DENVER — This month, Colorado leaders including the governor celebrated the completion of the EV Fast-Charging Corridors program. The program has 33 faster chargers for electric vehicles (EVs) across the State of Colorado after more than $10 million was dedicated to the program on top of $2 million in private and local government investments.
"They're absolutely gaining in popularity," the President and CEO of Phil Long Dealerships Kevin Shaughnessy told News 5. "We've selling more EVs than we've ever sold in our history, and every month we sell more than we've ever sold in a month prior."
Earlier this month, the governor touted a new report stating Colorado had surpassed California to reach the highest EV market share of any state in the nation for the 3rd quarter of 2024. The report came from the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Managementand states that about one in four new cars sold in Colorado during the 3rd quarter were electric vehicles.
“Colorado’s nation-leading progress in electric vehicle adoption is a key part of our ambitious efforts to achieve net-zero emissions in Colorado by 2050,” said Colorado Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor. “Between investments in charging infrastructure and generous incentives to bring down purchase and lease costs, our commitment to making electric vehicles an affordable and reliable option for Coloradans is paying off. Whether you’re in a rural or urban community, electric vehicles are everywhere in Colorado, saving Coloradans money and improving air quality across our state.”
Shaughnessy has seen the popularity of EVs grow in Colorado firsthand and even drives an electric vehicle himself.
"I drive the Mustang Mach E Electric," Shaughnessy explained. "I drive the rally version, which is kind of a souped-up, little more horsepower, a little more torque. It's got big wheels on it, and it's got skid plates underneath it. It's all-wheel drive with aggressive tires. I was driving it in those big, bad snowstorms we had a few weeks ago. And I haven't had more fun driving a vehicle than driving that around in the snow recently. In my role as the president of an auto group, I can, I can drive anything that I like and we've got a lot of really cool cars to drive, and I can tell you that nothing gives me, personally, the driving satisfaction that I get driving an electric car. And that's that's why I've chosen that for myself."
According to registration datagathered by Atlas Public Policy, there are about 28 EVs per 1,000 people as of December. Based on the same data, the top 10 electric vehicles on the road in Colorado are as follows:
1. Tesla Model Y
2. Tesla Model 3
3. Nissan Leaf
4. Jeep Wrangler
5. Hyundai Ioniq 5
6. Toyota RAV4 Prime
7.Volkswagen ID.4
8. Nissan Ariya
9. Tesla Model S
10. Jeep Grand Cherokee
The data also showcases that electric vehicles are more popular in the Denver area than anywhere else in the state, taking population into account. In Douglas County there are about 50 EVs per 1,000 people, in El Paso County there are a little more than 19. However, in more rural areas across the state such as Baca County, there are only 2.28 EVs per 1,000 people
"I think infrastructure has a lot to do with why people may not choose electrified vehicles," Shaugnessy added. "You get into more rural areas, the distance between charging stations and the availability of charging stations. There's a lot less density on that."
Click herefor a map of the 33 fast charging stations that are part of the EV Fast Charging Corridors from the state. You can also view the locations below:
Western Slope
- Craig: Kum & Go, 700 E. Victory Way, Craig, CO 81625
- Dinosaur: Welcome Center, 101 Stegosaurus Fwy, Dinosaur, CO 81610
- Durango:
- City Parking, 250 W 8th St, Durango, CO 81301
- Purgatory Ski Resort, 1 Skier Pl, Durango, CO 81301
- Granby: Kum & Go, 308 W. Agate Avenue, Granby, CO 80446
- Gunnison: 202 E Tomichi Ave, Gunnison, CO 81230
- Montrose: City Parking Lot, 533 N. 1st Street, Montrose, CO 81401
- Ouray: 1230 Main Street, Ouray, CO 81427
- Pagosa Springs: Centennial Park, San Juan River Walk, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
- Rifle: Kum & Go, 705 Taugenbaugh Blvd, Rifle, CO 81650
- Steamboat Springs: Kum & Go, 80 Anglers Drive, Steamboat Springs, CO 80477
- Vail: Lionshead Parking, 395 S Frontage Rd W, Vail, CO 81657
Eastern Plains
- Burlington: 122 Lincoln St, Burlington, CO 80807
- La Junta: Village Inn, 5 Walmart Way, La Junta, CO 81050
- Lamar: Welcome Center, 109 E Beech St, Lamar, CO 81052
- Limon: 250 E Main St, Limon, CO 80828
- Sterling: 130 N 4th St, Sterling, CO 80751
Front Range
- Aurora: 7-Eleven, 14490 E Colfax Ave, Aurora, CO 80011
- Boulder: 1500 Pearl St., Boulder, CO
- Brighton: 7-Eleven, 15200 E 120th Ave., Brighton, CO 80603
- Canon City: 403 Royal Gorge Blvd, Canon City, CO 81212
- Conifer: 27181 Main Street, Conifer, CO, 80433
- Dacono: Kum & Go, 127 Laura Way, Dacono, CO 80514
- Estes Park: Visitor Center, 500 Big Thompson Ave, Estes Park, CO 80517
- Fairplay: Town Hall, 901 9th St, Fairplay, CO 80440
- Georgetown: 1120 Argentine St., Georgetown, CO, 80444
- Greeley: Village Inn, 4318 Centerplace Dr, Greeley, CO 80631
- Pueblo: 7-Eleven, 3522 N Elizabeth St, Pueblo, CO, 81008
- Wellington: Kum & Go, 8150 6th St, Wellington, CO 80549
- Westminster: 7-Eleven, 7382 Federal Blvd, Westminster, CO 80030
- Wheat Ridge: Target, 5071 Kipling Street, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
Other Regions
- Alamosa: Visitor Center, 610 State Ave, Alamosa, CO 81101
- Salida: Two Rivers Development, 1 Old Stage Rd., Salida, CO, 81201
"As a corporate dealer group, we view electrified vehicles as a power train choice, and there are power train options that make choice make sense for a lot of different people," Shaugnessy said. "If you're pulling something heavy, diesel might be the best option for you. Gasoline is a great choice for people, we find hybrid vehicles are an awesome choice for a lot of people, and we're seeing more and more people adopt plug-in hybrid vehicles that don't travel a long distance every day, and they never burn gas. But if they do need to go beyond a certain radius that the gas engine just kicks in, and they're not limited in range by the amount of electricity in the battery, they've got a fuel tank also."
The infrastructure in Colorado is likely one of the reasons EVs are growing in popularity in Colorado, but tax credits are also beneficial in the Centennial State.
Coloradans are eligible for a $5,000 state tax credit for purchasing or leasing a new EV (battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric) with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) under $80,000, and an additional $2,500 for EVs with an MSRP under $35,000. The $5,000 state tax credit is available through the end of this year, before decreasing to $3,500 starting in 2025.
Income-qualified Coloradans exchanging an eligible old or high-emitting vehicle can also take advantage of a $6,000 rebate through the Vehicle Exchange Colorado program for a new EV purchase or lease and a $4,000 rebate for a used EV purchase or lease.
In addition, Coloradans may be eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for a new EV lease, and for the purchase of certain EV models that meet specific manufacturing requirements. A $4,000 federal tax credit is available for used EV purchases and leases. However, with a new administration coming in that tax credit may not be available in the near future.
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