Oregon will temporarily suspend rebates for buying or leasing an electric vehicle for one year starting in May
SALEM, Oregon — Oregon will temporarily suspend rebates for buying or leasing an electric vehicle for a year starting in May because too many people are applying and the program is running out of money, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Thursday.
A growing number of Oregonians are buying or leasing electric vehicles, with more than 60,600 registered in the state.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced Wednesday the suspension of the Clean Vehicle Rebate Program that has disbursed more than $71 million over five years to help people buy or lease approximately 25,000 of those vehicles. A fifth of the refunds went to low- and moderate-income households, state data shows.
Since the end of 2018, the state has offered two cash rebates for Oregon drivers who purchase or lease electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles for less than $50,000. The standard rebate of up to $2,500 is available regardless of income and can be received at participating dealerships. The $5,000 “advance fee” rebate is intended for low- and moderate-income households and must be accessed through a mail-in application. The two rebates can be combined for a cash rebate of up to $7,500.
“Although we are announcing a temporary suspension, it really shows that the program is a victim of our own success,” Rachel Sakata, senior air quality planner for the department of environmental quality. “We are one of the top states in the country in terms of percentage of electric vehicle sales.”
The Oregon Department of Transportation estimates that people will drive 1.5 million electric vehicles in the state by 2035. Today about 3.2 million passenger vehicles are registered in Oregon.
Since the end of 2018, the state has offered two cash rebates for Oregon drivers who purchase or lease electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles for less than $50,000. The standard rebate of up to $2,500 is available regardless of income and can be received at participating dealerships. The $5,000 “advance fee” rebate is intended for low- and moderate-income households and must be accessed through a mail-in application. The two rebates can be combined for a cash rebate of up to $7,500.
