PUBLIC TRANSIT
The transportation sector – more specifically, passenger vehicles – is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, air and noise pollution, and the rise of urban sprawl. Getting cars off the road is imperative to improving community quality of life & air quality. It requires investment in education about local public transportation options and improvements in local transit infrastructure. Public transit includes buses, trains, trams and light rails, metros, shared ride services, and bike-sharing. Increasing micro-mobility, public transportation, and electric vehicles (EVs) can provide many benefits including reduced emissions, traffic reductions, health and well-being, reduced parking demand, cost savings, and equity.
UNDERSTANDING THE LOCAL TRANSPORTATION ENVIRONMENT
There are many strategies to help understand the local transportation environment, including distance mapping to public transit, counting bike parking spaces, tracking the number and accessibility of EV charging stations, collecting data on carpooling and rideshare participation, evaluating the implementation of preferential parking programs and tracking occupancy rates, and conducting surveys to assess the effectiveness of transportation demand management strategies.
Helpful Resources:
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Public Transportation Resources for the City and County of Denver
- RTD Schedule and Routes
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Denver Transportation Plan
- Denver’s Vision for Future Transportation
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Walk/Bike/Transit Score
- See how your neighborhood ranks on modes of transportation.
- Discount Fares for RTD
- Electric Shuttle Ridesharing
WHAT IS MICRO-MOBILITY?
Micro-mobility refers to modes of transportation that are human-powered or use small electric motors, such as bicycles, electric scooters, and walking.
- Lyft Scooters
- B Cycles
- Lime Scooters
Bike services
Rebates & Assistance Available for E-Bikes
- Denver
- A limited number of e-bike rebate vouchers are available every other month.
- Rebate vouchers are an upfront discount on the sale price of an e-bike from a participating bike shop.
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There are two types of rebate vouchers available.
- Standard Rebate: As a Denver resident, you can save up to $300 on the sale of an e-bike or up to $500 on the sale of an e-cargo bike.
- Income-Qualified Rebate: If you meet our income-qualified requirements, you can save up to $1,200 on the sale of an e-bike or up to $1,400 on the sale of an e-cargo bike.
- Adaptive Rebate: If you are a person with a disability and you are unable to use a standard e-bike, you may be eligible to save up to $1,400 on the sale of an adaptive e-bike.
- These are designed to meet individual and specialized needs of their specific riders.
- Separate application process.
- If you are interested, please see below. The next round of rebate vouchers will be available Tuesday, September 26 at 11 a.m. (following will be November 28 at 11 a.m.)
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Types of EV Chargers
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Level 1: 120 volt
- Ideal for overnight slow-charging
- Ideal for short commutes
- Plug into a standard wall outlet
- Provides up to 2-5 miles per hour of charge
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Level 2: 240 volt
- Ideal for workplace and destination charging
- For hybrid vehicles, full charge in 1-2 hours
- The average installation cost of $5,000-$10,000
- Provides up to 40-65 miles per hour of charge
Rebates & Assistance Available for EV Charging Projects
Xcel Energy
- The rebate can help reduce the costs of updating your home’s wiring so you can charge at home. The rebate can also offset the cost of a Level 2 charger. Eligible customers can save up to $500. Income-Qualified customers can qualify for a $1,300 rebate.
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Eligibility:
- Drive an electric vehicle (all-electric or plug-in hybrid)
- Live in a residence that receives electric service from Xcel Energy in Colorado
- Agree to charge during an off-peak schedule through our Optimize Your Charge Program
- You select a Level 2 charger from one of two pre-qualified options
- Xcel installs and maintains your charger
- You save with an off-peak charging schedule
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Eligibility:
- Drive an electric vehicle (all-electric or plug-in hybrid)
- Live in a Colorado residence that receives electric service from Xcel
- Have access to Wi-Fi at the charging location
- Select an off-peak charging schedule from program options
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Xcel will provide and pay for your EV supply infrastructure and offer you four charging equipment options:
- Assigned parking with Xcel charging equipment
- Shared parking with Xcel charging equipment
- Shared parking with your charging equipment
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New construction rebate
- Earn a rebate for every parking spot you enable EV charging. We will provide up to $2,000 for EV Ready, EV Capable, or EV Installed ports that are in excess of applicable building code.
- $50 annual credit on your bill when you opt into an off-peak charging schedule, from 9pm-6am, 12:30am‑9:30am, or 6am-3pm.
- You can find more information here.
- Xcel Energy offers income-qualified residential customers a $3,000 rebate for the purchase or lease of a pre-owned EV, and a $5,500 rebate for the purchase or lease of a new EV.
- Income-qualified residents are households with income levels equal to or below 60% of the Colorado’s median income that are currently enrolled in one of Colorado’s financial assistance programs such as the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). Eligible EVs must be purchased or leased from a Colorado dealership
Colorado
- Qualified EVs titled and registered in Colorado are eligible for a tax credit.
- Light-duty EVs purchased or leased before January 1, 2026, are eligible for a tax credit equal to the amounts below, per calendar year.
- Available for the purchase or lease of new EVs and plug-in hybrid EVs
- Eligible for a state tax credit of $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a new EV on or after July 1, 2023, with an MSRP of up to $80,000
- Lease agreements must have an initial term of at least two years. Beginning January 1, 2024, Coloradans purchasing an EV with an MSRP up to $35,000 will be eligible for an additional $2,500 tax credit.
Federal
- Beginning January 1, 2023, the Clean Vehicle Credit provides a tax credit of up to $4,000 for the purchase of a pre-owned EV or FCEV.
- must be of a model year at least 2 years prior to the year of purchase and may not have a purchase price above $25,000.
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Individuals with a gross annual income below the following thresholds are eligible for the tax credit:
- $150,000 for joint filers
- $112,500 for head-of-household filers
- $75,000 for single filers
- If you bought a new, qualified plug-in EV in 2022 or before, you may be eligible
- Up to $7,500 under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D – depends on whether the vehicle meets new critical minerals and battery components requirements for vehicles placed in service after April 17, 2023.
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Eligibility: limited by thresholds for modified adjusted gross income (modified AGI); only individuals having a modified AGI below the following thresholds for the current tax year or the prior tax year are eligible for the tax credit:
- $300,000 for joint filers
- $225,000 for head-of-household filers
- $150,000 for all other filers
- The Colorado Energy Office provides grants through the Charge Ahead Colorado program
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Grants will fund 80% of the cost of an EV charging station,
- Up to $6,000 for a fleet-only Level 2 station
- $9,000 for a dual port Level 2 station
- Up to $35,000 for a direct current fast charging (DCFC) station capable of providing at least 50 kilowatts (kW)
- Up to $50,000 for a DCFC station capable of providing at least 100kW
- Eligible EV charging station applicants include owners’ associations of common interest communities and many more.
Recommended Three Year Timeline/Action Plan
Reminder:This action plan is a starting point and can be customized based on each specific HOAs needs and resources. Regular evaluation and adaptation of the plan will be essential for sustained success.
Year 1
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Identify the Needs
- Understand residents expected charging needs based on travel patterns, EV ownership, the amount of time it may take to charge the vehicle battery, and the number and type of EVs expected to be served at each location.
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Assess Current Infrastructure
- Identify the feasibility of implementing EV charging stations.
- Evaluate the availability of electrical capacity, readiness, and installation feasibility
Year 2
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EV Incentives and Benefits
- Collaborate with local gov agencies and utility companies to provide incentives
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Install EV Charging Stations
- Consider a mix of level chargers
- Determine if you want the HOA to retain ownership of infrastructure
Year 3
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Management and Monitoring
- Implement system to track the usage, maintenance, and billing of the EV charging stations
- Community engagement and education
- Collaboration and partnerships
- Explore opportunities for shared charging
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HOA EV Policy
- Create a HOA electric car charging policy in governing documents (get approval)
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Policy should cover
- How homeowners should pay for charging their EV
- The proposal process for letting homeowners install their own charging stations
- The schedule of charging station use
Cost Considerations for EV Charging Projects
- Consider the cost of electrical upgrades.
- Allocate a budget for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of EV charging stations
- Worth investing in charging stations that come with advanced software features that can separate the cost of electricity used for charging, track users, and charge related fees straight to users’ credit cards.
- It is also a good idea to sub-meter the electricity going to the charging station so that it will remain separate from the electricity going to common areas. This will prevent confusion and mistakes in billing.
- Many electric vehicle service providers (EVSPs) install electric car charging stations for condos and HOAs. These providers usually take care of maintenance issues and expenses. In addition, they also take responsibility for collecting payments from individual homeowners who use the charging station