Aspen adds electric vehicle chargers at Rio Grande Parking Garage
River Stingray/The Aspen Times
The city of Aspen has installed two new electric vehicle charging stations in the Rio Grande Parking Garage, expanding the city’s accessible EV charging infrastructure.
Station one, which is replacing an older station, is a ChargePoint level 2 dual-port charger providing 19 kW to two EV-dedicated parking spaces, located on the main level near the garage exit, a press release confirms. Station two is a ChargePoint level 2 single-port charger providing 7.2 kW to one EV-dedicated parking space, located on level 2 next to the DC fast charging station.
“EV registration in Aspen and Pitkin County increases by a large percentage year over year,” Aspen’s Sustainability Programs Administrator Tim Karfs said. “That’s a really good indication of concentration of electric vehicles in Aspen. We’re seeing strong utilization across our entire system.”
Karfs confirmed that the two new chargers will be powered by 100% renewable energy supplied by Aspen Utilities.
With these two charging stations, Aspen now has 15 total chargers — four fast chargers and 11 level 2 chargers — totaling 26 plugs, which means 26 parking spaces are provided with dedicated charging. The project cost for the two charges in the Rio Grande Parking Garage was $38,125.26, offset by a $17,000 Colorado Energy Office Charge Ahead Grant, bringing the actual cost to $21,125.26.
“The Rio Grande Parking Garage is a great location due to existing infrastructure allowing us to reduce costs,” Karfs said.
He emphasized that charging locations are decided based on current infrastructure projects going on around the city to save on spending.
“Those locations are usually going to be where there’s existing work happening, piggybacking on infrastructure projects in Aspen,” he said. “We’re being selective … and making these intentional decisions of where to install them with cost in mind.”
The new parking lot chargers are on the same fee structure as other city-owned chargers. Level 2 charging rates are $0.30 per kWh, according to the release. Overstay fees will apply at $0.25 per minute after four hours of continuous use, and are not applied between midnight and 8 a.m.
“These stations provide Aspen residents and visitors with additional options to charge their electric vehicles while supporting the city’s sustainability goals,” the press release states.
For more information on EV charging in Aspen, visit aspen.gov/919/Electric-Vehicles.
“We’ve got a big install year planned for next year,” Karfs said, “so more to come!”
