tax credit, and $9,500 is the total credit amount Coloradans could be eligible for when including the federal tax credit.
“Whether you’re looking for information on state or federal EV tax credits, how at-home or public charging works, or what electric vehicle best suits your personal needs, the EV CO website is a one-stop shop to connect Coloradans to the most current resources and answer all your EV-related questions,” said Executive Director Will Toor. “EV CO highlights just how versatile electric vehicles can be, whether you live on the Front Range, Eastern Plains, Western Slope, or other areas of the state.”
As EVs grow in popularity, many potential EV buyers have questions and concerns about owning an EV in Colorado. From addressing common misconceptions to outlining available incentives, EV CO provides important information about purchasing and owning an EV to an increasing number of Coloradans considering a switch to electric.
Through March, the collective social media campaign has reached nearly 570,000 Coloradans and driven more than 74,000 people to visit the EV CO website to learn more about EVs since the initiative launched in November 2022.
Infrastructure Being Built
To encourage the rapid adoption of EVs in Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and CEO have coordinated to install publicly accessible EV infrastructure across the state.
“The state recognizes that electric vehicle infrastructure is essential to ensure Coloradans can seamlessly make the switch to electric vehicles,” Rosenblum said. “The Colorado Energy Office offers several funding opportunities for businesses, multifamily housing, and local governments to install electric vehicle charging stations.”
In addition to investing state funds to continue expanding Colorado’s charging infrastructure, the state is receiving $57 million over five years from the federal Inflation Reduction Act’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
Private industry, utilities, and other stakeholders are also leveraging these state and federal resources to invest in EV charging. As of early-April 2023, there were a total of 3,971 Level 2 charging ports and 792 fast-charging ports across the state.
EV Insurance and Maintenance Costs
Rosenblum said he expects EV insurance costs to lower in the coming years. “It’s important to consider the costs of vehicle ownership holistically,” Rosenblum said. “When you factor in all the costs to own and operate a vehicle (including maintenance and fuel), EVs are less expensive to own than fossil fuel-powered cars. While it is true that current insurance prices can be higher with EVs, we anticipate those costs will come down as EV adoption continues to increase.”
Rosenblum said EV maintenance costs could also dip as EV’s become more prevalent on the roadways. “It (battery) depends on the manufacturer,” he said. “However, across the board, we expect EV repairs to become easier and less expensive as EV adoption increases and the workforce becomes increasingly more prepared to service EVs.”
EV’s Future
Rosenblum said Colorado is making headway toward reaching its EV goal. “Colorado is on track to meet its goal of 940,000 light-duty electric vehicles on the road by 2030,” he said. “With new vehicle models on the market and increased funding for incentives and charging infrastructure, we expect rapid EV adoption to continue in Colorado.”
Rosenblum said Colorado has committed to a rulemaking at the Air Quality Control Commission in 2023 to extend and expand its clean car standards, ensuring auto manufacturers continue to prioritize the availability of electric vehicles in Colorado dealerships.
The state also just published its 2023 EV Plan — a comprehensive, interagency strategy to support a transition to zero-emission vehicles. “The plan outlines strategies to electrify light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles and infrastructure and advance electric mobility and shared options, such as e-bikes and electric carsharing,” he said. “This year’s EV Plan also includes leveraging unprecedented state and
federal funding to invest in new programs and charging infrastructure, developing workforce training opportunities, and focusing on equity to ensure disproportionately impacted communities and low and moderate-income Coloradans can access the benefits of clean transportation options.”
For additional details on EV CO visit www.evco.colorado.gov.
