State guide
Colorado
CO8 / 10AdoptionColorado's EV share of new light-duty registrations peaked at 29.4% in Q3 2025, second only to California, then fell to 10.6% in Q2 2026 after the federal $7,500 credit ended and the state Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit dropped to $750 (Alliance for Automotive Innovation). Vehicle Exchange Colorado rebates for income-qualified buyers and Xcel Energy's charger rebates still cover a large share of vehicle and charger costs for those who qualify; the federal 30C charger credit ended June 30, 2026 and is no longer available.
Last updated October 2026
EV Charging Snapshot
Strong- EV Adoption Rate
- 10.6%
- Public Chargers
- 2,891
- Top Incentive
- VXC Trade-In Rebate, up to $9,000 for income-qualified buyers
What applies to your address?
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EV adoption snapshot
Public chargers per 1,000 EVs
17.7
Lower ratio = more demand per existing charger
EV adoption by county: top 10
County-level light-duty plug-in EV registrations.
| County | Registered EVs | Share of state |
|---|---|---|
| Arapahoe County | 14,900 | 9.2% |
| Boulder County | 14,600 | 9.0% |
| Jefferson County | 13,100 | 8.0% |
| Denver County | 12,400 | 7.6% |
| Douglas County | 11,800 | 7.2% |
| El Paso County | 8,900 | 5.5% |
| Larimer County | 7,100 | 4.4% |
| Adams County | 6,300 | 3.9% |
| Broomfield County | 3,500 | 2.1% |
| Weld County | 3,100 | 1.9% |
Source: Colorado Energy Office · 2024 data
Incentives and rebates
Amounts shift as funding rounds open and close. Confirm the live program page before you apply.
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit | $750 for a new BEV or PHEV (MSRP $80,000 or less) in tax year 2026; an additional $2,500 for vehicles with MSRP under $35,000 | Buyers or lessees of a qualifying new light-duty EV titled and registered in Colorado (Colorado residency is not required); leases must run at least two years. The credit dropped from $3,500 in tax year 2025 to $750 in tax year 2026 under the scheduled phase-down. The $2,500 add-on for vehicles under $35,000 MSRP runs through tax year 2028. | Learn more ↗ |
| Vehicle Exchange Colorado (VXC) Program | $9,000 toward a new BEV or PHEV (MSRP $80,000 or less); $6,000 toward a used BEV or PHEV (final negotiated price $50,000 or less) | Income-qualified Colorado residents (household income below 80% of area median income, or enrolled in a listed assistance program) trading in an operational gasoline or diesel vehicle 12 model years or older (model year 2014 or older for a 2026 application) or one that failed a Colorado emissions test. Applicants must be approved before buying or leasing from a participating dealer; leases must run at least two years and one rebate is allowed per tax household. Amounts rose to $9,000 and $6,000 effective November 3, 2025. | Learn more ↗ |
| Federal Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (30C) | Ended June 30, 2026 (no longer available) | The federal 30C charger credit ended June 30, 2026. It previously covered residential charging equipment placed in service in an eligible census tract; property placed in service after that date cannot claim it. | Learn more ↗ |
| Xcel Energy EV Charger and Wiring Rebate | Up to $500; up to $800 in a Disproportionately Impacted Community; up to $2,300 for income-qualified customers | Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel) residential electric customers who buy a qualifying Level 2 charger or have a licensed electrician install a 240-volt circuit. Customers must be accepted into Xcel's Optimize Your Charge managed-charging program and agree to participate for at least 12 consecutive months from the date the rebate is issued; income-qualified customers may cancel participation at any time. Income qualification for the $2,300 amount is verified by Xcel's partner CLEAResult. Rebates are first come, first served. Xcel's EV Accelerate At Home program closed to new Colorado applications on July 14, 2026. | Learn more ↗ |
| Black Hills Energy Colorado EV Charger Rebate | Up to $500 standard; up to $1,300 for income-qualified customers | Black Hills Energy electric customers installing a Level 2 charger by a licensed electrician and either enrolling in the whole-house Time-of-Day rate or enrolling the vehicle in the EVolved Charging program. The 2026 application covers January 1 through December 31, 2026, and a limited number of rebates are paid first come, first served. | Learn more ↗ |
| Program | Amount | Who qualifies | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy Commercial and Multifamily Level 2 Rebate | Make-ready rebate of $5,835 per Level 2 port ($11,670 in a Disproportionately Impacted Community) plus a charger equipment rebate of $1,250 per port ($2,500 in a DIC); income-qualified multifamily properties receive $8,500 per port for equipment | Xcel Energy Colorado commercial and multifamily customers installing Level 2 chargers under the Commercial EV Infrastructure Rebate Program. Make-ready covers panels, conduit, and wiring from the service connection to the charger. Projects need a reservation letter before any purchase or construction, rebates cannot exceed actual costs, and rebates are capped at $1 million per project and $5 million per payee per calendar year. Funding is limited and reviewed first come, first served. | Learn more ↗ |
| Xcel Energy Commercial DC Fast Charger Rebate | Make-ready rebate of $18,250 per DCFC port ($36,500 in a DIC); public DCFC in a DIC or rural community: $45,000 per port ($90,000 in a DIC), plus equipment rebates in a DIC of $17,500 (150 to 249 kW), $32,500 (250 to 349 kW), or $40,000 (350 kW and up) per port | Xcel Energy Colorado commercial customers installing DC fast chargers under the Commercial EV Infrastructure Rebate Program. Public DCFC rebates require the site to be in a Disproportionately Impacted Community or rural community, open to the public, and to share uptime data with Xcel. The same $1 million per project and $5 million per payee caps apply. | Learn more ↗ |
| Federal Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit (30C) | Ended June 30, 2026 (no longer available) | The federal 30C charger credit ended June 30, 2026. It previously covered commercial charging equipment placed in service in an eligible census tract; property placed in service after that date cannot claim it. | Learn more ↗ |
| NEVI Formula Program | Up to 80% of project costs | Fast charging within one mile of a federally designated Alternative Fuel Corridor. Colorado distributes its roughly $56.5 million five-year NEVI allocation through the DCFC Plazas grant program. As of August 2026, 17 NEVI-supported locations were open and 33 more were awarded and under development. | Learn more ↗ |
| Colorado DCFC Plazas Grant Program | Competitive per-port grants from a roughly $14 million round, covering up to 80% of costs | Businesses, governments, tribal entities, and non-profits that will own and operate DC fast charging sites with at least four ports delivering 150 kW or more each, with enhanced incentives for priority locations and battery storage. The current round is open September 28 through November 13, 2026 (5:00 PM MT). The previous round awarded $23.2 million for 270 ports at 35 sites in September 2026. | Learn more ↗ |
Time-of-use rates
Peak windows and prices are set by each utility and change at rate cases.
- Availability
- statewide
- Summary
- Time-of-use is the default residential rate for Xcel Energy customers, who can opt out to a flat rate. Since November 1, 2025, Xcel's on-peak period is 5pm to 9pm on non-holiday weekdays year-round, and all other hours, including weekends and holidays, are off-peak (approved by the Colorado PUC in Proceeding 24AL-0377E). Black Hills Energy offers an opt-in Time-of-Day rate with a 5pm to 8pm weekday on-peak window. Municipal utilities and cooperatives set their own rates; Xcel's plan is the closest to a statewide reference.
- Source
- SourceVerified Oct 2026
Net metering and solar export
Matters if you pair rooftop solar with home charging.
- Status
- full retail
- Summary
- Colorado law requires investor-owned utilities (Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy) to offer net metering that offsets a customer's retail consumption with on-site renewable generation. Systems can be sized to supply up to 200 percent of expected average annual consumption across the customer's properties. Excess generation carries forward as a credit month to month indefinitely, and customers can elect in writing to be paid for annual excess at the utility's average hourly incremental cost of supply. Municipal utilities and cooperatives run their own programs.
- Source
- SourceVerified Oct 2026
Right to charge
Whether an HOA or landlord can block a home charger install.
- Statute
- Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 38-33.3-106.8 and 38-12-601
- Applies to
- single family hoa, condo, rental
- What it does
- Colorado bars common interest community associations from prohibiting a unit owner from installing a Level 1 or Level 2 charger at their own expense on their unit, an assigned or deeded space, or a shared parking space, and from restricting parking based on a vehicle being a plug-in EV. HB23-1233 expanded the original 2013 statute and the matching tenant law, which now covers residential and commercial rental property and bars landlords from restricting parking for EVs. Associations can still require registration of the charger within 30 days, bona fide safety requirements, and reasonable rules on size, placement, and appearance.
- Source
- SourceVerified Oct 2026
Registration and EV fees
The annual surcharge that replaces gas-tax revenue.
| Vehicle type | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Battery electric (EV) | $89.05/year |
| Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) | $76.05/year |
Utilities serving Colorado
Your EV rate, rebates, and make-ready programs depend on who serves your address.
Utility coverage for Colorado is being expanded. Major utility pages will appear here as they ship.
Public charging network
AFDC lists 2,891 public charging locations in Colorado with 7,871 ports, including 1,681 DC fast ports. CDOT reports that 83% of the state highway network is within 30 miles of a DC fast charging station, up from 40% in August 2020, and state grants have funded fast charging in rural and mountain communities, along scenic byways, and near ski resorts and parks.
| Network | Stations |
|---|---|
| Tesla (incl. Destination) | 149 |
| Electrify America | 48 |
| EVgo | 24 |
| ChargePoint | 2,025 |
| Other networks | 639 |
| DC fast ports | 1,679 |
| Level 2 public ports | 6,127 |
Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center, as of Oct 2026.
Top cities for public charging
- 1Denver483 stations
- 2Boulder211 stations
- 3Colorado Springs104 stations
- 4Fort Collins100 stations
- 5Aurora89 stations
Regulatory environment
Colorado's Air Quality Control Commission adopted the Colorado Clean Cars standard in October 2023, which directs automakers to sell a rising share of zero-emission vehicles starting with model year 2027, reaching 82% by model year 2032. In June 2025 Congress used the Congressional Review Act (Public Law 119-16) to disapprove the federal waiver for California's Advanced Clean Cars II standards, which Colorado's rule follows, and Colorado joined a multistate lawsuit challenging that action. The Colorado Energy Office and CDOT jointly administer NEVI funding through the DCFC Plazas program. HB24-1173 required counties of 20,000 or more people and municipalities of 10,000 or more, by December 31, 2025, to adopt the Energy Office's model EV charger permitting code, adopt their own objective standards, or formally elect to keep their existing permitting process. Under HB23-1161, EV charging equipment within the scope of the ENERGY STAR specification must meet ENERGY STAR criteria to be sold in Colorado on and after January 1, 2026. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy's 2024-2026 Transportation Electrification Plan with modifications in Decision C24-0223, the source of the Xcel rebates above.
Sources
- EIA Form 861Retrieved Oct 2026
- NREL Alternative Fuels Data CenterRetrieved Oct 2026
- NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center, Colorado laws and incentivesRetrieved Oct 2026
Free guide
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Everything a homeowner needs to go from curious to charging. Chargers, installation, costs, and the credits that pay for it. No sales pitch.
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