Community-First Car Shares: Driving Electric Vehicle Access for All
For Edwin Lindo, seeing new electric vehicle chargers used to feel like a sign he was about to be priced out of his neighborhood. “Communities who have been historically gentrified, historically marginalized, we don’t typically get opportunities to access beneficial technologies,” he explains. But he has since co-founded Estelita’s Library in Seattle, now featuring two EV chargers: one for public use and another dedicated to a wheelchair-accessible EV operated by the electric car-share cooperative ZEV. The ZEV car is available for just $8 per hour, making it a practical option for locals.
ZEV, which stands for “zero emissions vehicle,” is part of an emerging movement focused on community-first EV car shares. This approach aims to provide affordable and sustainable transportation options in neighborhoods that often lack access to these resources. By focusing on shared resources, these programs aim to reduce the barriers to electric vehicle adoption.
The Rise of Community Car Shares
Transportation is already a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and passenger cars and light-duty trucks are a significant part of that problem. Community-first EV car shares offer one solution. While the long-term savings of EVs, due to tax credits and lower maintenance costs, are attractive, the initial expense often presents an obstacle, as Lindo notes: “It’s hard to see long-term savings when you are constantly thinking, ‘How do I survive?'”
From the late 1990s through the early 2000s, nonprofits like City CarShare and PhillyCarshare gained traction. However, many were acquired by corporate entities during the 2010s. Since 2016, the federal government has supported community-focused projects through funding initiatives like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act. State governments, particularly California, have also invested heavily in this model.
Across the United States, these car shares vary in size, with programs such as Míocar and BlueLA in California, along with Evie in Minnesota. Hourly rental rates generally range from $4 to $16.
The ZEV Cooperative Model
ZEV, established in 2021, is unique for its public funding and cooperative business structure. Founder Greg Dronkert emphasizes that a co-op has greater flexibility in managing its financial aspects. Users can opt for a subscriber model—with a registration fee, monthly access fee, and hourly charges—or purchase an equity membership. Members gain a voice in the organization’s governance, with one membership equal to one vote and the possibility of running for the board.
To ensure long-term sustainability, ZEV is working with organizations such as Estelita’s Library and the supermarket chain Town and Country Markets, and the city of Port Townsend. ZEV projects that it will need up to 145 EVs, in use 50% of the time, to reach self-sufficiency.
Making a Real Difference
Affordable car shares address the problem of transportation access while lowering living costs. Gloria Huerta, the founder of Míocar, says that the rapid adoption of their initial vehicle indicated high demand. As their network has grown, they’ve become a more sustainable model.
The approach taken by Míocar is to minimize barriers for users. As Jennifer Flores shared, an EV car share helped her to attend healthcare worker classes, and since obtaining her certificate she has found work planting trees within her community. Míocar also incentivizes feedback through rewards programs, and works with the University of California, Davis, to analyze drive results for grant proposals. Huerta notes that community involvement is a key indicator of the car share’s success.
Overcoming Challenges
While community car shares offer a promising solution, they are not without challenges. Infrastructure issues, such as the installation of EV chargers, can be expensive and time-consuming. The model is also not immune to external economic pressures. In Boston, Good2GO had to close due to high operating costs and funding shortages. Huerta says that even when funding for specific locations runs out, Míocar works to keep the vehicles in the community.
Nighell Cobb and his wife, residents of Bainbridge Island, Washington, learned about ZEV and utilized it to accommodate medical appointments after they were left with only one vehicle. Cobb finds that ZEV is especially useful when taking the ferry to Seattle, and he is considering upgrading his subscription to a membership.
Ultimately, these car share programs rely on community engagement and word-of-mouth. As Lindo puts it, success “takes time.”
