The Oregon Department of Transportation is rolling out a partnership with private companies to begin work on new EV fast charging stations along Interstate 5, U.S. Highway 97, and Interstate 205.
The recent announcement comes just before the opening of the 2023 Portland International Auto Show, which features a full lineup of electric vehicles. It will be held from Feb. 2 to 5 at the Oregon Convention Center.
The stations are the first step in building out a backbone of public EV fast chargers along interstate freeways and highways throughout Oregon. To help you understand how these stations will benefit residents and visitors in in Oregon, and what to expect as work progresses, the state agency has created an online open house website.
The side, called odotopenhouse.org, details plans for the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. This is a federally funded program to establish a nationwide network of electric vehicle (EV) fast chargers in all 50 states over the next five years. This program was funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and more information is available at whitehouse.gov.
Key facts about the program are:
The stations will be no farther than 50 miles apart from each other and within one mile of a freeway exit, if possible.
The new EV fast charging stations are funded by the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program.
The NEVI program will send Oregon $65 million over five years to fund stations on interstates and highways throughout Oregon. Read a summary of Oregon’s five year plan for the funding.
ODOT will contract with private EV charging companies to install, own and operate the new fast charging stations.
The ODOT online open house provides an overview of the program as it affects Oregon. The website has an opportunity for you to provide feedback to help inform the work plan. Residents who live along one of the corridors selected for EV charging stations are invited to complete the survey linked on each road’s open house station.
The ODOT online open house will be available through March 3, 2023.
