EV charging stations spread across Colorado

By EPN Staff

Colorado has seen a significant increase in both electric vehicles and the charging stations that they require in recent years, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC).

The number of EVs registered in Colorado more than quadrupled between 2019 and 2023, going from 19,200 to 90,100. The number of charging stations increased at a similar rate.

Why it matters

As demand for EV charging stations has increased, different business models for providing the necessary charge have emerged across the country. Some localities have allowed electric utilities to build, own and operate charging stations, while others have encouraged private investment.

Private business investment is the force behind Colorado’s EV charging market, but electric utilities have sought to compete directly with the private marketplace.

• Colorado had 436 high-speed charging stations, with a total of 1,141 charging ports, as of the start of 2025, according to data from the Joint office of Energy and Transportation.
• Of those, Tesla accounts for about 40% (436) of all the high-speed charging ports in the state.
• The majority of stations are clustered in the Denver metropolitan area
• The southeast quadrant of the state has the fewest chargers, with just four high-speed charging stations along 155 miles of Route 50 from the Kansas state line to Pueblo.

Bigger picture

In 2023, Xcel Energy filed a proposal to use $145 million in ratepayer funds to build 460 high-speed charging stations. The proposal elicited pushback from consumer advocates and EV charging businesses. Xcel modified its plans to provide rebates to individuals offering EV charging, rather than competing with private businesses. 

In the last two years, Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska have passed laws restricting utility ownership of charging stations.

Federal funding

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program was established by Congress in November 2021. The program distributed funds to each state to support the construction of EV charging stations along major thoroughfares. The program’s rules encouraged state agencies to prioritize applicants who are located within one mile of interstates and have amenities that drivers have come to expect when refueling.

Colorado is slated to receive a total of $56.5 million, according to the Federal Highway Administration’s funding formula. The state has issued three rounds of winners so far, awarding $17 million to 36 sites in August 2023; another $21 million to 46 sites in April 2024; and $17.3 million at 29 sites in late December 2024.

According to press releases from the governor’s office, Tesla has been the largest recipient of NEVI funds by far, securing funds for 26 locations in Colorado. Love’s Travel Stops came in second, with funds for nine locations. No NEVI-funded stations have opened yet.