Electric Vehicles

You probably no longer blink an eye when an electric car passes by on the road. More novel battery-powered vehicles are soon joining the parade to help operators achieve their sustainability goals. Electric ferries are coming to Puget Sound and hybrid electric airplanes are being tested in Washington. Now, several Pacific Northwest fire departments have ordered their first electric fire trucks.

Oregon ranked No. 2 in the nation for the share of new vehicles sold that are electric and with more fast chargers and federal tax credits on the way, sales are expected to increase.

USPS says it will sharply increase the number of electric-powered delivery trucks — and will go all-electric for new purchases starting in 2026.

In other news, Multnomah County Library's downtown Portland location has a reopening date and John Day's lottery funding likely hinges on the $4 million bond on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The auto industry is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation and not just blue-collar workers are feeling the impact. Some white-collar jobs are now at risk.

State and local organizations are building programs to connect EVs with more rural and low-income people, as well as communities of color.

Tesla plans to build an enormous electric vehicle supercharger station off of Interstate 5 in Sutherlin, Oregon.

The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission is set to vote Wednesday on a plan to gradually shift from fossil fuels to electric power for medium and heavy duty trucks. The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Trucking industry leaders say more and more pickup and delivery trucks will join a growing number of school and transit buses in going electric in the next 20 years.