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Electric Vehicles

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Electric vehicles (EVs) offer several benefits over conventional combustion engines through:

  • Efficiency: Energy is transferred directly to the wheels with very little heat loss
  • Environmental benefits: There are no emissions from EVs
  • Lower maintenance costs: EVs have fewer moving parts and require less maintenance
  • Less noise pollution: Electric motors are much quieter than combustion engines
  • Cheaper total cost of ownership: Cheaper to fuel

Types of EVs

Here are the three most common types of EVs currently on the market:

  • Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV): These fully electric vehicles are propelled by an electric motor from energy stored in onboard batteries that can be recharged at charging stations and through regenerative breaking. Examples: Tesla Model 3, Chevy Bolt, Hyundai Ioniq, BMW I4
  • Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV): These hybrid vehicles use energy from rechargeable battery packs when possible - however these vehicles are also equipped with a gasoline engine to help extend driving range. There are two options between PHEV’s. Extended Range Electric Vehicles (EREV) which uses the electric motor to drive the vehicle and uses gasoline as an electric generator. While other PHEVs have both an engine and electric motor that allow for the propulsion of the vehicle. In this case electric components are often only used at low operating speeds. Example: Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid, Ford Escape PHEV
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV): These vehicles have batteries, but all their energy comes from gasoline. Hybrids are known for getting better fuel economy in the city because they only use electric drive at low speeds and rely on the internal combustion engine on the highway. These vehicles get all their energy from regenerative breaking and the rotation of the combustion engine and do not connect to external power. Example: Toyota Prius

EV Charging

EV charging at home

You can charge your EV at home using any standard 120V outlet – however most EV owners opt to upgrade their charging outlet to 240V to support faster charging. EV chargers come in three different “levels”:

  • Level 1 charging: Level 1 is the slowest and most basic form of EV charging. It uses standard 120V household outlets and can provide up to 1.4 kW of power. At this level it can take 24-48 hours to fully charge a depleted EV battery. Level 1 charging is typically used for overnight or top-up charging at home.
  • Level 2 charging: Level 2 charging is faster than Level 1 and uses 240V outlets. It can provide up to 19.2 kW of power, depending on the charger's amperage. At this level it can take 4-8 hours to fully charge a depleted EV battery. Level 2 charging is commonly found in public places such as workplaces, shopping malls, and parking garages.
  • DC fast charging: DC Fast Charging is the fastest type of EV charging and uses direct current (DC) electricity. It can provide up to 350 kW of power, allowing an EV battery to be charged from 10% to 80% in 30-45 minutes. DC Fast Charging stations are becoming increasingly common along major highways and in urban areas.

If you’re planning to charge your EV at home, upgrades to your electric panel and/or electric service may be required, especially if you want a Level 2 charger. Consult with a licensed electrician for these upgrades; the federal government’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has rebates available for electric panel upgrades related to going all-electric as a household.

EV charging at your place of business

The City of Loveland offers commercial customers reduced electric rates for electric vehicle charging stations. Whether you need a few chargers or enough for a fleet, you’ll save money on your bill with dedicated meters and low-charging rates. View our Rates, Charges and Fees document for details.

Save more! Efficiency Works has rebates up to $5,000 per public EV charging port. Help Loveland build a more resilient community! Let’s go, Loveland!

Local EV charging stations

The City of Loveland has operational sites around the city that are available for public use (see below).

We're excited to continue bringing you more options for EV charging. If you have additional questions or concerns, contact us at 970-962-3000.

Operational Charging Stations

The EV chargers listed below are the City’s ChargePoint EV chargers. They're programmed to bill based on energy usage at $.20/kWh.:

  • Civic Center Parking Lot: East 1st Street and Monroe Avenue*
  • Loveland Public Library Parking Lot: 300 North Adams Avenue*
  • Foundry Parking Garage: 255 East 2nd Street* (between Cleveland and Lincoln)
    • 4 spaces located on the east wall of the main level. Level 2 chargers.
  • Public Works Administration Parking Lot: 2525 West 1st Street*
    • 2 EV chargers (4 spaces) are located in the parking lot
  • Northern Colorado Law Enforcement Training Center (NCLETC): 5300 Boyd Lake Road*
    • 1 Level 2 charger main parking lot
  • Loveland Water and Power Service Center Parking Lot: 200 North Wilson Avenue*
  • McKee Medical Center Parking Lot: 2000 North Boise Avenue*
    • Located in the northeast corner of the parking lot near employee parking and the cancer center

*Once charging completes, there is a 30 minute grace period followed by $3 fee that will be applied each hour (max fee $20) to discourage monopolizing these spaces. Sign up for a free ChargePoint account by visiting chargepoint.com, or by calling 1-888-758-4389. Opt-in to ChargePoint's notification feature, which will send you a text or email when your vehicle is fully charged.

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EV Rebates

Residential

Are you considering buying an electric vehicle? Various state and federal incentives are available for both cars and chargers that you can stack for bigger savings. Explore our Residential Rebates webpage for information about EV rebates for new and used EV purchases. Visit Efficiency Works  for additional information and compare options to find the car that's right for you.

The federal government’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has rebates available for electric panel upgrades related to going all-electric as a household, which may apply if you need to upgrade your home’s electric panel in order to support home EV charging.

Commercial

To help build out public Level 2 charging infrastructure at local businesses and multifamily properties, incentives are available to help offset installation costs.