Summary of Electric Vehicle Carshare Program for Low-Income Communities (MO)

MARC



Project Number: 1289
Organization: MARC
Project Name: Electric Vehicle Carshare Program for Low-Income Communities (MO)
City(ies), County(ies), State: Mo: Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties
Routes, interchanges and/or intersections: Multiple - exact locations of carshare stations will be determined through further study.
Primary Project Mode: Other 
Supplementary Project Mode(s): )
The Electric Vehicle (EV) Carshare project provides an additional mobility option for residents in the region. Currently, there are only 8 carshare vehicles located in Kansas City; and, while they are available to everyone, they are not located in areas that are easily accessible by low-income residents. This project proposes to locate approximately 310 electric cars at mobility hubs as well as multi-family residential and public places (community centers, etc.) in low-income area throughout the region. The mobility hub locations allow for connectivity between carshare and a variety of other potential modes of transportation and facilities (transit, demand response, bike share, bikeways, etc.) The availability of carshare can eliminate or delay the need for auto ownership and support more active modes of transportation.
Project Purpose: * System expansion (added capacity) )
Project Description: The intent of this project is to provide an EV carsharing network for low-income communities as a means to provide 1) an additional mobility option for low-income residents who cannot afford or would like the option not to own a personal vehicle, 2) a zero-emission transportation option that can help decrease harmful emissions that disproportionately affect the health of low-income and minority populations and contribute to climate change, and 3) greater accessibility to jobs, healthy food, healthcare and other opportunities. In cases in which MARC is listed as the sponsor, local governments or other entities with land use jurisdiction would need to implement projects.
Scope: The EV Carshare for Low Income Communities project will includes 310 vehicles* at 155 charging stations through the 8-county region. The charging stations will be located in activity centers and multi-family residential areas in low-income communities, as well as at mobility hubs along transit corridors. Initial planning and conceptual design will need to take place to further develop the carshare network concept, site charging/parking locations, and develop more detailed implementation cost. The electric carshare vehicles will use existing on-street or off-street parking spots which can accommodate Level 2 charger stations. Each charge station will have dual ports for powering two vehicles. Depending on the location of the station, either two or four cars may be provided. Some charging stations could be solar-powered. The carshare system could operate as a roundtrip program where users unlock and lock vehicles at the same designated parking location, or as one-way carshare program where users can pick up and drop off the car at different locations. The carshare system will be accessible through reservations and membership/fee payments made on a computer or mobile device, made possible by a software as a service (SaaS) platform. Additional assistance with reservations and payment could be suppported by hands-on or call center support. Additional payment options, like EBT cards, would need to be available to assist unbanked or underbanked individuals and/or those without access to internet or smartphones. Anyone can use the carshare service but to better serve low-income residents, a subsidized membership fee or pay-as-you-go fee should be available. The EV car share program could be operated and maintained by KCATA which is currently building its community carshare capacity or in partnership with a private company. Costs of project include infrastructure, electric rolling stock, land acquisition at non-mobility hub location, and technology. The cost does not include O&M costs including vehicle maintenance, program administration, insurance, etc. * Further study would refine exact number of vehicles that would be feasible in the Kansas City region. 310 vehicles is similar in size to the BlueIndy electric carshare program in Inianapolis, IN.
Funding Source: Mo Local
Total Budget in 2019 Dollars: $12,000,000
Total Budget in Year of Expenditure dollars (YOE): $16,320,000
Decade: 2020
Application Score: 85
Constrained / Illustrative: Constrained
Priority: High
Adds Capacity: No

No public comments submitted.

 


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