On March 28, 2023, Colorado released the state’s updated 2023 Electric Vehicle (EV) plan, which builds on the goals of the 2018 and 2020 EV plans by continuing actions to accelerate the adoption of EVs in the state. The document is intended to assist state agencies and other key stakeholders in collaborating on a combined strategy to advance state-wide transportation electrification and measure progress of state EV programs and initiatives.
Recent accomplishments in the plan include the passage of the Sustainability of the Transportation System law that invests over $730 million in EV charging and vehicle incentives programs over the next 10 years, as well as over $100 million over the next decade in the Colorado EV Grant Fund. In addition, the Public Utilities Commission approved Transportation Electrification Plans from Colorado’s investor-owned utilities. Equity and benefits for disproportionally impacted communities has also been a central focus for the state EV plan as many state agencies are leveraging new state and federal funds to promote education and outreach, and workforce development initiatives to reduce transportation emissions. Colorado Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor stated “The Energy Office looks forward to working with other state agencies, utilities, and community stakeholders to make a clean transportation system a reality in Colorado.”
Future goals outlined in the plan include increasing the number of light-duty EVs to 940,000 vehicles by 2030 and 2.1 million by 2035, increasing the number of charging ports awarded or installed to 1,700 Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs) and 5,900 public Level 2 chargers by 2025, completing the implementation of Colorado’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) plan to construct DCFCs along federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridors (AFCs), and increasing the number of electrified Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways by 2025.
The EV plan also sets goals to increase the adoption of medium- and heavy-duty zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) to at least 30 percent of new sales by 2030, and 100 percent of new sales by 2050. Colorado aims to convert public transit fleets across the state to 100 percent ZEVs no later than 2050 and convert 100 percent of school buses to ZEVs by 2035, with a focus in school districts in disproportionately impacted communities.
The Colorado Energy Office also launched an EV Education Campaign called EVCO. For more information on EV programs in Colorado please visit evco.colorado.gov or https://energyoffice.colorado.gov/zero-emission-vehicles.