In what may be a national (global?) first, Colorado CarShare is proud to be part of a groundbreaking project that is transforming the way we use electric vehicles (EVs). In short, we’re piloting EV carshare in affordable housing with bi-directional chargers.
The City of Boulder, in collaboration with Xcel Energy, Colorado CarShare, Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) and Fermata Energy, launched this innovative program aimed at reducing building energy costs while providing affordable, sustainable transportation options for community members. Watch here on msn.com / Denver7 News.
By integrating EV carshare with affordable housing and bidirectional charging, the building/grid charges the car, but during peak energy demand, our carshare vehicle provides energy back to our affordable housing partner’s building, shaving energy, cost and carbon! A true win-win-win!!
Here’s how it works: 👇
➡️ Parked EVs act as power sources, providing electricity back to the grid when needed.
➡️ This helps improve grid resilience, making it more stable and reliable.
➡️ Plus, it supports local communities and businesses by providing access to clean energy.
In addition, thanks to generous support from a General Motors (GM) corporate grant, Colorado CarShare is offering subsidized carshare rates for lower income residents who live in qualified BHP housing in the Boulder Junction neighborhood. It’s a win-win for everyone! We’re taking a big step towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for Colorado.
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.png00Peter Krahenbuhlhttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngPeter Krahenbuhl2024-06-04 23:04:082024-12-19 20:58:50In the News: EV Carshare, Affordable Housing & Bi-directional Charging
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.png00Peter Krahenbuhlhttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngPeter Krahenbuhl2024-02-25 22:06:132024-02-25 22:06:13Celebrating 25 Years of Carsharing Impact!
There were 745 lives lost on Colorado roads in 2022 according to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the most statewide since 1981. As a carshare member, what can we do to protect ourselves? First and foremost, the number one thing you can do (under any weather conditions), is to PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN and pay attention! Seriously, distracted driving is one of the TOP causes for citations and accidents.
Snow Tires – yes we have them on most cars! Snow tires improve your traction in ice or snow, but they do not keep you from sliding! If conditions are bad, our best advice is to delay your trip when possible. Stick to main roads if you do go out, and slow down! Give yourself more time to brake and accelerate than normal. A few considerations:
CO Carshare policy says that members can cancel a booking with no cancelation fee, if weather conditions influence the decision to cancel. So don’t chance it!
It is CO state law to clear snow & ice off of cars prior to driving. This entails removing snow from the roof, truck bed, and external surfaces of the car.
In the event that snow and ice have accumulated on a car, members are responsible for clearing it from the vehicle they’ve booked. Each vehicle is outfitted with a scraper/brush, and or snow shovel. Please follow these recommendations for snow removal:
Plan extra time to defrost the car before you drive. Start up the car, leave it in park, and make sure the defroster buttons are on. Depending on the situation, it can take between 5 and 15 minutes to fully defrost the vehicle for safe traveling.
Use the tools! Scrape the windows and windshield along with using the defroster.
Avoid using the scraper on the vehicle’s paint, as it will remove and scratch the surface.
Colorado CarShare Electric Vehicle (EV) in Breckenridge…with Ski & Bike Racks!
Colorado CarShare is excited to announce the launch of its electric vehicle (EV) carshare program in Summit County with Xcel Energy and the Town of Breckenridge. Intended for locals and visitors alike, now you can carpool or take the bus up into the mountains and still have an awesome AWD with ski and bike racks while there! The launch on Bike to Work Day was AWESOME, and (check out the Vid)…Denver 9news caught it all!
The Town of Breckenridge to launch new EV carshare program through an innovative partnership
Breckenridge, Colorado – As part of its commitment to promoting sustainable transportation, the Town of Breckenridge has partnered with Xcel Energy and Colorado CarShare to provide two shared electric vehicles (EVs) located in the South Gondola Parking Garage. The program aligns with the Town’s goals to lower emissions, and offers equitable access to a new mobility option in the community.
“The carshare program is especially exciting for Town of Breckenridge because it enables households of residents and visitors alike to forgo car ownership, reduce the number of cars in the household, or leave cars at home when visiting Breckenridge.” said Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Owens. “It also advances social equity for those who can’t afford the many expenses associated with car ownership.”
Xcel Energy provided rebates to Colorado CarShare to procure the electric vehicles for use in their car sharing service operations and provided funding to the Town to procure and install the new chargers that support these electric vehicles. “This pilot program helps deliver the benefits of electric vehicles to all customers in the communities we serve, including those that don’t drive, or drive electric. We know EVs can help customers save money on their transportation costs and they deliver cleaner air for everyone because they are powered with increasingly clean electricity,” said Nadia El Mallakh, Vice President Clean Transportation, Xcel Energy.
The not-for-profit organization Colorado CarShare, which currently operates over 60-shared vehicles along the Front Range, will operate the EVs for the program. “Colorado CarShare is suitable for those who wish to reduce their carbon footprint; who commute using public transit, walking, bicycling, or other alternative modes; or who want to reduce their monthly transportation costs,” said Executive Director, Peter Krahenbuhl. “The two shared vehicles will include a Toyota BZ4X and a Kia Niro EV, both equipped with snow tires. The BZ4X is an AWD model and is equipped with both a ski/snowboard and bike rack, making it an ideal fit for the mountain lifestyle.”
To use the vehicles, the first step is to apply to become a member by signing up at www.carshare.org (Use promo code BRECK_X to have the $25 application fee waived, and the first 100 people will also receive $50 of carshare credit preloaded to their accounts). After becoming a member, you can reserve the vehicles up to 4 months in advance. Vehicle reservations can be made for as little as 15 minutes or up to multiple days. Then simply go get your vehicle at the time you reserved. Return it to the same location where you picked it up when you are done.
Town staff will be hosting a launch event on Wednesday June 28th, adjacent to the bike-to-work-day aid station at Blue River Plaza. Stop by the tent from 7:30am-11:00am to check out the vehicles and learn more about the program. Staff will be available to explain how to sign-up and get the most out of the program.
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https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.png00Peter Krahenbuhlhttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngPeter Krahenbuhl2023-07-12 00:51:152023-07-12 00:51:15Carshare Launches in Summit County & Breckenridge!
Boulder County, CO. – Boulder County Mobility for All, Boulder County Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS), and Colorado CarShare are excited to announce the launch of a pilot carshare program in Lafayette.
The new CarShare vehicle is located at the Aspinwall development in Josephine Commons, off Burlington Avenue. The program will support an inclusive, multi-generational community development to help meet the region’s growing demand for accessible and connected transit serving neighborhoods of affordable homes. The new carshare service will complement existing transit at the Josephine Commons in Lafayette. The community of 153 housing units includes apartment style housing for seniors and multifamily rental units for mixed income families.
The pilot car share program, which is currently funded by Boulder County, is expected to continue into next year, with the hope that funding can be secured to provide a shared electric vehicle (EV) with a charging station that may be available for both Colorado CarShare members and local residents. The initiative will include free carshare credits and deeply discounted membership and rates to residents of Josephine Commons. This initiative is complemented by similar carshare programs in downtown Longmont and at the Kestrel apartments in Louisville. Both of which are also supported by Boulder County, as well as Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT)’s Transportation Demand Management Innovation Grant Program.
*If you or anyone you know lives in a BCHP or other qualified affordable housing program, please contact [email protected], as you may qualify for a greatly discounted carshare service!
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/IMG_20220425_134130838-scaled.jpg19932560Sofia Corleyhttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngSofia Corley2022-05-16 21:28:502022-06-24 19:56:16New CarShare Location in Lafayette!
On February 24, Colorado CarShare was honored to present our current electric vehicle (EV) carshare work to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Governor Jared Polis, Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, and other state representatives. Our staff and several of our members demonstrated how we’ve brought electric car sharing to under represented communities. The event took place in Denver’s Mariposa neighborhood, our first of these locations. It was an amazing honor and exemplified how our efforts are creating a model of sustainable transportation equity from the local to national levels.
Colorado CarShare CEO & Executive Director, Peter Krahenbuhl, spoke to the audience about their initiative to bring electric car share vehicles, which do not produce emissions, to lower income and affordable housing communities. Doing so provides a much needed means of transportation, in addition to lowering the greenhouse gasses produced by transportation. This is a core tenet of our effort to drive shared change.
As Peter explained to Secretary Buttigieg and other esteemed representatives, “one round trip car share vehicle takes an estimated 9-13 vehicles off the road, while supporting upwards of 60+ families, individuals and businesses. It also saves our car share members thousands of dollars per year. So in addition to a reduction in traffic, parking, carbon emissions and other pollution, there is a huge economic benefit to car sharing. Then add affordable, electrified car sharing in communities that need it the most, you can see why we view what we’re doing here as the convergence of social equity and what I call sustain(mo)bility.”
This initiative began largely with support from The City and County of Denver, as well as the Denver Foundation a few years ago in order to pilot EV car sharing in under-represented communities. More recently support from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), who hosted the event, is part of a larger CDOT innovation grant program to support organizations working on addressing transportation issues.
We were also blessed to be joined by a few of our wonderful CarShare members, Michelle Jackson, Diane and David Huntress, and Noel Taylor (left). The Huntress’ and Michelle shared their experience using Colorado CarShare and expressed their gratitude for the reliable and affordable mode of transportation.
Colorado CarShare is pulling our weight to mitigate climate change in an even bigger way now, thanks to the vehicle-to-building partner project with Fermata Energy and Denver’s Alliance Center.
To reduce energy use and costs, along with carbon emissions, the pilot was designed to stream electricity between one of Colorado CarShare’s electric vehicles (EV), and one of downtown Denver’s historic buildings, The Alliance Center. Fermata’s vehicle-to-building (V2B) technology allows the Leaf’s battery to charge from the building when needed and at other times, the building receives excess electricity stored in the Nissan Leaf’s battery. By gathering usage data, the system learns how to ensure that the building’s stored energy charges the EV during the vehicle’s window of peak energy usage, and vice versa. Both regain charge without tapping into the electric grid, therefore reducing energy consumption.
In just five short months, the project is already exhibiting great success. As of December, the system “has resulted in over $950 in savings on its electricity bills in just four months using one Fermata Energy 15kW bidirectional charger and one Nissan LEAF. This savings was generated by reducing the Center’s demand charges by nearly eight percent. At this rate, the annual economic gain at this location is projected to be over $3,000 just through demand charge management” (Fermata Energy).
Since The Alliance Center now utilizes stored energy from the EV’s battery, it extracts less energy from the electric grid. Helping power this highly used establishment, combined with providing an alternative to car ownership, means Colorado CarShare is further reducing the carbon emissions that are so destructive to our planet.
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About Colorado CarShare: Colorado CarShare is the state’s first, only – and one of the nation’s longest-running – nonprofit carshare organizations. Our mission is to empower our community to live a car-free lifestyle and have a positive impact on our health, wealth, and shared environment. We aim to make Colorado a “cooler,” healthier, and more socially equitable place to live. This includes setting the goal to become the country’s first nonprofit Electric Vehicle (EV) carshare program, while providing subsidies to low-to-mixed income (LMI) communities that are typically underserved when it comes to affordable mobility options.
About Fermata Energy: Fermata Energy’s proprietary vehicle-to-everything (V2X) software and bidirectional hardware technology turns EVs into energy-storage assets, and makes it possible for EVs to combat climate change, increase energy resilience, and reduce energy costs. For more information, visit www.fermataenergy.com, and follow us on Twitter (@FermataEnergy), LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
About The Alliance Center: The Alliance Center is a Denver-based co-working space, event venue, and nonprofit harnessing the power of collaboration to create a more sustainable future. We demonstrate sustainability in action and mobilize change agents to accelerate equitable climate solutions. Our Living Lab pilots innovative solutions to sustainability challenges, while our Regenerative Recovery Coalition works across sectors to create shared prosperity on a healthy planet. The Alliance Center is a model for green building practices, collaborative working techniques, and capacity building programming—all designed to scale up the sustainability movement. For more information, visit thealliancecenter.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
If you or anyone you know was impacted by the fires, lost your home, your car, or anything else and can use vehicle support, call or email us. We will provide you with a free car share membership and credit to help. We have many CO CarShare vehicles in Boulder County, including trucks/AWD vehicles, and a car in Louisville. And if you think we need one in Superior/Broomfield to assist, let us know.
We ask that folks simply contact us and explain your situation and we will provide whatever support needed (as agreed), from free car share membership and some credit to get them through errands, to longer weekly rentals.
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/unnamed.jpg7851396Sofia Corleyhttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngSofia Corley2022-01-05 16:45:062022-01-05 20:00:12Support for those Impacted by Marshall Fire
Together the City of Boulder, Colorado CarShare has launched a new electric car share vehicle at the 1500 Pearl Street Parking Garage.
A new mobility option is rolling into a downtown city parking garage. Beginning today, an all-electric shared vehicle will be available to Colorado CarShare members at the 1500 Pearl parking garage.
“We are thrilled to partner with Colorado CarShare to offer an all-electric shared vehicle to our community,” said Director of Transportation and Mobility Erika Vandenbrande. “We’re working to build a mobility future that’s connected, shared and electric. This effort is a glimpse into that future.”
The shared electric vehicle is a new addition to the fleet of shared cars in Boulder. Colorado CarShare offers more than 50 vehicles in the Denver metro area, including several hybrid and electric vehicle options in Boulder.
“When it comes to reducing transportation emissions, there’s no one-size-fits all solution. We’re moving forward on several fronts, including electrification, investing in transit, supporting microtransit and exploring the benefits of car sharing.” – Director of Transportation and Mobility, Erika Vandenbrande.
How the Program Works
The City of Boulder is providing one reserved parking spot to Colorado CarShare. Colorado CarShare will pay the costs to charge the electric vehicle and will pay one-third of the costs for the vehicle’s annual parking pass. The city will fund the remaining portion of the parking pass.
Colorado CarShare members will reserve the car, pay associated rental fees and return the car to the same spot. Sign up to become a member at: carshare.org/sign-up/.
“We thank the City of Boulder for supporting car share,” said Colorado CarShare CEO Peter Krahenbuhl. “Downtown Boulder is a great location to demonstrate the benefits of a car-light lifestyle. Since one car share vehicle replaces up to 13 individually owned vehicles, using a fully electric shared car amplifies those benefits.”
The new electric CarShare station at the 1500 Pearl parking garage adds another sustainable travel option to the garage’s four existing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, with four fast EV chargers planned for installation this fall. The recently completed on-site rooftop solar panels help power the building’s garage, commercial spaces and the EV chargers.
“The City of Boulder is working to make it easier for our downtown visitors and employees to reduce their carbon footprints and expand access to our most popular commercial areas, while meeting the city’s climate impact goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said City of Boulder Community Vitality Deputy Director, Cris Jones.
“This effort requires collaboration and commitment from many partners.”
-Original Press Release Published August 23, 2021 by Samantha Glavin
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.png00CO CarSharehttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngCO CarShare2021-09-08 21:19:302021-09-08 21:19:30Electrifying Boulder while offering Mobility Alternatives, One Electric Car Share Vehicle at a Time
Boulder County and Colorado CarShare Partner to Boost Transportation Options for Community of Affordable Homes in Louisville
One of Colorado CarShare’s new electric vehicles!
Boulder County, Colo. – Boulder County Mobility for All, Boulder County Housing and Human Services (BCDHHS), and Colorado CarShare are thrilled to announce the launch of a pilot car share program into Louisville.
Located at Kestrel, a community of affordable homes in Louisville located just northwest of Highway 42 and South Boulder Road, the pilot program will support an inclusive, multi-generational community development to help meet the region’s growing demand for accessible and connected transit serving neighborhoods of affordable homes. The new carshare service will complement existing transit at the Kestrel community in Louisville, which includes 71 permanently-affordable homes for adults 55-and-over and 129 multi-family homes.
“This is a first in Louisville and a great opportunity to make it easier than ever to save money on transportation expenses,” said Angel Bond, Mobility for All Program Manager. “We are really excited to add carsharing to the suite of transportation options that help Kestrel residents meet all of their transportation needs without having to own their own car. Residents have access to RTD FlexRide, 228 & DASH Routes with a free RTD EcoPass; Boulder County offers a new on-demand, Ride Free Lafayette service that can take residents to Lafayette; Via Mobility Services and RTD Access-a-Ride provide paratransit services for older adults and individuals with disabilities; pedestrians and bikes can travel by trail to Waneka and Harpers Lakes; so this provides a natural complement.”
The pilot car share program, which is currently funded through 2021 by Boulder County, is expected to continue into next year, with the hope that funding can be secured to provide a shared electric vehicle (EV) with a charging station that may be available for both the Colorado CarShare EV and local residents. The initiative will include free carshare credits and deeply discounted membership and rates to Kestrel residents. This initiative is complemented by a similar carshare program in downtown Longmont that is also supported by Boulder County.
The Kestrel CarShare launch event in Louisville, Feb. 7th, 2021.
“It has long been a fundamental tenet of Colorado CarShare to serve our community in mixed-income areas, and we are excited to take this step forward in sustainability with Boulder County,” said Colorado CarShare’s CEO and Executive Director, Peter Krahenbuhl. “We expect this initiative to act as a catalyst for additional car share vehicles and hopefully shared EV charging stations in the community,” Krahenbuhl continued.
The Kestrel carshare launch event in Louisville was held on Feb. 7, and included children of Kestrel families, who were able to hand stamp the parking space in bright paint colors.
“Carsharing is such a needed service for neighborhoods all over Boulder County, and especially for communities such as Kestrel, where older adults and busy working families live,” said BCDHHS Property Manager Haley Jory, who is helping organize the launch event. “We are proud to partner with Colorado CarShare and Boulder County’s Mobility for All Program to help bring more transportation options to our residents.”
*If you or anyone you know lives in a BCHP or other qualified affordable housing program, please contact [email protected], as you may qualify for a greatly discounted carshare service!
About Boulder County Housing and Human Services:
The Boulder County Department of Housing and Human Services is a 500-person integrated services delivery organization that is focused on supporting whole families and individuals through a Two-Generation, Social Determinants of Health approach. BCDHHS serves more than 90,000 distinct clients with a wide range of wrap-around services, including food, housing, health coverage, childcare, safety, education and skill building, parenting supports, and much more. Follow Boulder County Housing and Human Services via social media at www.Facebook.com/BCDHHS and visit www.BoulderCountyHHS.org to learn more about BCDHHS’ prevention-based wrap-around community supports and services.
https://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.png00CO CarSharehttps://carshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/CoCarshare_horiz_color-300x56.pngCO CarShare2021-03-18 22:07:092021-03-23 22:53:40New Affordable Car Sharing Option in Louisville
