Carolina Carshare offers Charlotte residents access to electric vehicles at a fraction of the cost of traditional car ownership.

A new carshare initiative is steering Charlotte toward a more equitable and sustainable future. Carolina Carshare, launched last week at Peppertree Apartments in the Albemarle Road/Central Avenue Corridor of Opportunity, offers residents access to electric vehicles (EVs) at a fraction of the cost of traditional car ownership — a development that’s already having an impact on lives like that of Lucius Johnson, a longtime resident of the complex.

“It’s good, safe, and you don’t have to call an Uber,” Johnson said. 

The program is a collaboration between the City of Charlotte, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition, Ascent Housing, Envision Charlotte, and DreamKey Partners. It’s part of the national Affordable Mobility Platform (AMP), a Community Car Share pilot developed by Forth to increase clean transportation options in underserved communities. Charlotte is the only city in the Southeast selected for the pilot and one of just 13 nationwide.

Carolina Carsharee is part of a broader national initiative to bring EVs to affordable housing sites. Through AMP, Forth aims to deploy 50 shared EVs and Level 2 chargers in low-income and underserved communities across eight states by the end of 2025. Charlotte is the only AMP location east of Michigan, joining programs in cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Seattle, and Albuquerque. Each site is tailored to meet local needs, but all share the goal of improving mobility options while reducing transportation emissions in areas often left behind in the EV transition.

Residents can reserve Chevy Bolt EVs for $5 per hour or $50 per day through a mobile app. The cost includes insurance, charging, and 24/7 support. No-cost charging stations are conveniently located on-site at the Peppertree Apartments, making it easy for users to access and return the vehicles.

According to Stan Cross, Electric Transportation Director at SACE, exposure is one of the biggest challenges to widespread EV adoption. Consumers are not always aware of the benefits EVs provide, like a quiet, high-performance ride with no emissions and lower operational costs. Experiences like test drives have historically helped shift opinions on EVs. Carolina Carshare builds on this idea by offering residents an ongoing, real-world opportunity to drive EVs in their daily lives.

“EV car-sharing programs are another way to provide people with EV experiences they might not be able to access or not choose to access on their own,” Cross said. By bringing electric vehicles to renters and families in affordable housing, Carolina Carshare helps bridge the awareness and access gap that has kept EVs out of reach.

The car-share program also makes EV charging available to residents of multi-family housing. Because multi-family developers typically do not install EV chargers, home charging access at apartments adds an additional challenge to EV adoption. Expanding charging infrastructure directly at affordable housing sites removes another key barrier to EV ownership, especially as more used EVs enter the market.

Mayor Vi Lyles praised the launch, saying, “This project is a perfect example of what it looks like when we align our values with action. By investing in electric vehicle access in our Corridors of Opportunity, we’re giving families the tools they need to reach better jobs, education, and services, while building a more sustainable future for Charlotte.” The program supports the city’s broader goals for sustainability and equity, outlined in the Strategic Energy Action Plan.

“The Affordable Mobility Platform tackles two challenges at once – the high cost of car ownership and poor air quality in underserved areas – by bringing affordable electric vehicles to low-income communities,” Courtney Cucchissi, Forth Program Manager

For Johnson, one of the biggest benefits is freedom of movement, without relying on public transit or ride-hailing apps. “You don’t have to stand at the bus stop. $5 and you can get anywhere in Charlotte.”

While Peppertree is the first site for the carshare program, additional locations are planned throughout the city in 2025. The expansion could bring the benefits of electric mobility to more neighborhoods, including those without reliable access to public transportation.

“Wherever the bus station doesn’t participate in transportation, it would be nice to have… in rural areas,” said Johnson. “To get you to Walmart, somewhere that you can go safely.”

For others considering trying the program, Johnson had a simple pitch. “If you’ve got a clean driver’s license record and you can pay for the car—$5, I don’t know where you can go get a rental car for $5 with insurance,” he said. “And they’re electric, so as long as you take it back, you don’t pay for electricity.”

“If you can beat $5, let me know,” Lucius Johnson, Peppertree Resident

With support from a network of local and national organizations, Carolina Carshare is designed to be more than just a mobility solution — it’s also an investment in community health, economic opportunity, and environmental responsibility.

“This is more than a transportation solution, it’s a housing stability solution,” said Rebecca Hefner, Director of Charlotte’s Housing & Neighborhood Services Department. “When families have access to dependable, affordable mobility, they’re better positioned to succeed, and our communities grow stronger.”