Bloomington hopes for more electric cars, but how?

Pushing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Bloomington will consider a raft of policies aimed at increasing the use of electric cars.

The city planning commission will hear a presentation this week about possible ways Bloomington could nudge more drivers to pick electric cars. Among them: helping motorists access federal incentives, building out the network of charging stations and getting in on the electric car-sharing program now operating in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

"EV (electric vehicle) adoption is one piece of Bloomington's larger transportation picture," reads a report set to be presented Thursday. While public transit, walking and biking will be part of the city's future, the report noted that the most common mode of transportation in Bloomington is by car carrying only the driver, so switching more vehicles to electric could be a major step toward the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 75% over a decade.

The proposals come as other suburban cities are looking at using utility franchise fees to subsidize electric vehicles and home chargers.

City surveys of Bloomington residents this summer found cost was their main obstacle to buying electric cars. Bloomington is not proposing city subsidies for electric cars, but one policy idea that staff and consultants will present is helping residents find federal tax credits and other subsidies for electric cars and home-charging stations.

The availability of charging stations was the next-largest concern, the consultants and city staff found. Bloomington has only 44 public charging stations, their report says. It suggests adding more stations in parks and on other city property. The only charging station now in Bloomington is at city hall.

The city could also explore ways to push developers to include charging stations in new apartment buildings or outside new commercial buildings.

Chargers at apartment buildings could help make electric car use more feasible for lower-income residents — especially for those who drive a lot, such as ride-hailing and food-delivery service workers.

Bloomington is also considering bringing into the city the Evie car-sharing program, which was started in Minneapolis and St. Paul in 2022.