Boulder County awarded $4.9M for electric vehicle charging stations

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Boulder County plans to add about 100 electric vehicle charging stations in the next three years. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the money after a two-year effort to make it happen. The county will add public chargers in neighborhoods with lots of apartments and condos, rural areas and mobile home communities.  

“I have a mile left on my car and it would be nice to go fully electric all the way home,” said Caitlin Durling, who drives an electric vehicle. 

Durling said she would still be able to make it back to her house in her hybrid.

“I am like, I don’t know, maybe four miles south of here,” said Durling.   

She's just glad she was able to find a charger this time. That's not always the case – which can get frustrating. 

“Oh yeah for sure,” said Durling.   

In about three years, Boulder County will be able to add more electric vehicle chargers to the area. 

“Screaming, excited, yeah we are really excited, but also realizing that it's a big project,” said Lea Yancey, an electric vehicle specialist with Boulder Country.   

It was welcome news for Yancey that the county got a nearly $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for electric vehicle charging. 

“We are going to target over 100, if we can, over 100 charging stations equitably distributed through the county,” said Yancey.  

This move has been two years in the making. 

“Boulder County has one of the highest rates of electric vehicle adoption in the country,” said Yancey.   

“We have embraced the electric car,” said Durling. “Especially in Boulder in particular, lots of them.” 

Boulder County hopes they can pave the way for other counties in Colorado to do the same. 

“We are hoping that a lot of what we learn through the project we can share with others,” said Yancey.  "The majority of the money will go to the stations themselves. There is also a plan for community engagement, some workforce development to help with training to help with job training for electricians."

Yancey said the timing of the grant is great. 

"To help increase access to public charging and home charging paired with a great system right now of electric vehicle incentives," Yancey said. "It’s just really good."

Yancey said the grant will help out people who don't have electric vehicles, too. 

"For those who have thought about it, or haven’t though out it yet, and have barriers to buying one because there is not home charging or charging in their neighborhood, this grant would serve that purpose," Yancey said.

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