The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, launched an electric vehicle car-sharing program Wednesday. The first of four such planned programs in the city is located at Peppertree Apartments in one of Charlotte’s underserved neighborhoods.
The apartments recently underwent $8 million in renovations with an eye toward maintaining housing affordability. The Albemarle Road and Central Avenue Corridor, one of Charlotte’s most diverse communities, acts as the commercial center for nearby neighborhoods.
“By investing in electric vehicle access in our Corridors of Opportunity, we’re giving families the tools they need to reach better jobs, education, and services, while building a more sustainable future for Charlotte,” Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said in a statement.
Residents and community members can reserve Chevy Bolt EVs through an app for $5 per hour or $50 per day, including insurance and member support. Charging is available at the apartment complex.
Funding for the program comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Affordable Mobility Platform project and other participants, and is managed by Forth, a nonprofit focused on electrifying transportation. Charlotte is the first city in the Southeast to receive AMP funding.
Other cities receiving funds from the program include Detroit, St. Louis, Seattle and Portland, Oregon. The program aims to deploy 50 shared EVs and level-2 chargers at affordable housing locations in underserved communities in eight states through the end of 2025, according to Forth.
“The Affordable Mobility Platform tackles two challenges at once – the high cost of car ownership and poor air quality in underserved areas – by bringing affordable electric vehicles to low-income communities,” Courtney Cucchissi, Forth program manager, said in a statement.
Many other electric vehicle car sharing programs are available in cities across the country. Envoy operates programs at 120 properties in 57 cities and BlueLA serves Los Angeles. Both providers are owned by Blink Charging.
