St Paul is putting $300,000 towards preserving its Evie electric car-share service after the scheme shut down earlier this month, with Mayor Kaohly Her saying the city will seek a new operator for the fleet.
The service, operated by non-profit HOURCAR, ended on October 15 after the organisation said rising insurance costs and reduced federal funding had made its operations financially unsustainable.
Mayor Her said on Thursday that staff from several city departments had recovered and secured nearly 200 vehicles leased by St Paul within a week of the closure. The city is now preparing to issue a request for information from potential operators.
“We will issue a request for information to find a partner to take this programme over,” Ms Her said. “This step is crucial as we try to find a bridge operator.”
St Paul seeks new Evie operator
The funding package includes $140,000 already set aside in the city’s budget, alongside a further $160,000 identified by the mayor’s administration. St Paul city records also show that Minneapolis has approved a one-off $300,000 contribution to support ongoing Evie operations.
The two cities launched Evie in 2022 as an electric alternative to private car ownership and services such as Uber and Lyft. St Paul initially contributed $725,000 to the programme, while Minneapolis provided $325,000.
Mayor Her said the service had provided about 670,000 trips before its closure. Supporters have said almost 5,000 people across the Twin Cities had used Evie, including for commuting, medical appointments and essential journeys.
In 2024, 44% of Evie car-share users were from low-income households and 45% were members of Black, Indigenous or other communities of colour, according to figures cited by the mayor.
“We are here to take on climate change head on, and we are still investing in the infrastructure we need for tomorrow, including in neighbourhoods that have too often been left out,” Ms Her said.
HOURCAR announced its decision to end operations after failing to close a significant funding gap. The organisation laid off all 21 of its employees following the shutdown, while the city-owned electric vehicle charging network remains in operation.
St Paul’s effort to preserve Evie comes as the city faces a projected $26 million budget deficit. Ms Her has proposed a 6.8% property tax levy increase for 2027, which would add about $58 a year to the bill for a home at the median value.
