Oregonians looking to purchase or lease an electric vehicle can now apply for some cash back, as the state reopens its popular rebate program this week.
On Thursday, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality officially reopened the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate program.
An electric vehicle is charging at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry's parking lot, Nov. 11, 2024. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has reopened a popular rebate program to make it easier for households to afford zero and low emission vehicles.
Monica Samayoa / OPB
“Three weeks ago, we announced the date the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program was reopening. Since then, we’ve received so much interest and positive feedback from people all across the state,” DEQ’s Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program Coordinator Erica Timm said.
The program now offers three rebate options that Oregonians can qualify for, with a focus on helping low to moderate-income households purchase or lease new or used EVs.
For people with household incomes between $51,000 and $251,000, the state now offers two rebates:
- The New Charge Ahead Rebate offers up to $7,500 back for people who purchase or lease a new qualified battery electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle.
- The Used Charge Ahead Rebate offers $5,000 rebates to people who purchase or lease an eligible pre-owned battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
“People seem really excited to buy or lease EVs, and so many want to prequalify for the Charge Ahead Rebate,” DEQ’s Timm said. “They know it’s a great way to save money and help reduce air pollution in their communities.”
The other offered rebate is the Standard Rebate, which offers up to $2,500 back to anyone who purchases or leases a new qualified vehicle under $50,000. The rebate also applies to qualified zero-emission motorcycles. This is open to EV buyers at any income level.
People can apply for one rebate per vehicle.
“More people living in Oregon want to participate every year,” DEQ Air Quality Transportation Strategies Section Manager Rachel Sakata said in a statement. “The rebates allow people, businesses and nonprofit organizations to actively work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the public’s health, while also saving money.”
Oregon’s popular rebate program has helped boost EV sales, with more than 112,000 zero-emission vehicles registered in the state as of January. The state has also issued nearly $100 million in rebates since the program’s inception in late 2018. The program receives at least $12 million or 45% of tax collections, whichever is greater, through Oregon’s Vehicle Privilege Tax. The program has been so popular that it has run out of funding for two years in a row, forcing the state to suspend the program within months of reopening.
But with the help of federal funds, this year the program will have an additional $31 million for Charge Ahead rebates. DEQ said that the state’s allocated funding will focus on the Standard Rebate, while the federal funding will provide more rebates for low to moderate-income households.
DEQ encourages people to pre-apply for the Charge Ahead rebate. Applicants who qualify for that rebate could receive a voucher and use it at the time of purchase at participating dealerships.
Vehicles bought before May 22 will not qualify for rebates. As of now, there is no set date for when the program will close, but DEQ said they’ll give a 30-day notice before it closes when funds start to run low.
Applicants have six months after the purchase or lease of their eligible vehicle to submit an application for any of the rebates.
