Tax incentives and/or other incentives for drivers of electric vehicles in Brighton.
Gross vehicle weight rating limits for AFVs are 2,000 pounds greater than those for comparable conventional vehicles, as long as the AFVs operate using an alternative fuel or both alternative and conventional fuel, when operating on a highway that is not part of the interstate system. For the purpose of this exemption, alternative fuel is defined as compressed natural gas, propane, ethanol, or any mixture containing 85% or more ethanol (E85) with gasoline or other fuels, electricity, or any other fuels, which may include clean diesel and reformulated gasoline, so long as the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission determines that these other fuels result in comparable reductions in carbon monoxide emissions and brown cloud pollutants. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-508 and 25-7-106.8)
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) allows hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) that are certified as inherently low emission vehicles (ILEVs) to travel in HOV and high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. Qualifying vehicles must obtain a permit and display an HOV exemption decal and a toll transponder. CDOT reached its quota of 2,000 permits and will place new applicants on a waiting list (verified June 2018). For more information, visit the CDOT Hybrid Vehicle Use in the HOT/HOV Lanes website. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 42-4-1012)
Upon registering a motor vehicle with the Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles, the vehicle owner must report the type of alternative fuel used to operate the vehicle and whether the vehicle is dedicated to one alternative fuel or uses more than one fuel. The Department of Revenue provides forms for the purpose of registering motor vehicles and must include space for the following fuel types: gasoline, diesel, propane, electricity, natural gas, methanol/M85, ethanol/E85, biodiesel, and other. For more information, see the Colorado Department of Revenue Division of Motor Vehicles page. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 42-3-113)
The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) and Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC) provide grants through the Charge Ahead Colorado program to support PEV and EVSE adoption by individual drivers and fleets. Both CEO and RAQC grants will fund 80% of the cost of EVSE, up to $9,000 for a dual port Level 2 station and up to $30,000 for a DC fast charging station. Eligible DC fast stations must have both CHAdeMO and SAE CCS J1772 connectors and be capable of providing at least 50 kilowatts to one vehicle.
CEO administers grants outside the Denver Metro Area while RAQC administers grants inside the Denver Metro Area. RAQC also provides funding for 80% of the incremental cost for qualified PEVs, up to $8,260. Eligible EVSE applicants are local governments, including school districts; state/federal agencies; public universities; public transit agencies; private non-profit or for-profit corporations; landlords of multi-family apartment buildings; and owners associations of common interest communities. For vehicle funding, priority will be given to organizations that are excluded from the Colorado Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit. Criteria and eligibility differ depending on which agency provides funding. For more information, including application deadlines, see the Charge Ahead Colorado Grant Application website.
(Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 24-38.5-103)A low-speed EV is a self-propelled vehicle using electricity as its primary propulsion method, has at least three wheels in contact with the ground, does not use handlebars to steer, displays a vehicle identification number, and meets manufacturer requirements as defined in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations section 565. A low-speed EV may be operated on a roadway with a speed limit of up to 40 miles per hour (mph) as long as the roadway's lane is at least 11 feet wide, the roadway provides two or more lanes in either direction, and the Colorado Department of Transportation has determined that operation of a low-speed EV on the roadway poses no substantial safety risk. Otherwise, a low-speed EV may only be operated on a roadway with a speed limit of 35 mph or less. Regardless, a low-speed EV may directly cross any roadway with a speed limit greater than 35 mph. Low-speed EVs may not be sold or offered for sale unless they comply with state vehicle safety requirements.
A Class-B low-speed EV is defined as a low-speed EV that is capable of traveling at greater than 25 mph but less than 45 mph. A Class-B low-speed EV may be operated only on a roadway with a speed limit of 45 mph or less, but may directly cross a roadway with a speed limit greater than 45 mph. The Colorado Department of Revenue may not register or issue a title for a Class-B low-speed EV until after the U.S. Department of Transportation has adopted a federal motor vehicle safety standard for low-speed EVs that authorizes operation at greater than 25 mph but less than 45 mph. Neither a low-speed EV nor a Class-B low-speed EV may be operated on a limited-access highway.(Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 12-6-120, 42-1-102, 42-4-109.5, 42-4-109.6)
A corporation or individual that resells alternative fuel supplied by a public utility for use in an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) is not subject to regulation as a public utility. Additionally, a corporation or individual that owns, controls, operates, or manages a facility that generates electricity exclusively for use in AFV charging or fueling facilities is not subject to regulation as a public utility provided that the electricity is generated on the property where the charging or fueling facilities are located and the electricity is generated from a renewable resource. For the purposes of this definition, alternative fuel is defined as propane, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, or electricity. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 40-1-103.3)
A residential tenant may install Level 1 or Level 2 EVSE at their own expense on or in leased premises. The landlord may seek a fee or reimbursement for the actual cost of electricity as well as the cost of installation or upgrades to existing equipment. In addition, the tenant may request that the EVSE be accessible by other tenants, in which case the EVSE must be in compliance with all applicable requirements, and the landlord may seek a fee to reserve a specific parking space. The landlord may also require the tenant to comply with safety, system registration, and aesthetic requirements or provisions.
Common interest communities must also provide residents with an opportunity to charge plug-in electric vehicles and may not create restrictions around EVSE. Common interest communities are encouraged to allow EVSE and to apply for grants from the Electric Vehicle Grant Fund or otherwise fund the installation of EVSE on common property as an amenity for residents and guests.
(Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 38-12-601 and 38-33.3-106.8)
PEV owners must pay an annual fee of $50, in addition to other registration fees, for a PEV decal. Fees contribute to the Highway Users Tax Fund and the Electric Vehicle Grant Fund, which provides grants for EVSE. (Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 42-3-304)
Vehicles powered exclusively by electricity are exempt from state motor vehicle emissions inspections. For more information, see the Air Care Colorado website. (Reference 1 Code of Colorado Regulations 204-11 Rule 2)
Qualified all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), titled and registered in Colorado are eligible for a tax credit. Light-duty PEVs purchased, leased, or converted between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2022, are eligible for a tax credit equal to the amounts below:
| Category | 2017-2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light-duty EV or PHEV | $5,000 for purchase or conversion; $2,500 for lease | $4,000 for purchase or conversion; $2,000 for lease | $2,500 for purchase or conversion; $1,500 for lease |
| Light-duty electric truck | $7,000 for purchase or conversion; $3,500 for lease | $5,500 for purchase or conversion; $2,750 for lease | $3,500 for purchase or conversion; $1,750 for lease |
| Medium-duty electric truck | $10,000 for purchase or conversion; $5,000 for lease | $8,000 for purchase or conversion; $4,000 for lease | $5,000 for purchase or conversion; $2,500 for lease |
| Heavy-duty electric truck | $20,000 for purchase or conversion; $10,000 for lease | $16,000 for purchase or conversion; $8,000 for lease | $10,000 for purchase or conversion; $5,000 for lease |
The credit amount for any qualifying truck is limited to the difference in manufacturer's suggested retail price between the qualifying truck and a comparable truck that operates on either gasoline or diesel fuel. The credit claimed for converting a truck to a qualifying truck is limited to the cost of conversion.
Eligible purchased vehicles must be new, and eligible leased vehicles must have a lease with a term of not less than two years. A purchaser may assign the tax credit generated through the purchase, lease, or conversion to any of the above categories of vehicle to the financing entity, allowing the purchaser to realize the value of the tax credit at the time of purchase, lease, or conversion. The financing entity may collect an administrative fee of no more than $150.
For more information, see the Colorado Department of Revenue's Income 69 FYI publication.
(Reference Colorado Revised Statutes 39-22-516.7 and 39-22-516.8)
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