Episode 8 – It’s Electric! (vehicles)

“Really the bottom line is we want to make sure that low and moderate income households and communities of color all have an opportunity to take advantage of getting a cleaner car for their household or organization.”

Rachael Sakata, oregon department of environmenal quality

Electric vehicles are everywhere! And it’s no wonder, there are now more options than ever to electrify your ride – cars, trucks, motorcycles and bikes. And, they’re becoming more accessible than ever. DEQ’s Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program offers up to $7,500 when you purchase or lease an EV and the Oregon Department of Transportation is supporting the expansion of EV charging across the state.

Lauren and Dylan talk with DEQ’s lead staff person working on EV rebates, Rachel Sakata, about recent news on money available for buying EVs. They also talk with ODOT’s Transportation Electrification Program Manager, Mary Brazell, about the future of charging stations in Oregon.

Listen to the podcast on: SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.

SHOW NOTES

• Introduction
• Director Whiteman’s EV advice [3:50]
• Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program with Rachel Sakata [7:00]
  • EV Rebate frequently asked questions
  • Two types of rebates
    • Standard Rebate [8:45]
    • Charge Ahead Rebate [10:00]
  • Rebates available to organizations (Standard, Charge Ahead)
  • Summary [17:35]
• EV charging with Mary Brazell (ODOT) [19:00]
  • ODOT’s role in EV charging [19:30]
  • Where to find charging stations [22:30]
    • Oregon Dept. of Energy dashboard
    • West Coast Electric Highway
    • Apps: PlugShare (iPhone, Android) and Chargeway (iPhone, Android)
  • Demand for charging in the future [24:35]
    • Transportation Electrification Infrastructure Needs Analysis
  • Summary
• What we learned [31:00]
• Preview of Oregon Dept. of Energy’s podcast, Grounded, on EVs [33:00]