Colorado county proposes plan to prepare for more electric vehicles, charging stations
As Colorado makes moves toward a green future with electric vehicles, Arapahoe County is trying to get everyone and everything on the same page; from the electric grid to drivers of electric cars.
The county is getting a plan together, and the community is invited to take part this week.
The Regional Electric Vehicle Action Plan will provide a roadmap for the county. Currently, less than 5% of registered vehicles in the county are electric, but by 2030, it's estimated 10% to 15% of vehicles will be electric. It's also estimated the county will need an additional 2,700 charging stations by that time.
Jim Katzer, the Transportation Division manager for Arapahoe County, has gotten many questions about EVs and their future.
"With the interest and electrification of vehicles in the area, people need to become aware of, 'what does an EV mean to me? How do I purchase one? How do I charge if I just want to charge it at home?'" said Katzer.
Katzer said with the plan, the county plans to educate people, businesses and first responders about EVs. The plan is also a guide to expanding the charging infrastructure and transitioning fleets to electric cars.
"There is a trend to to electrify fleets, both private and public in the area," said Katzer. "So that generates the need for charging stations."
In six years, it's estimated 86,000 electric vehicles will be on Arapahoe County roads, which also means the need for more mechanics and technicians. Meanwhile, instructors at Arapahoe Community College are preparing the future workforce.
"All of the automotive students at ACC are learning on electric vehicles. We know that it's not going away," said Doc Viola, the director of automotive service technology at Arapahoe Community College. "We need to train young people to work on your electronics."
Viola, who is currently educating the future EV workforce, said ACC students get hands-on experience working on EVs often throughout their academic careers.
Viola added many of the students come from different backgrounds and knowledge of automobiles. At first, it's learning maintenance repair on traditional vehicles, and then transitioning to learning about EVs.
"They'll start going through fundamentals of braking systems, steering suspension systems, heating and air conditioning systems," said Viola. "It's really important to educate the next generation of technicians."
Viola also added that the sooner students become familiar with EVs and their safety protocols, the better prepared they'll be when they're finished school. By the time they graduate, they'll be ready to jumpstart a career in high demand.
"We want to best prepare our students to be able to earn a good living repairing these vehicles," said Viola. "This is going to benefit the students as new technology comes out and they will be on the cutting edge."
Meanwhile, while the plan will support the regional transition to EVs, Katzer said there are still many questions that don't have answers.
"We've been asking the same questions, is the grid going to be ready?" asked Katzer.
Katzer mentioned other questions to address including; should the county invest money into putting charging stations in the community? What is a developer's role when it comes to developing land and building charging stations? How should charging stations be organized?
A virtual meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday to get community feedback on the plan.
For more information, about the plan and meeting, click here.
The community can still provide their feedback on the plan online until Feb. 15. Katzer said once they've gathered community comments, they will consider revising the plan. Then the plan will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for formal adoption. Katzer believes that will happen in the spring.
