Summary

Denver is a great place to own and drive an electric vehicle, with hundreds of public charging stations available around the city you’ll have no trouble finding a spot to add some juice to your car. Plus, the cost of electricity is not too expensive in Colorado so you can maximize your savings when you switch to an EV!

Charging at Home

More than 80% of your charging will be done at home, so it is important to start there when looking at electric vehicle charging. First, you can stop worrying about having to stop for gas when you’re already late for something, charging at home means you can always have a fully charged vehicle ready for the day. Additionally, charging at home is by far the cheapest way to charge your electric car because you can get the lowest cost of electricity at home. This means your electricity bill will go up fairly significantly because instead of paying the gas stations, you need to pay your utility for the cost of the electricity. Electric vehicles also need a lot of energy compared to your other home appliances.

In order to charge at home, you’ll need to get an electric vehicle charger installed at your home. This is commonly referred to as a Level 2 Charger and the installation and hardware can cost between $400-$1000, depending on your home’s current electrical system. These chargers make it extremely convenient to charge your vehicle because you simply plug in when you park in your garage or driveway and walk away. Leave it charging overnight and you’ll have a fully charged car when you head out the next morning.

Find a Home Charger Installer Here

Cost of Charging in Colorado

Compared to a standard gasoline-powered vehicle, you can save hundreds each year by driving an electric vehicle. Even if your current vehicle gets 40 MPG (pretty good!) you’ll still save over $500/year by switching to an EV and charging at home. That’s the savings you can get just on fuel costs, not to mention never having to drive to a gas station or never having to get an oil change.

Xcel Energy

In Colorado, one of the most common utilities is Xcel Energy and most of the Denver area will get electricity service from Xcel. If that’s the case, then you’re in luck because Xcel Energy has lots of ways to help save you money when it comes to charging an EV. From Xcel, the electricity you need to drive your EV is equivalent to if gasoline costs just $1.16.

If you’re considering buying an electric vehicle in Denver, a good place to start is to look at the resources that Xcel has for charging rates. This brochure from Xcel walks through some good information about charging your electric car as well as the different electricity rates you can get to save even more money.

For example, you can change the way you are charged for electricity to what is called ‘time-of-use’ pricing which means the price of electricity is based on the time of day when you use it. So if you plan on charging your car overnight you can get the cheapest rate possible and save a ton!

Xcel Energy even has a Rate Advisor Tool which asks just a couple of questions and suggests ways you can get the best available electricity rate for your needs.

Public Charging in Denver

The Denver metro area has hundreds of public chargers available for you to get some charge when you’re out around town. It is important to note that these chargers are not free and will most likely be more expensive than charging at home (sometimes 3-5 times more expensive) but they are very convenient if you need a little extra juice when you’re running errands.

The map below is from PlugShare.com where you can search for available public chargers in your area and see where they are located. It even has great information about others who have recently charged there, how many chargers are available, what charger type they use, their rates, and more.

Charging Networks

Other than the public chargers, there are also networks of chargers operated by companies that give you even more options. One major network, ChargePoint, has thousands of chargers around the US and many in the Denver area. Joining a network is free and then using one of their chargers costs money. Just like the public chargers, the rates vary and are generally more expensive than charging at home.

Although they are more expensive, they really open your options for where you can charge. You won’t want to charge using these networks every day, but a little bit of extra energy when you’re at the grocery store can give you some convenient piece of mind.

Key Takeaways

1. Expect to charge mostly at home, it is the most economical and convenient
2. Check with your utility (like Xcel Energy) for EV specific rates and other savings
3. Find public chargers near where you go shopping, work, or spend time away from home
4. If you plan on charging away from home frequently, try joining a charging network