Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are charging forward in Oregon, with the help of EERE’s Vehicle Technologies Office. 

A Clean Cities community readiness award provided a major step forward, helping the state develop a comprehensive market analysis and statewide strategy. To develop the strategy, the Oregon Business Development Department worked with the Columbia-Willamette (Portland) and Rogue Valley (Medford) Clean Cities Coalitions to bring together Oregon’s many existing programs and stakeholders. The Energizing Oregon plan described building code revisions to simplify infrastructure installation, a marketing campaign to raise awareness, a workplace charging strategy, a PEV tourism campaign, and improvements to tracking PEVs’ impacts on the electrical grid. 

Since the plan was completed in 2013, Drive Oregon has worked to implement the recommendations and grow the state’s PEV market. Currently, there are nearly 400 public PEV charging locations with almost 900 charging outlets in Oregon, including 70 DC fast chargers. Oregon businesses are strong participants in VTO’s EV Everywhere Workplace Charging Challenge; 19 Oregon businesses have pledged to provide charging for their PEV-driving employees. Drive Oregon, a nonprofit organization supported by the Oregon Business Development Department, is a Workplace Charging Ambassador and has been key to the state’s success. Drive Oregon also organizes the annual EV Roadmap conference, one of the largest PEV conferences in the country. As a launch market for PEVs and location of early adopters, the success of PEVs in Oregon has already and will continue to influence the nationwide deployment of these vehicles.

Positive Impact

More plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles in Oregon. Oregon is planning for the large-scale deployment of hybrid and all-electric vehicles to reach the state's goal of 30,000 plug-in vehicles by 2015.

Locations

Oregon

Partners

Oregon Business Development Department

EERE Investment

$485,000

Clean Energy Sector

Sustainable transportation

The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) develops and deploys efficient and environmentally friendly highway transportation technologies that will enable America to use less petroleum. These technologies will provide Americans with greater freedom of mobility and energy security, while lowering costs and reducing impacts on the environment.

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) success stories highlight the positive impact of its work with businesses, industry partners, universities, research labs, and other entities.