Oregon to Build EV Charging Infrastructure

With nearly $11 million to spend on expanding its electric vehicle infrastructure, Oregon is more than ready to propel themselves into the next generation. How they will be able to complete this task is another story, though.

The state has asked residents for their input before additional options are offered for drivers of electric vehicles.

The Oregon Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, and the Department of Environmental Quality are working together on a project that will apportion $10.9 million to build a healthier infrastructure for ev chargers. Oregon recently opened up a public forum for residents to give their thoughts and opinions about these suggestions.

The majority of the funding comes from a $2 billion Volkswagen settlement which will be invested over the next 10 years towards the implementation of zero-emission vehicles across the country. The Volkswagen Investment Fund is paying for the majority of these projects as part of fees and fines they owe from a 2016 case that showed Volkswagen diesel engines were circumventing pollution controls fraudulently.

Donnie Oliveira, the communications manager at Oregon DEQ, says that part of Oregon’s plan is to offer Oregon EV charging stations for fleets, dwellings, and workplaces.
DEQ hopes to leverage 15% of the Volkswagen funds to maintain and develop charging stations for vehicles like the Audi e-tron. Their focus will be on residents living in multifamily homes and people who live in low-income and rural communities while accompanying the Charge Ahead Rebate Program.

According to officials from DEQ, about $72.9 million was given to Oregon from the Volkswagen settlement, which will be spent over the next decade. $10.9 million of the money will be used to expand and upgrade Oregon EV charging for light-duty electric vehicles.

One of the proposals suggested by the Oregon DEQ as part of this effort will upgrade Oregon’s West Coast Electric Highway (WCEH) which includes a network of over 44 fast charging stations along Highway 99, I5, and other highways. One problem with the charging stations is that they are not compatible with most European and U.S.-built vehicles. The Audi e tron battery, for example, cannot be charged because the current charging stations are not compatible with Audi ev chargers. Most of the plugs are only compatible with Korean and Japanese-built cars along the routes. This new proposal will upgrade all of the chargers and add one additional fast charger at 12 different locales. The projected cost for this massive project is about $6.2 million. The mitigation funding from Volkswagen will cover most of the project.

Another proposed suggestion from an Oregon DEQ report was to fund the creation of 35 new DC fast chargers in underserved areas. These units are predicted to cost $126,500 a piece. Again, most of the funding would come from the Volkswagen mitigation settlement.

A third proposal would focus on lower-income communities by placing Level 2 charging stations in multifamily apartment complexes. These chargers have a capacity of up to 220 volts, comparable to a range or electric dryer. These chargers would cost about $5,000 each to install. Approximately 60% of the funds from the Volkswagen settlement would be able to cover these costs.

Jeanette Shaw, director of government relations at Forth, an EV advocacy group in Portland, Oregon believes that it’s imperative for charging to go into buildings where residents already own vehicles like the Audi e tron SUV. If this doesn’t happen, charging might hasten the transformation without serving the needs of the residents. Tying these incentives to buildings where residents are purchasing vehicles like the Audi e tron using Oregon’s Charge Ahead Rebate would be the best way to achieve the state’s goal.

Back in July, Oregon asked for feedback from the public regarding how the funds should be spent among the three different proposals and how each of these proposals could be improved. All of the suggestions were e-mailed to ORVMP@deq.state.or.us.

The deputy director of Forth, Zach Henkin, wants to use the funds for several new charging programs including multi-unit dwellings and workplaces to ensure that those who need them are able to have access to them.

One of the highest in the U.S., Oregon’s market share for electric vehicles represents 2.4 percent of all new car sales from 2017 according to a report from the 2018 Zero Emissions Vehicle State Policy Rankings from the Electrification Coalition which strives to advance the use of EVs in Oregon to reduce their dependence on oil. The only other electric vehicle market share that’s higher than Oregon is the state of California which has a 5 percent market share.

According to the Oregon DEQ, about 17,000 electric vehicles are registered in the state. Oregon plans to grow this amount in 2020 to 36,000 cars. Electric vehicle adoption in Oregon has steadily increased over the years. According to data from the Department of Motor Vehicles, for example, there were only about 596 EVs registered in Oregon in 2011. Prices have come down quite a bit since 2011, making electric vehicles more affordable. The Audi e tron price for an SUV that will be released in the middle of 2019 starts at around $75,000 with a tax credit of $7,500. And according to a recent Audi e tron review, the battery for their new SUV can be charged in half an hour for up to 80% capacity using 150 kWh DC fast chargers.

Other suggested uses for the Volkswagen mitigation funds include using $18 million to transition 450 school buses to electric vehicles.

The Oregon Legislature will figure out what to do with the remainder of the settlement.