Despite the 117 public charging stations, five of which are maintained by Longmont Power and Communications, Longmont trails other municipalities in Boulder County in the adoption of electric vehicles.
Atlas Public Policy released a report stating the number of EVs in Boulder County rose by 27% in 2024 now making up one in 16 vehicles on the road. EV sales also increased in the county every month so far in 2024 while gas-powered vehicles on the road declined in August and September.
Boulder County also leads in the adoption of EVs in the state with Denver County at 5.7%, Broomfield County at 5.5%, Douglas County at 5.0% and Pitkin County at 4.4%.
Despite EV popularity in the county, Longmont if falling short in keeping up. Longmont's adoption rate has been recorded at 5% based on sales and vehicle registrations. Boulder leads the county at a 12% adoption rate followed by Louisville at 10% and Lafayette at 7%.
Charging at a city sponsored level 2 station costs $1 per hour. On average, it costs $485 a year to power an EV compared to $1,117 for a gas-powered vehicle, according to a study conducted by the University of Michigan.
The most popular EVs travelling Colorado roads include Tesla with nearly 50,000 documented, followed by Nissan at 14,000, Jeep at 10,000, Chevy at 8,000 and Kia at 7,300.
The cost to purchase an EV has traditionally been higher. In September, the average cost of purchasing an EV was around $56,351 while gas-powered cars average a price of $48,397. According to Cox Automotive, the price of EVs has been decreasing over past year.
Although the sticker price is still significantly different, experts state that the cost of owning an EV is less if the car is kept for five or more years. Research conducted by the University of Michigan suggests that the average cost of fuelling an EV is $485 a year compared to $1,117 for a gas-powered vehicle.
"These savings are largely based on the fact that current EVs are 2.6 to 4.8 times more efficient at travelling a mile compared to a gasoline internal combustion engine," according to real world data collected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
One factor that could contribute to Longmont trailing in the purchase of EVs is the median income of the area. Longmont's median income is roughly $89,720 while Boulder County's median income comes in at $99,770. The average cost of living for an adult is around $43,795 per year with a majority of the costs being housing. Rent in Longmont averages at $1,921 per month and the average cost of a home is $544,000. The average spend on for housing across the county is $1,830 with a median home price around $671,100.
