Colorado's roadmap for building a statewide electric-vehicle charging network has been approved by the federal government, a development that clears the way for millions of dollars in EV charging investments in the coming years.
"With this approval, Colorado can continue to be a leader in building an electric vehicle charging network that will result in cleaner air and reduced emissions," said Shoshana Lew, executive director of the Colorado Department of Transportation. "We're excited to get to work and help Coloradans in every corner of the state have easy access to an EV charger."
Colorado was among a group of states that received early approval of its plan to build out its segments of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) system, an effort to support the construction of a national network of 500,000 EV chargers along major interstates and highways to allow for seamless EV travel across the country and faster EV adoption. Colorado currently has about 63,927 electric vehicles registered in the state and has a target of 940,000 EVs on the road by 2030.
Colorado stands to receive $57 million over the next five years to create its NEVI corridor system. Each state had to submit a NEVI plan to the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and Transportation to address how NEVI funds would be used, including public engagement, equity for rural and disadvantaged communities, workforce considerations, cybersecurity concerns and more. With the federal approval of Colorado's plan, the state now has access to funds to get projects going.
Under the program, CDOT does not own or operate any chargers itself. Rather, the program awards grants to private, public, and nonprofit entities that want to build, own, operate and maintain chargers. The NEVI program pays up to 80% of eligible costs for charging infrastructure.
Colorado's plan addresses visions and goals; timelines and milestones; state agency coordination; contracting strategies; geography, terrain, climate and land use; state travel patterns; public transit; freight and supply chains; alternative fuel corridor designations; rural charging needs; equity considerations; and other topics.
Colorado’s NEVI plan implementation will ensure that at least 40% of the benefits of NEVI funding accrue to disproportionately affected communities, including individuals with disabilities, rural residents and other historically underserved communities.
"We are excited to invest this NEVI funding in Colorado, and we're also going to pair it with state funds so that every part of the state is eligible for EV charging money," said Kay Kelly, chief of innovative mobility for CDOT. "Our goal is to ensure that the benefits of electric mobility accrue to all Coloradans, regardless of region, income, disability or other factors.”
The anticipated benefits of Colorado’s NEVI Plan include both direct benefits such as the number and dollar value of infrastructure projects, as well as indirect benefits such as clean energy job creation related to infrastructure installation and maintenance. NEVI funds can also be used for job training, which could provide upward mobility for residents of disproportionately affected communities.
More information about Colorado's NEVI plan can be found at https://www.codot.gov/programs/innovativemobility/electrification/nevi-plan.
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