An electric car share program helps people get around in the Twin Cities » Yale Climate Connections
Transcript:
People in cities can often walk, bike, or take public transit. But sometimes they need a car – for example, to pick up a large purchase or to get to an appointment across town.
When that happens, residents of Minneapolis and Saint Paul can turn to Evie, an electric car share program.
Kayser: “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?”
Erin Kayser of the city of Saint Paul says the program is a partnership between the two cities, the local utility, and HourCar, a nonprofit car share service.
The cars are available for one-way trips, so users can find and book a car with the Evie app, drive it, and then drop it off almost anywhere in the program’s 35-square-mile service area.
Evie cars can be charged at no additional cost at city-owned chargers that use renewable energy.
Kayser: “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.”
… which is good for the climate.
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
