Charging Smart
Supporting Local Governments to Achieve Equitable Access to Electric Mobility
What is Charging Smart
Charging Smart is a technical assistance and certification program to support local governments and recognize their progress in setting and achieving equitable EV-readiness goals, streamlining regulatory practices, and facilitating the adoption of electric vehicles and charging stations.
As a partner in the Charging Smart program, Drive Clean Colorado can offer free technical assistance to local Colorado governments, providing tools to facilitate and speed deployment of electric vehicles.
Why Join Charging Smart?
The Charging Smart program offers numerous benefits for participating communities. That includes:
FREE technical assistance
Supporting community-designed economic development and sustainability goals, allowing local governments to better manage growth, cut red tape, and improve use of limited taxpayer resources
Facilitating development of EV charging on public properties, providing clean transportation options for staff, and lowering municipality fuel costs
Increasing the number of EVs in the community, which brings numerous other economic and health benefits, including lower emissions, improved air quality, and reduced noise pollution
In The News…
Congratulations to the City of Louisville for joining the IREC Charging Smart program! Drive Clean Colorado is proud to support Louisville this initiative by providing technical assistance as they implement best practices to achieve their EV-readiness goals. As part of the Founding Colorado Cohort, Louisville will participate in monthly peer-sharing discussions with other local governments, exchanging lessons learned and strategies for EV readiness. They are also on track to become one of the first municipalities in Colorado to earn the nationally recognized Charging Smart designation. Keep up the great work, Louisville!
Congratulations to the Town of Erie for joining the Founding Colorado Cohort in the Charging Smart program! Drive Clean Colorado is proud to support Erie in this initiative and looks forward to providing technical assistance to help adopt and implement best practices to achieve their EV-readiness goals. As part of the Founding Colorado Cohort, Erie will be among the first local governments in Colorado to receive nationally recognized Charging Smart designation.
Thank you to those who attended the Charging Smart Informational Webinar on June 26! The recording of the webinar is now available and can be found here.
If you are interested in scheduling a consultation meeting, have any questions, would like to access the resources or information shared in the webinar, or are looking to sign the commitment to participate in the program, please reach out to Grace Taber ([email protected]).
Congratulations to the City of Brighton for becoming the first municipality in Colorado to participate with Drive Clean Colorado in the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Charging Smart program! We look forward to providing technical assistance to help adopt and implement nationally recognized best practices to achieve their EV-readiness goals. We are proud to support the City of Brighton in this program, and applaud them for taking a leap to be the first Colorado community that will receive designation.
Congratulations to the City of Pueblo for becoming the second municipality in the state to participate with Drive Clean Colorado in the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Charging Smart program! We look forward to providing technical assistance to help adopt and implement nationally recognized best practices to achieve their EV-readiness goals. We are proud to support the City of Pueblo in this program, and applaud them for being trailblazers, joining the Founding Colorado Cohort, and positioning themselves to be among the very first Colorado local governments that will receive designation. Way to go Pueblo!
Charging Smart Partners
Charging Smart is led by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). Great Plains Institute (GPI) serves as lead partner, and other partners include the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC), RMI, Drive Clean Colorado, Virginia Clean Cities, Long Beach Clean Cities, and North Central Texas Council of Governments. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office.
Get Awarded For Your EV Readiness
Local governments participating in the Charging Smart program can public recognition of their status as an EV-friendly community. By achieving certain metrics, local governments can be awarded the following Bronze, Silver or Gold designations:
Bronze
Bronze designees have
successfully standardized
EV charging infrastructure
permitting, identified zoning
restrictions, and discussed
collaboration with utility
providers.
Silver
In addition to completing
all criteria for Bronze
designation, Silver designees
have successfully completed
a fleet analysis, installed a
public charger, and changed
zoning requirements to
allow the easier and cheaper
deployment of EV chargers.
Gold
In addition to completing all
criteria for Bronze and Silver
designation, Gold designees
have purchased EVs for
use in their municipal fleet,
adopted standard approval
and review timelines for EV
charger installations, adopted
relevant ordinances for new
construction, and updated
their comprehensive plan.
The Founding Colorado Cohort
As part of the Founding Colorado Cohort, these local governments will be among the first Colorado municipalities to receive nationally recognized designation through the Charging Smart program. At varying stages of EV readiness, they offer invaluable support and lessons learned to one another in the cohort. These municipalities are trailblazers, leading the way in implementing nationally recognized best practices. Join them in achieving and advancing equitable EV readiness goals across Colorado.
Charging Smart Is a Justice40 Program
Charging Smart is committed to transforming the transportation system in ways that positively benefit people, the environment, and the economy. Charging Smart is part of the Justice40 initiative, meaning that the program has a federal mandate to ensure that historically disadvantaged communities receive the benefits of this investment.