Vehicle exchange program gets $9 million in funding

Older cars and those that fail state emissions test qualify, depending upon income of the applicant

Colorado has a program called Vehicle Exchange Colorado designed to allow participants to buy new or used EVs at discounted prices if they are driving a gas or diesel-burning vehicle that is 12 years or older or one that has failed the state emissions test.

Through June, the program had resulted in 879 old or high-emitting vehicles to be replaced with zero-emission EVS in 39 Colorado counties.The cars in the photo above, near Wetmore, west of Trinidad, presumably would qualify — if they were operable.

The program is geared toward those with 80% or less of the area median income and also depends upon household size. For example, for somebody in Eagle County, a buyer in a household of three would need to make less than $93,680 to qualify.

The program provides a $6,000 rebate to purchase or lease a new EV and $4,000 to purchase or lease a used EV. But those participating can also take advantage of other purchase incentives.

Colorado Public Radio’s Sam Brasch in May told of a Boulder resident who used the program to buy a used EV for less than $700.

In early September the Polis administration allocated another $9 million in funding for the program to supplement the first-year budget of $4.7 million.

State officials cited the success as evidence of the momentum in the EV market.

The state program builds on the work of the Clean the Air Foundation, which coordinates vehicle recycling and since 2013 has taken 8,000 high-polluting cars off Colorado’s streets and highways.

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