Electrifying our transportation system is a key strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move Oregon towards a cleaner future. Transitioning to electric vehicles — including e-bikes, cars and trucks, public transit, delivery vans and long-haul semis — is a complex effort that calls for strong public-private partnerships. It will also require significant public investments in public charging infrastructure.
ODOT’s role is to make connections between the many groups needed to build and expand Oregon’s electric transportation infrastructure. We help set a clear vision for that future and existing charging infrastructure, ensuring that it is equitable, reliable and meets rural and urban needs.
In practice, those connections take the shape of funding and education. ODOT:
- Uses available state and
federal funding to bolster public EV charging infrastructure, leveraging partnerships with private industry.
- Uses our staff expertise to inform EV charging strategies and policy recommendations.
- Educates Oregon’s drivers and stakeholders about the benefits of EVs.
Our goals are to triple the number of EVs on our roads by 2023, and expand statewide public EV charging infrastructure by a minimum of 10% by 2025. We’re making progress on those goals, and we recognize that much more needs to be done to rapidly expand equitable access to electric mobility use and necessary charging and refueling infrastructure.
What We're Working On
ODOT’s transportation electrification efforts have primarily focused on light-duty vehicles, which are “ready for the market,” meaning they are the most widely available. We are also considering the charging infrastructure needs of medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles, like freight and delivery trucks, and transit and school buses. And we are researching the opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell EVs, and electric micro-mobility like e-scooters, e-bikes and e-trikes.
Transportation Electrification Infrastructure Needs Analysis 2021 (TEINA)
The 2020-21 TEINA study examined Oregon’s public EV charging infrastructure needs over the next 15 years. The results: we’ll need a sharp increase in available charging near and long term; investments must be made in both rural and urban areas; and private-public partnerships between state government agencies, utilities, nonprofits and private charging companies will be important.
Community Charging Rebates Program
The Climate Office developed the Community Charging Rebates (CCR) Program which provides cash incentives for public and private entities to install
level 2 EV charging in parking areas, and near multi-unit dwellings. The program’s rebates can cover up to 75% of the eligible cost of charger equipment and installation. The majority of funds will be spent in communities identified as “priorities” for more accessible public EV charging. To find more information, visit the
Community Charging Rebate Program webpage.
National EV Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in 2021, will provide $52 million over five years to ODOT for Oregon EV charging infrastructure investments. The funding comes from the
National EV Infrastructure (NEVI) formula program, which has specific requirements for how the money can be used and requires ODOT to engage with multiple stakeholder groups about charging needs.
Read more about
Oregon’s Five-year EV Charging Infrastructure Roadmap to find out how ODOT will implement the funding.
Guide for Oregon EV Charging Deployment
ODOT published the Guide for EV Charging Deployment in August of 2023 and created the
GO EV Charge webpage. GO EV Charge is a suite of online resources to help Oregon planners and decision-makers deploy electric vehicle charging projects that are equitable, cost-effective and that meet community needs while supporting statewide goals for electrifying transportation.
The resources on this webpage are a one-stop-shop to support people or organizations interested in installing EV charging infrastructure.
GO EV Charge includes:
Guide for Oregon EV Charging Deployment – a comprehensive guide on EV charging basics, best practices in design and equitable siting, planning level cost estimates, and more.
- EV Infrastructure Planning Map – a GIS-based webmap that incorporates land use, traffic, and population data layers to help decision-makers prioritize EV charging locations in their communities.
- TEINA Dashboard – a user friendly Excel tool with annual estimates for EV charging needs by geographic region.
Visit the
GO EV Charge webpage to find these resources and more, including the Guide for Oregon EV Charging Deployment, executive summary, and full report.
Hydrogen Pathway Study
Hydrogen may play a critical role in decarbonizing transportation. ODOT’s Hydrogen Pathway Study — a follow-up to the TEINA study — looked at how to prepare Oregon for hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles over the next 15 years, and outlined a set of phased recommendations through 2035.
Electric Micromobility in Oregon Study
In addition to electrifying cars, truck and buses, ODOT works to reduce the number of miles driven in Oregon by encouraging alternative modes of transportation such as biking and walking. Electric micromobility devices — such as e-bikes, e-scooters, and others —improve mental and physical health, and reduce emissions from transportation. In recent years, more Oregonians are choosing e-micromobility devices for their commute, errands, or moving goods and freight.
Given these factors, we wanted to understand how to grow e-micromobility use in our state. So in 2022 we studied e-micromobility’s benefits, barriers preventing a faster adoption rate, and ways to surmount those barriers.
Collaborations with State Agencies
Every Mile Counts
ODOT, together with Oregon Departments of Energy, Environmental Quality, and Land Conservation and Development, created the
Every Mile Counts initiative in 2019. The goal is to align long-term commitments and actions across the agencies to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Equity is a priority and each agency woks to ensure their actions do not result in negative impacts to, or place additional burdens on, traditionally disadvantaged communities.
Zero Emission Vehicle Interagency Working Group (ZEVIWG)
ZEVIWG was founded in 2017 by ODOT, the Oregon Departments of Energy, Environmental Quality, Administrative Services, and the Public Utility Commission to collaborate on accelerating zero emission vehicle use in Oregon. The workgroup focuses on increasing Oregonian’s access to ZEVs and charging infrastructure, and raising public awareness of ZEV goals, benefits, and use cases.
Oregoin’ Electric
Oregoin’ Electric is an accessible, centralized hub for information and resources about electric vehicles. The website is a collaboration between Oregon state agencies and utilities to provide outreach and education for the public.
Future Work
Federal EV Charging Grant Program
In addition to the federal NEVI program EV charging funding mentioned above, Oregon (and other states) can apply for additional EV charging grant funding from the federal government. Eligible funding recipients include state and local entities, Metro Planning Organizations, and Tribal governments. More information about one of these grant programs -- the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) grant program – was published in March 2023. This funding opportunity provides grants to strategically deploy publicly accessible EV charging, and hydrogen/propane/natural gas fueling in communities and along designated corridors.
Federal Grant Applications
In June 2023, ODOT submitted two proposals for federal funding under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) grant program to build EV charging stations and hydrogen refueling stations for larger vehicles like delivery vans and semi-trucks. CFI funding is available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed by Congress in 2021.
One of our submissions was a group proposal with Washington and California. We and the other two states have a shared vison for a network of charging and refueling stations for larger vehicles along Interstate 5 from the Canadian to Mexican border.
As of August 2023, both grant applications are under review by the federal government. In the meantime, ODOT will pursue other grant funding opportunities as they become available.
Medium and Heavy-duty Zero Emission Vehicles
ODOT collaborated with the Department of Environmental Quality on a medium- and heavy-duty ZEV incentives report to support adoption, completed in December 2022. This effort follows the completion of a
Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-emission Vehicle Action Plan that includes Oregon. Details from the plan development process can be found
here.
More information
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