Evie Electric Car Share: A Sustainable Transportation Solution
Residents of Minneapolis and Saint Paul now have access to Evie, an innovative electric car share program designed to complement existing public transit, biking, and walking infrastructure. The program addresses the occasional need for a car, such as picking up large purchases or attending appointments across town, without requiring vehicle ownership.
Erin Kayser of the City of Saint Paul explains, “We’re not replacing transit. We’re not replacing bike or pedestrian transportation. We’re trying to solve the problem of when folks need to do something that does in fact require a car, how can we meet those needs without folks feeling like they need to purchase a vehicle?” The Evie program is a collaborative effort between the two cities, the local utility, and HourCar, a nonprofit car share service.
Using the Evie app, users can locate and book a car for one-way trips, offering flexibility to drop off the vehicle almost anywhere within the program’s 35-square-mile service area. The electric cars can be charged at no additional cost using city-owned chargers powered by renewable energy.
The program supports a car-free or car-light lifestyle, which is beneficial for the climate. Kayser notes, “Folks who are used to transit, pedestrian, bike transportation, this is just one more way that they can continue to live … a car-free or a car-light life,” promoting sustainable living in the community.
By providing an environmentally friendly alternative for occasional car needs, Evie contributes to reducing the reliance on personal vehicle ownership, aligning with the cities’ sustainability goals.
