Hopkins Partners with HOURCAR to Bring Electric Carshare Hub to Dow Towers

HOURCAR's Multifamily Project, powered by Xcel Energy provides the Hopkins community with access to affordable and clean carshare services.

HOPKINS, MN, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The City of Hopkins, MN, today announced the launch of its first-ever electric carshare hub at Dow Towers, a site with 100% of units reserved for low-income residents. As part of HOURCAR’s Multifamily Electric Vehicle Pilot Project (the “Multifamily Project”), two electric, hub-based HOURCAR vehicles are now available to provide residents and the surrounding community with access to clean, affordable transportation.

“We are so proud to partner with HOURCAR and Xcel Energy to be able to offer electric carsharing to Dow Towers residents and the surrounding community. Hopkins aims to be a leader in the sustainability space, and this partnership is one more way we are able to showcase that commitment” – Patrick Hanlon, Mayor of Hopkins, MN

Powered by Xcel Energy, HOURCAR’s Multifamily Project is changing the way Minnesotans get around through a variety of local and national partnerships. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved funding for the installation of the charging infrastructure in September 2023. Additional support for the project was provided by the US Department of Energy, GM Corporate Giving, the McKnight Foundation, 3M, the Regional Solicitation of the Metropolitan Council, and the American Lung Association.

“We’re proud to continue our collaboration with HOURCAR on the Multifamily Project by opening our fifteenth electric carshare hub,” said John Marshall, Regional Vice President, Community Relations and Foundation at Xcel Energy. “We’re committed to finding innovative solutions that improve access for all our customers to experience clean transportation options.”

Features and benefits of the Multifamily Project include:
• Users can book trips as low as $7.11/hour or $64.89/day for trips as short as 30 minutes or as long as three days, booking as far as six months in advance.
• The cost of vehicle charging, insurance, and maintenance is included
• Access vehicle via the smartphone app or Metro Transit GoTo Card
• Low-income community members get discounted access via the Access Plan, providing up to 200 miles/trip/day

This site marks the thirteenth Multifamily Project location. Additional locations include:
• Franklin Housing, Seward, Minneapolis (opened 3/4/2025)
• Wilder Square, Frogtown, Saint Paul (opened 3/25/2025)
• Children’s Village Center, Phillips, Minneapolis (Coming soon)
• Capital View Apartments, Greater East Side, Saint Paul (Coming soon)

The Multifamily Project is currently accepting applications for its final phase in 2025. All multi-dwelling units are welcome to apply, with special encouragement to sites that provide at least 66% of available units for low-income households, as they may be eligible to receive a Level 2 dual-port charger, installation, and two electric carshare vehicles at no/minimal cost during the contracted pilot period.

The final round of applications is open at HOURCAR.org/Multifamily.

About HOURCAR: HOURCAR is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization serving diverse communities in Minnesota. Since 2005, HOURCAR connects communities with clean, equitable, and sustainable multimodal transportation. HOURCAR is the largest nonprofit carshare operator in the US, offering hub-based and free-floating carshare services for Minnesotan communities.

The Multifamily Project is a partnership between HOURCAR and Xcel Energy. The company has worked with Xcel Energy since 2011 on various pilot projects, partnering to bring clean transportation options to underserved communities through accessible charging infrastructure. Funding for installation of the charging infrastructure was approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in September 2023. Additional support for the project was provided by the US Department of Energy, GM Corporate Giving, the McKnight Foundation, 3M, and Regional Solicitation of the Metropolitan Council.

This project is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Office of Vehicle Technologies Award Number DE-EE0009226

James Vierling
HOURCAR
+1 6513073196
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