MEMO

The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate program is designed to provide additional incentives
for the purchase and lease of electric vehicles by Oregonians through a suite of rebates.
The rebates fall into two main categories:
 Standard Rebates. These are rebates for the purchase or lease of new electric
vehicles. Rebate amounts range from $1,500-$2,500 depending on the vehicle’s
battery capacity. A $750 rebate is also available for new eligible model electric
motorcycles. A current eligible vehicle model list can be found on the program
website (https://www.oregon.gov/deq/FilterDocs/EVStandardRebatevehicles.pdf).
 Charge Ahead Rebates. The Charge Ahead Rebate is a flat $5,000 rebate for the
purchase or lease of a new or used electric vehicle. Charge Ahead Rebates are
specifically designed for low- and moderate-income households and in certain
circumstances can be combined with a Standard Rebate for a total incentive of up
to $7,500. The Charge Ahead Rebate increased to $5,000 for any vehicle
purchased or leased on or after Jan. 1, 2022; the previous rebate amount was
$2,500.
As of January 21, 2022, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has issued
16,797 rebates under the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program. This amounts to nearly
$42 million issued in rebates. DEQ continues to work with auto dealerships across the
state by allowing Standard rebates to be applied at the time of purchase or lease. Over 85
dealers currently participate in the program across the state. Over $11.2 million (out of
the $42 million) has been issued through the dealerships.
At this time, Charge Ahead rebates are still not available through the dealerships;
applicants must apply separately via a paper application, post-purchase. DEQ is currently
working on a pre-qualification process for Charge Ahead applicants with the goal of
enabling these rebates to also be applied for through participating dealerships.
DEQ contracts all rebate processing to the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE). There is
an online platform and portal for dealers to be able to apply for rebates on behalf of their
customers. New dealerships can sign up to become a participating dealership by enrolling
on the Program’s website (https://evrebate.oregon.gov/become-participating-dealership).
DEQ receives $12 million a year through funding generated from a tax imposed on car
dealers. DEQ has been receiving this funding since 2018, and any remaining funds roll
over into the following year. At this time, the Program is well utilized and the roll over
funding is minimal. Previously, the Program had a sunset date of January 2024, but the
2021 Legislative session lifted the sunset