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A solution for parking garages lacking chargers

by Gordon Rodda 0 Comments

Volkswagen is promoting (https://newatlas.com/automotive/volkswagen-autonomous-electric-vehicle-charging-robots/) a new twist on the problem of building difficult or expensive charging ports into every parking space: robots that bring the juice to the needy cars. We know of apartment complexes in Durango that are flummoxed by the problem that every parking space is assigned to an individual apartment, and there are no extra spaces that could be devoted to charging EVs. Even if there were a few such extra spaces, there would be conflicts over how many dedicated charging spaces to create and who is the reprobate responsible for leaving their fully charged car in the space overnight, preventing others from charging.

VW’s solution is a autonomous charger that, when requested through a car owner’s smartphone, hooks the car up to a battery wagon that the robot guides from needy car to needy car. The wagon can be hooked up to several cars simultaneously, and the robot will switch hookups as needed to ensure that all the cars get charged.

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Federal tax credit reinstated for 2018-2020 EV purchases and chargers

by Gordon Rodda 2 Comments
Chevy Bolt taking care of Christmas.

Current EVents (Jan 2020, the magazine of the Electric Auto Association) reported:

Receive a federal tax credit of 30% of the cost of purchasing and installing an EV charging station (up to $1,000 for residential installations and up to $30,000 for commercial installations) with this retroactive credit.

Previously, this federal tax credit expired on December 31, 2017, but is now retroactively extended through December 31, 2020. The full details can be viewed on the U.S. Department of Energy website: https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/10513.

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EV 4 Corners

by Sarah Kelly 0 Comments
Another Leaf in Silverton, Colorado

Welcome to the start up of the EV 4 Corners website.

Members of what was formerly the Durango Electric Vehicle Enthusiasts (DEVE) have started this website to share information about buying, owning, and using electric vehicles (EVs) or plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs) of all kinds in the Four Corners area. Although we are based in Durango, CO, we plan to present news and information about EV resources throughout the Four Corners, including areas in SE Utah, NE Arizona and NW New Mexico.

Because we are far afield from the nearest interstates, charging infrastructure is arriving more slowly than in densely populated areas. We plan to keep abreast of the Four Corners states’ programs to build charging infrastructure and encourage states to remember our scenic part of the country, home to many of America’s iconic road-trip and scenic routes, in their EV plans.

Buying an EV or PHEV is currently difficult for some makes and models in our area. Since 2017, Nissan of Durango was the first dealership in the area to reliably keep EVs in stock. They continue to do so. Durango’s GM and Toyota dealerships have been less enthusiastic or unable to keep their PHEVs (or the Bolt EV, in GM’s case) in stock. Toyota only sells their Prius Prime Plug-In in a limited number of states, which do not include Colorado, New Mexico or Utah. We’ll include periodic updates about EV/PHEV dealers in the Four Corners, and reviews from local drivers of the commonly available EV/PHEVs.

We will highlight the pleasure of traveling through and within the Four Corners by EV and PHEV through stories about our favorite charger stops, advice about charger stops we find lacking, and information about local businesses which support EV drivers.

Finally, we’ll provide summaries and links to national and global EV/PHEV news relevant to rural owners, drivers and those who are interested in EVs.

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New Public Chargers and free ChargePoint Chargers for Residential LPEA Customers

by Sarah Kelly 0 Comments

News from La Plata Electric Association on the charging infrastructure:

  • There will be a new Level 2 charger at the Bayfield, Colorado Town Hall parking lot by Memorial Day, 2020.
  • The locations for the Colorado Energy Office (CEO) Fast-Charging Corridors are still up in the air for Pagosa Springs and Durango.
    • We know the grant money has been awarded by CEO to ChargePoint for these chargers. Hopefully the locations will be settled on SOON!

LPEA’s home charger program has changed in some really positive ways since the description in the ad below:

  • They have removed the requirement that the car be purchased after Jan 1, 2019, so now all cars qualify.
  • They have just this week removed the requirement to be on their time-of-use rate, so now anyone is eligible.
  • LPEA has FREE Chargepoint units that they provide or rebates towards the purchase of your own charger, as well as rebates to help with the electrical cost of installing the appropriate outlet.

By Sarah Kelly

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Denver EV Council’s January Newsletter

by Sarah Kelly 0 Comments
Electric Bus on the 16th Street Mall in Denver
DEVC-Newsletter-Jan-20Download

Includes:

  • Zero Motorcycles At IMS In Denver, January 17-19
  • Eight Intermountain West Governors Commit to Coordinating on Regional Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, and Release Voluntary Minimum Standards for Stations (REV West MOU)
  • New Xcel Energy Rate Could Speed RTD’s Purchase of Electric Buses
  • What Does Your Car Know About You?

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