[dropcap]D[/dropcap]emocrats and Republicans, they all said “aye” last Friday to a bill that aims to bring more electric-car charging stations to Colorado.
“You can’t drive an electric car with out chargers,” said sponsor Matt Jones, a Democrat from Louisville. “The more charges, the more electric vehicles.”
Jones’s bill, SB-28, would make it easier for businesses and nonprofits to receive seed money to install chargers. Now seed money is pretty much restricted to government buildings and apartment complexes.
Jones described his proposal as simple, smart policy which would deepen the tide bringing more electric cars to the roads every day.
“They’re getting cheaper and cleaner,” he said, noting that Colorado was shifting to greater shares of renewable power every year.
“A base-level (electric) nissan now goes for just under $23,000,” he said. “With tax benefits it’s actually closer to $17,000 and, once you have one, they’re cheaper to operate as well.”
He said he doesn’t own an electric car but that one of the bill’s co-sponsors in the House does — Representative Max Tyler of Lakewood.
Jones said that, in addition to federal funds, electric car owners would pay into the seed grant fund themselves with an annual fee of around $50.
Jones also foresees new jobs at car dealerships and in construction as a possible outcome if the bill passes.
“Clean energy jobs, man. I think we should be doing a lot more of that,” he said.
The Senate will vote on the bill one last time and then it heads to the House.
[Photo by Dr Whimsy]
