Colorado Checking In

[BigSkies]

They'll certainly need these service centers for the R2 launch. It will be like the new Subaru up and down the front range.

I wonder if the R2/R2 will sell enough volume to justify a SC in the mountains or Grand Junction.

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[waitingonanr1s]

They'll certainly need these service centers for the R2 launch. It will be like the new Subaru up and down the front range.

I wonder if the R2/R2 will sell enough volume to justify a SC in the mountains or Grand Junction.

My bet would be somewhere around Glenwood before Grand Junction - to service Aspen and Vail owners. I think Tesla is in Gypsum.

 

[Muir]

just saw the post about Louisville getting the new service center - so essentially Boulder. Good news!!

 

[Sgt Beavis]

Question for anyone using United Power. I’ve got a regular residential plan. Demand pricing is now $4 a kWh. Is there a way to determine what part of the day is most likely to have demand pricing? I know I generally get the lower demand rate ($0.1057) between 10pm and 2pm but I’m trying to get an average of when United is charging that demand rate so I can insure my charging isn’t hitting that time. It would also help me better time the running of appliances.

Right now, looking at my bill and United Powers website for usage, I can only see that I have XXkWH per month. Nothing shows me the times of the day when we’re typically hitting that higher demand.

 

[Aardvark]

Question for anyone using United Power. I’ve got a regular residential plan. Demand pricing is now $4 a kWh. Is there a way to determine what part of the day is most likely to have demand pricing? I know I generally get the lower demand rate ($0.1057) between 10pm and 2pm but I’m trying to get an average of when United is charging that demand rate so I can insure my charging isn’t hitting that time. It would also help me better time the running of appliances.

Right now, looking at my bill and United Powers website for usage, I can only see that I have XXkWH per month. Nothing shows me the times of the day when we’re typically hitting that higher demand.

@Sgt Beavis , first a quick clarification. The demand charge is based on power (kW), not energy (kWh).
Unlike some other utilities, United uses an "anytime demand charge." This means there is no on-peak or off-peak differentiation. So during a billing cycle, the highest average power for any 15 minute period, on any day at any hour, will be multiplied by the $4 to get your monthly demand charge.
So don't think in terms of time of day for your useage. Think instead about spreading out usage and not pancaking appliance use.
For example, if you are only charging your truck at 9 kW, and have some lights and a tv on for another .5 kW, your demand charge would be 9.5 x $4 = $38. BUT, if you charge, run your clothes dryer (4.8 kW), and use an elec oven (3 kW) simultaneously, your demand cost for the month is (9.5+4.8+3)x $4 = $69.20.
Therefore, the best way to save is to charge when you have no other major elec appliances running such as air conditioning, stove/oven, washer, dryer. If you have a standard or heat pump electric water heater, most modern ones are programmable to run at certain times. That's useful to avoid it kicking on while charging. A conventional electric element water heater can peak at 4.5 kW.
Two other comments:
1. Use United's Power Portal to get a good understanding of your specific use patterns.
2. Look at United's 3 optional time of day rates to see if any are a better fit for you.

 

[Sgt Beavis]

@Sgt Beavis , first a quick clarification. The demand charge is based on power (kW), not energy (kWh).
Unlike some other utilities, United uses an "anytime demand charge." This means there is no on-peak or off-peak differentiation. So during a billing cycle, the highest average power for any 15 minute period, on any day at any hour, will be multiplied by the $4 to get your monthly demand charge.
So don't think in terms of time of day for your useage. Think instead about spreading out usage and not pancaking appliance use.
For example, if you are only charging your truck at 9 kW, and have some lights and a tv on for another .5 kW, your demand charge would be 9.5 x $4 = $38. BUT, if you charge, run your clothes dryer (4.8 kW), and use an elec oven (3 kW) simultaneously, your demand cost for the month is (9.5+4.8+3)x $4 = $69.20.
Therefore, the best way to save is to charge when you have no other major elec appliances running such as air conditioning, stove/oven, washer, dryer. If you have a standard or heat pump electric water heater, most modern ones are programmable to run at certain times. That's useful to avoid it kicking on while charging. A conventional electric element water heater can peak at 4.5 kW.
Two other comments:
1. Use United's Power Portal to get a good understanding of your specific use patterns.
2. Look at United's 3 optional time of day rates to see if any are a better fit for you.

OK, that absolutely makes sense to me. Thank you for taking the time to explain it.

 

[runningdenver]

Not sure if the brain trust saw this news today ? Colorado is upping the tax credit for EVs to $9000.

colorado-ev-tax-credit-2025

Unfortunately the 'gotcha' for many of us in the 'Rivian owner demographic' is that we likely fail the requirement ' buyer must make less than 80% of the area median income in whichever county they live.'

Still - good news for EVs, and hopefully will help sell a few more R2s when they come out

 

[Ostrichsak]

Not sure if the brain trust saw this news today ? Colorado is upping the tax credit for EVs to $9000.

colorado-ev-tax-credit-2025

Unfortunately the 'gotcha' for many of us in the 'Rivian owner demographic' is that we likely fail the requirement ' buyer must make less than 80% of the area median income in whichever county they live.'

Still - good news for EVs, and hopefully will help sell a few more R2s when they come out

Not sure about the "up from $6,000" part as the incentives for purchasing a new EV was only ever $5,000 before recently stepping down to $3,850 before it steps down further before phasing out over the next few years. Based on the way it was previously written anyway.

 

[cohall]

Not sure if the brain trust saw this news today ? Colorado is upping the tax credit for EVs to $9000.

colorado-ev-tax-credit-2025

Unfortunately the 'gotcha' for many of us in the 'Rivian owner demographic' is that we likely fail the requirement ' buyer must make less than 80% of the area median income in whichever county they live.'

Still - good news for EVs, and hopefully will help sell a few more R2s when they come out

Definitely good news. But as you mentioned, the income limit ($90K for a 2-person household in Denver), plus the need to trade in an ICE vehicle at the time of purchase, will pretty much knock out the vast majority of potential Rivian buyers. But hopefully this incentivizes those who meet the criteria to switch to EV.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Definitely good news. But as you mentioned, the income limit ($90K for a 2-person household in Denver), plus the need to trade in an ICE vehicle at the time of purchase, will pretty much knock out the vast majority of potential Rivian buyers. But hopefully this incentivizes those who meet the criteria to switch to EV.

Ohh... is this for the trade-in program that was $6k? That would make more sense with the #'s I saw. Not exactly the same as the now-discontinued federal EV tax credit of $7,500.

 

[Aardvark]

Under the category of "you can't fix stupid": Red Mountain Pass closed
(KIA Telluride gets stuck on Black Bear road after driver warned not to attempt the drive).
They need a Rivian to extract this car. Or, and this would be my first choice, just push the Kia over the cliff.

 

[waitingonanr1s]

Definitely good news. But as you mentioned, the income limit ($90K for a 2-person household in Denver), plus the need to trade in an ICE vehicle at the time of purchase, will pretty much knock out the vast majority of potential Rivian buyers. But hopefully this incentivizes those who meet the criteria to switch to EV.

Oh this isn't the tax credit. This is the vehicle exchange (VXC) rebate program offered by the CO energy office - You can actually stack this with the tax credit if someone is eligible. (https://evco.colorado.gov/get-the-facts/save-money )

Tax credit requirements remain unchanged at this time. 3,500 for 2025, amounts TBD for 2026 and 2027. https://tax.colorado.gov/income-tax-topics-innovative-truck-credit . You get an extra $2,500 for a vehicle under 35k MSRP.

So if someone that meets the requirements is looking to trade in their ICE for an EV, they can get $15k combined off a vehicle under $35k - that's a pretty huge discount.

Denver Post reporting is confusing at best.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Oh this isn't the tax credit. This is the vehicle exchange (VXC) rebate program offered by the CO energy office - You can actually stack this with the tax credit if someone is eligible. (https://evco.colorado.gov/get-the-facts/save-money )

Tax credit requirements remain unchanged at this time. 3,500 for 2025, amounts TBD for 2026 and 2027. https://tax.colorado.gov/income-tax-topics-innovative-truck-credit . You get an extra $2,500 for a vehicle under 35k MSRP.

So if someone that meets the requirements is looking to trade in their ICE for an EV, they can get $15k combined off a vehicle under $35k - that's a pretty huge discount.

Denver Post reporting is confusing at best.

I know it states $3,500 but there's a way you can get $3,850 but I'm not sure how. I just know we've got two new Model Y's that have both been $3,850. Something about the clean credits being assigned through them if you finance but we've paid cash and got it so I'm not sure really how that works TBH. It drops pretty dramatically next year though to a max of $2,000.

 

[waitingonanr1s]

I know it states $3,500 but there's a way you can get $3,850 but I'm not sure how. I just know we've got two new Model Y's that have both been $3,850. Something about the clean credits being assigned through them if you finance but we've paid cash and got it so I'm not sure really how that works TBH. It drops pretty dramatically next year though to a max of $2,000.

The $350 is likely some other program, rather than the innovative motor vehicle/truck credit. I'm not sure, as I've always claimed the credits on my tax return, rather than having it passed through to me as a discount from the dealer.

I hadn't seen the projections for the 2026/2027 credit, but the amounts haven't been set yet as far as I'm aware (the legislative staff or office of budget and planning sets those based on revenue forecasts). Large decreases wouldn't surprise me as the state is trying to plug holes now caused by the OBBB. CO is one of the few states that starts with Federal taxable income to calculate state tax liability, so it was hit very hard by the additional deductions provided by the OBBB (i.e. increased senior deduction).

 

[Ostrichsak]

The $350 is likely some other program, rather than the innovative motor vehicle/truck credit. I'm not sure, as I've always claimed the credits on my tax return, rather than having it passed through to me as a discount from the dealer.

I hadn't seen the projections for the 2026/2027 credit, but the amounts haven't been set yet as far as I'm aware (the legislature sets those). Large decreases wouldn't surprise me as the state is trying to plug holes now caused by the OBBB. CO is one of the few states that starts with Federal taxable income to calculate state tax liability, so it was hit very hard by the additional deductions provided by the OBBB (i.e. increased senior deduction).

Nope, same program as far as I know. It's the same line item on the purchase agreements anyway and everything else has it's own line item so I doubt they would combine those if they were separate programs. I know some websites state $3,500 and some state $3,850 and was surprised to see $3,850 in our purchase agreement. I didn't complain.

The CO credit was supposed to be dropping to $750-$2,000 for 2026. The range was based on the "type of car" but I don't believe that has yet been specified. Needless to say, it's set to drop pretty dramatically unless something changes.

The state still seems pretty focused on getting EVs in everyone's garage so my guess is that it could be amended to not drop off that much. Especially since CO now seems to be in some sort of EV incentive pissing match with the current federal regime.

I'm not a real big fan of .gov subsidies but it kind of sucks that they removed them (at the Federal level) for EVs and clean energy and the oil industry still enjoys all of it's subsidies and new programs coming online to bolster their bottom line even further. I just want a more level playing field and the EV stuff at least attempted to do that.

I really thought that Elon's DOGE team would endeavor to get all such subsidies 86'd but most of their findings report was basically denied in terms of taking any real action so the spending continues. Unfortunately.

Note: not trying to get political here as I didn't state which politicians or public figures I support or don't so let's make sure to not let political leanings derail what is otherwise a non-political thread. It's just very difficult to discuss things like tax credits w/o at least mentioning related political actions.

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