The number of electric vehicle (EV) drivers increased dramatically on Garfield County’s roadways recently. One in three cars purchased in Colorado was electric during the third quarter of 2025—the highest ratio in the country, according to dealership data.
Buying an EV is exhilarating. We’ve heard “it’s like a spaceship” from new EV drivers so often that it might as well be the unofficial EV slogan. They also provide meaningful savings on gas—often in the thousands of dollars annually—and on car maintenance. In a region and state where affordability is a daily challenge, these savings make EV ownership even more appealing.
With these benefits, it’s no wonder EV ownership is on the rise locally. Garfield County has more than 1,700 registered electric vehicles, and Garfield Clean Energy is making progress toward a goal that 15% of all registered vehicles in the County will be electric by 2030. With the new Vehicle Exchange Colorado (VXC) Program offering incentives for income-qualified buyers of $6,000 for used EVs and $9,000 for new ones, the share of battery-powered cars is expected to grow further.
EV owners we’ve spoken with say the VXC program was the only way they could afford to go electric, which speaks to the importance of the program now that federal incentives have ended. The application process is quick, easy, and well-coordinated with dealerships. One driver I spoke with received their VXC approval in just a few days and went on to purchase a Volkswagen ID.4 entirely over text with a dealership.
But the other side of EV ownership — charging — can feel daunting for new or prospective drivers, a concern known as “charging anxiety.” Charging infrastructure has improved considerably in recent years, making it easier than ever to charge on the go. Garfield County has 115 Level 2 ports and 51 DC Fast Chargers, and many EV drivers use public and workplace charging with ease, using apps like PlugShare to quickly locate charging nearby. Colorado now has more than 6,500 public chargers, making road trips with an EV more accessible (and cheaper than filling up a gas tank). Still, an at-home charger remains the most convenient, cheapest and most commonly used option.
For people living in multifamily housing—condos, apartments and townhomes—access to at-home EV charging is often nonexistent or challenging. Only 5% of U.S. rental properties offer EV charging, according to the National Multifamily Housing Council. Single-family homeowners can typically install chargers in a garage, alley or driveway and may qualify for rebates from utilities or local governments. Residents of multifamily buildings, on the other hand, must navigate issues of scale, regulations, governing boards and significant technical hurdles.
With Colorado adding 20,434 new multifamily housing units in 2025 (making up 36.5% of new homes), the number of residents facing this charging challenge is growing. To help address charging access, Colorado House Bill 23-1233 (passed in 2023) requires all multifamily new construction or major renovations of multifamily parking areas to comply with the state minimum EV-ready codes. Unfortunately, that still leaves a large gap for existing multifamily housing units—meaning many renters and property owners must navigate technical and financial hurdles to install charging infrastructure.
That’s where organizations like Garfield Clean Energy come in. Through our managing nonprofit, Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), and in collaboration with Climate Action Collaborative and Walking Mountains in Eagle County, we’re offering a free multifamily housing EV coaching program. Participants receive six months of one-on-one technical and third-party support for EV charger installations. They also receive general EV education, information about incentives and grants, and grant writing support. We’re happy to talk to renters, homeowners or property managers to get started and demystify the process.
Multifamily homeowners and property managers take note: Installing EV chargers can increase the property value, help attract tenants and stay ahead of the curve for increasingly widespread EV use. If you’re a property owner or an EV driver in a multifamily unit, get in touch and help us transform the EV charging landscape in Garfield County.
