Background
Overview 
Hood River charging station, left, came online in the fall of 2012
Electric vehicle charging stations are locations where vehicles can plug in to an electrical source to re-charge batteries. EV charging stations are necessary to support what is expected to be a growing fleet of EVs throughout Oregon. In fact, every vehicle manufacturer has announced plans to release plug-in vehicles, and many of them are arriving in Oregon daily. But their popularity will only increase to the degree that there are charging stations available for vehicle owners to re-charge their cars. And the charging stations have to be conveniently located to ensure EV owners they don't get stranded in between charges.
Why is ODOT involved?
Petroleum-based transportation is not sustainable in the long run, either environmentally or economically. Our dependency on imported fossil fuels, impacts of global climate change and the introduction of new carbon emission standards have created an urgency to find alternative solutions. ODOT has sustainability as one of its core values, and it is in the best interest of the state to support a growing EV industry.
Currently, the biggest limitation for drivers considering EVs is the absence of a reliable network of charging facilities to increase the range of these vehicles and alleviate fears of “running out of juice.” Even so, by 2020, plug-in cars could account for as much as 20 percent of new vehicles sold in Oregon. That’s why EV charging stations are appearing in key locations around the state.
Read U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood’s announcement about deploying EV stations in Oregon (April 2011). |