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Patrick Thornton

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patrick.thornton@russellherder.com

City of St. Paul Applies for Federal Grant Money to Fund New Electric Carsharing Service

City partners with St. Paul-based HOURCAR and Xcel Energy on potential $10.6 million project

ST. PAUL (July 17, 2018) — The City of St. Paul, working in partnership with the nonprofit carsharing service HOURCAR and Xcel Energy, has applied for federal grant funding to launch a new all-electric carsharing service in the Twin Cities. The city council approved sponsorship of the application July 11, and the application for funding was submitted July 13. The City of Minneapolis also provided a letter of support for the application.

The proposed new service line envisions a fleet of 150 battery electric vehicles (BEVs), supported by a network of 70 mobility hubs with charging infrastructure. The proposed mobility hubs will be structured around a .6 mile grid within a 35 square-mile service area in the metropolitan area. At most points within the service area, users would be within .3 miles (approximately a five-minute walk) from a mobility hub. The service is intended to be used for both one-way and two-way trips throughout the metro area.

“This new partnership between HOURCAR and Saint Paul will create more connected neighborhoods and commercial corridors,” said St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III. “I am excited to be their teammate in the work ahead.”

The grant application is for federal funding through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. The program provides flexible funding to state and local governments for transportation projects that approve air quality and reduce congestion on the country’s roads and highways. If St. Paul is awarded the grant, the new EV service could be available as early as 2020.

“We are very grateful for the steadfast support from the city of St. Paul, Xcel Energy and our many valued partners. We are very fortunate that they share our belief that this project has the potential to change the face of transit in our region and reinforce the Twin Cities’ leadership in shared mobility across the U.S.,” said Paul Schroeder, the CEO of HOURCAR. “Transitioning to electric vehicles is good for our members, our partners and our environment. The Twin Cities is our home, and we want to do our part to help keep it clean and livable by reducing emissions and congestion.”

About HOURCAR: HOURCAR delivers affordable, accessible, and sustainable shared mobility choices. HOURCAR is the Twin Cities’ original nonprofit carsharing company, and has been serving the area since 2005. Originally a program of the Neighborhood Energy Connection, HOURCAR became an independent, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in June of 2017. To learn more about HOURCAR, visit www.rochesterhc.wpengine.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.

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