Oregon and nine other states have reached a significant milestone in their efforts to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The states have collectively met their goal of boosting the number of EVs on the road, moving closer to reducing pollution and addressing climate change.
The states, including Oregon, collectively registered 3.3 million new electric vehicles over the past 12 years. This fulfilled a 2013 agreement to achieve this target by 2025, according to a report released on Monday by the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, a non-profit organization based in Boston that represents state air pollution control agencies.
In 2013, the then-governors of Oregon, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont committed to policies and public information campaigns designed to increase zero-emission vehicle sales within their states.
Transportation remains the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon and across the nation. The 2013 agreement was signed when only 300 electric vehicles were registered in Oregon. Today, that number exceeds 100,000, according to the Oregon Department of Energy. EVs now constitute approximately 5% of all new car registrations in the state over the last decade.
Governor Tina Kotek highlighted the achievement as a significant “milestone” in a press release.
“Transportation electrification is key to meeting Oregon’s climate goals,” Kotek stated. “Strong partnerships between states and private sector partners will be key to the nation’s success in the years to come.”
In 2013, consumers had a choice of only 16 electric vehicle models in the U.S., according to the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. Today, the available options have expanded to over 150 models.
EV sales across the ten states saw steady growth following the 2013 agreement. However, sales fully doubled between 2022 and 2024. The Inflation Reduction Act, passed by Congress in 2022, included a $7,500 tax rebate for new electric vehicle purchases. Oregon’s own rebate program, initiated in 2017, also offered up to $7,500 back on EV purchases. While the Oregon program temporarily paused issuing rebates in June 2024 due to funding constraints, it is expected to resume in 2025, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.
One-third of all registered electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Oregon have benefited from the state’s Clean Vehicle Rebates, according to officials at the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which administers the rebates. Since 2017, these rebates have totaled nearly $100 million.
Since the initial 2013 agreement, five additional states have launched zero-emission vehicle programs modeled after those of the original states. These programs aim to drive EV adoption and expand charging infrastructure through public investment and tax rebates, according to the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management. Oregon and the 14 other states now represent over one-third of all new electric vehicle sales in the United States.
— Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle
The Oregon Capital Chronicle, established in 2021, is a non-profit news organization focused on Oregon state government, politics, and policy.
