Plugging into Untapped Opportunity
“Oregon is 3-4 years ahead the rest of the country in electric mobility innovation” – John Voelcker, GreenCarReports
The market for electric vehicles (EV’s) is rapidly expanding in the U.S. In fact, the Pacific Northwest is home to the 4th and 5th biggest EV markets; Seattle and Portland. With the implementation of the West Coast Electric Highway, it has become possible for EV drivers to travel along I-5 through Oregon and Washington without any concern for exceeding a vehicle’s range. In fact, Oregon has more DC fast chargers than any other state! Thanks to a diverse variety of incentive opportunities, the door to the EV market in Oregon has been flung wide open!
Leading this charge is Drive Oregon, a nonprofit dedicated to growing the electric mobility industry in the state. They have brought together auto manufacturers, government agencies, and consumers to streamline the process of adopting electric mobility. Thanks to these partnerships, the industry is awash with incentives.
That’s where the RARE Americorps Program comes in! These resources, despite their abundance, remain under-utilized in much of Eastern Oregon. By taking advantage of a combined incentive package from Nissan, the Oregon Departments of Energy and Transportation, and Drive Oregon, a public agency stands to pay as little as 20% of the actual cost for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. With this network of resources in place, the only missing piece is you!
My goal is to bring Pendleton and other Eastern Oregon cities into the growing network of chargers as the Electric Highway weaves its way eastward on I 84. Combined with my secondary goal of replacing Pendleton’s aging fleet of vehicles with low-emissions, alternative fuel or electric vehicles, we stand to benefit in a few different ways:
- Become a destination for EV tourism with the help of Travel Oregon’s EV itineraries
- Modernize the city’s image
- Reduce carbon emissions
- Provide the last remaining link for EV owners wishing to travel from Boise to Portland!
Electric vehicle tourism is a relatively new trend, and the length of a trip is still determined by the availability of charging stations, rather than the ambition of the travelers. Still in its infancy as a means of interstate travel, electric vehicles are likened to trains: trains can only go where tracks are laid, and electric vehicles can only travel between chargers. By populating Eastern Oregon with chargers, the 4th and 5th biggest EV markets in the nation will have the opportunity to explore beautiful parts of Oregon they might otherwise never visit.
The National Public Agency Green Transportation Conference will be happening in Portland, Feb 18-20 2014. Whether you or your organization is interested in hybrids, battery electric, propane, natural gas, or biodiesel, it will be a tremendous opportunity to connect with manufacturers and other agencies that have made or are looking to make the switch. If your city has a fleet of vehicles, there is probably room for improvement! Even switching from gasoline to propane reduces carbon emissions and cuts costs dramatically. The industry is awash with incentives, so this is a great time to start promoting it within your community.
If you’d like more info on how to get your city aboard the green transportation movement, just shoot me an email mldehart2@gmail.com ! I have a list of useful contacts and I’ve been compiling incentive and legal information to streamline the process for anyone who is interested in adopting this revolutionary technology.
About the Author: Michael DeHart received a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with Minors in Economics and Geography from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. During his year with the RARE AmeriCorps Program-Resource Assistance for Rural Environments, Michael hopes to utilize his understanding of ecology, environmental economics, and conservation in the community he serves. Michael is placed with the City of Pendleton, where he is working with City staff on an extensive update to two of the City’s cornerstone planning documents; the City’s Capital Improvements Plan and Transportation System Master Plan and is helping determine ways and means to improve the long-term sustainability of Pendleton’s Solarize and Weatherize Programs.