Oregon is preparing to bring back the state’s popular electric vehicle rebate program, but only for a limited time.
People who buy or lease a qualifying EV between April 3 and June 3 could get up to $7,500 back from the Department of Environmental Quality.
Some buyers might have to wait until 2025 to receive their rebates, though, if recent history is any guide.
That’s because of the program’s popularity, and its finite funds.
A 2022 file photo of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle as it charges. Oregon will temporarily reopen rebate programs for people who buy or lease qualifying EVs from April 3-June 3.
Kristyna Wentz-Graff / OPB
Last year, so many people bought EVs that the program exhausted its budget four months into the year and several hundred people were put on a waiting list before they were able to receive their rebates. Some 2023 payments are still being processed.
This year, the program has about $8 million available for rebates. If that pool is exhausted, some people may have to wait until spring 2025 to receive their rebates, a DEQ spokesperson told OPB in an email.
DEQ offers two EV rebates:
- The standard rebate of up to $2,500 is available for any Oregon resident, business, nonprofit or government agency that buys or leases a new fully electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of less than $50,000.
- The larger Charge Ahead Rebate offers up to $7,500 to lease or buy qualifying new EVs, or $5,000 rebates for qualifying used vehicles — but there are income limits.
The Charge Ahead Rebate is available to Oregonians with a household income of less than 400% of the federal poverty line — that’s about $60,000 for an individual, or $124,800 for a family of four.
Related: DEQ Charge Ahead Rebate Income Eligibility Calculator
“We’ve seen fantastic success in EV adoption with the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program,” DEQ Air Quality Division administrator Ali Mirzakhalili said in a statement. “It’s a great way to lower the costs when purchasing or leasing those vehicles, especially for low- and moderate-income households.”
Oregonians who buy electric vehicles this year may also be eligible for federal EV rebates, as well as state incentives for charging infrastructure. Some electric utilities in the state also offer rebates or other financial support. Details about these programs are available online.