COURTESY FORTH

Jeff Allen (on left), executive director of Portland, Ore.-based Forth, at the Roadmap Conference, an electric transportation convention where EV advocates meet to discuss the transformation of how people and goods move. Forth is participating in an EV rideshare program in Charlotte that makes electric cars available for residents of affordable housing communities.

Charlotte is launching an electric vehicle carsharing program in underserved neighborhoods.

The two-year initiative, which is a partnership with the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Centralina Regional Council, is part of a nationwide Affordable Mobility Platform funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by Portland, Ore.-based Forth Mobility. Charlotte is one of 10 cities to participate in the 80-car program and the only one in the South.  

The program will launch in July 2023 with 10 EVs available to residents and staff at five yet-to-be-finalized affordable housing communities that represent 538 housing units. Eligible residents with a valid driver’s license can test drive the vehicles through ride-and-drive events and will be able to reserve them online for an hourly or daily fee. The program is designed to continue as a self-funded business model after the introductory period.

“With Gov. [Roy] Cooper’s administration’s focus on the rapid and equitable shift to electric transportation, this innovative project will serve as a model for wider-scale EV sharing in underserved communities across the state,” Stan Cross, SACE’s electric transportation policy director said in a statement. “The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has been advocating for centering equity in state electric transportation policies, plans, and programs. We are excited to roll up our sleeves with our partners and help get it done.”  

Initiative advocates say the program will address a shortage of charging options for multi-unit housing communities, a barrier to mass EV adoption in urban areas. AMP will install two chargers equipped with a pair of ports at each location. One port will be used by the shared electric vehicle, and the other will be used for charging vehicles from surrounding communities.

“Our region is at the crossroads of equity and unprecedented levels of funding for transportation electrification; therefore, this project is extremely timely and will further define the role local governments can play in the deployment of electric vehicles for everyone,” said Jason Wager, assistant director at Centralina Regional Council and director of Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition.

Drivers who carshare avoid maintenance, repairs, and insurance costs common to vehicle ownership. Those transportation-related expenses pose an economic burden for lower-income people who are already juggling household spending.

“Because transportation makes up 40% of Charlotte’s total greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonizing this sector through electrification is a critical strategy for a low carbon future,” said Sarah Hazel, the city’s chief sustainability and resiliency officer.

Electric car sharing advocates say the program is efficient and beneficial to the environment and public health. EVs don’t require fossil fuels or lubricants, so they produce no smog, and 85% fewer carbon emissions than gas-powered cars. The benefits are magnified when renewable energy sources like solar and wind are used to produce the electricity that charges vehicles.

“AMP presents a novel model that addresses several intersectional issues faced by many middle- to lower-income residents,” said Patrick King, SACE’s electric transportation equity manager. “The program provides a means of transportation that reduces emissions, and at a low cost, that’s a fraction of traditional vehicle ownership that doesn't break the bank. The benefits of which improve the air quality, not just for members of the housing developments but for all communities.”

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