The public is invited to test-drive new electric vehicles, see the Town of Carbondale’s new EV chargers and learn more about the police and public works departments’ new electric vehicles during the June First Friday Local Pride Celebration.

Electric vehicles from Mountain Chevrolet, Columbine Ford, Bighorn Toyota, Phil Long Subaru, Nissan and Tesla are expected to be available for test drives from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 6, at Carbondale Town Hall, according to a Friday news release from Clean Energy Economy for the Region, or CLEER.

“It’s a great time to test drive an EV, as plenty of used EVs are coming onto the market,” CLEER Clean Mobility Program Manager Dova Castañeda Zilly said in the release. “Events like this give folks a no-pressure way to get behind the wheel and see what driving electric actually feels like.”

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The event will also give residents a chance to see five newly installed dual-port Level 2 EV chargers at Carbondale Town Hall. Two of the dual-port chargers, providing four vehicle spots, are available for public use. The other three were installed for the Carbondale Police Department’s new EV patrol vehicles and other town electric vehicles.

The two publicly available dual-port Level 2 chargers can charge four vehicles at the same time and offer a low-cost charging option. All five chargers were funded largely through grants from the Colorado Energy Office’s Fleet ZERO and Charge Ahead Colorado programs.

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“The Carbondale Police Department is excited to begin integrating five new Chevrolet Silverado EV patrol vehicles into our fleet,” Carbondale Police Chief Kirk Wilson said in the release. “Thanks to support from the Colorado Energy Office through the Charge Ahead Colorado and Fleet ZERO grants, along with the installation of new EV chargers at Town Hall, we are able to modernize our operations while reducing environmental impact. These investments help us continue serving the community in innovative and responsible ways, and they reflect Carbondale’s strong commitment to sustainability, resilience, and public service.”

Carbondale will also present a recently purchased electric sewer camera vehicle. The new vehicle will replace a diesel-powered vehicle that idled on the street during sewer line inspections, according to the release.

Grants totaling $70,000, backed by a 10% local match, are helping advance the Town of Carbondale’s fleet electrification goals.

The EV Ride and Drive event aligns with CLEER’s efforts to promote electric vehicles and expand charging infrastructure across west central Colorado. CLEER’s ReCharge Colorado work supports the state’s goal of putting nearly 1 million EVs on the road by 2030.