People looking for an itty bitty grocery-getter to put in the garage could have more options under a bill the state Senate gave initial approval to Wednesday.
Senate Bill 75 would allow low-speed electric cars to use state highways and city streets with speed limits up to 35 mph. The cars the bill specifically has in mind are bigger than a golf cart but smaller than a full-size car and top out at about 25 mph, said bill sponsor Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Snowmass Village.
Colorado’s largest dealer of such vehicles sold 44 last year, Schwartz said.
“This is a perfect opportunity for citizens to travel locally, shop locally, do the things you need to do in your neighborhood,” she said. “Why drive 5,000 pounds to the grocery store for milk?”
Some Republicans said that, while they support a greater use of electric cars, it is unfair that the cars wouldn’t contribute to the state gas tax. Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, suggested putting an extra registration surcharge on such cars to compensate for lost gas-tax revenue, arguing that rural residents would end up shouldering a bigger load for state highway funding if urban residents flock to the tiny electric cars.
John Ingold, The Denver Post
This article has been corrected in this online archive. Originally, due to a reporting error, it incorrectly stated that Sen. Greg Brophy offered an amendment to a bill requiring owners of special electric vehicles to pay an extra surcharge to account for lost gas-tax revenue. while Brophy suggested that as a possibility during debate, he did not offer it as an amendment to the bill.
