Study: Oregon needs stronger incentives for EVs

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Arcimoto Pulse in front of the Capitol Thursday.

A group studying ways for Oregon to spur widespread adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles has recommended the state enact a series of new tax credits to promote electric vehicles and create a new center of excellence to study electric vehicle technology.

The Alternative Fuel Vehicle Infrastructure Working Group was convened by Gov. Ted Kulongoski in 2008. The group was led by Multnomah County Commissioner Jeff Cogen and included an assortment of industry stakeholders, including representatives from electric and gas utilities, electric vehicle industry manufacturers, and other public officials.

Kulongoski released the group’s final report Thursday, saying it will ultimately help promote domestically-produced clean fuels while reducing the carbon emissions of the state’s transportation system.

Among the group’s primary recommendations:

— A new Electric Vehicle Executive Council, created by an executive order from Kulongoski, to set a statewide agenda for introducing and deploying electric vehicles and the related infrastructure and services in Oregon.

— An effort by the state to work with utility regulators and other governing boards to consider policies designed to overcome barriers to the widespread deployment and use of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles.

— New purchase standards for state-funded fleets to increase the percentage of alternative-fuel vehicles in the fleets.

— A new program to provide free home audits prior to installing charging equipment.

— The inclusion of electric vehicle manufacturing into the Business Energy Tax Credit program.

— A new Transportation Electrification Tax Credit for businesses and other organizations that buy electric vehicles and infrastructure.

— A new multi-disciplinary transportation electrification and “smart mobility” Center of Excellence at the Portland-based Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium. The center would be a partnership between private industry, universities and trade groups modeled after the International Center for Automotive Research, a $200 million collaboration in South Carolina between Clemson University, BMW and AT&T.

“We must continue our efforts of the past year to capitalize on the economic opportunity before us. This is an emerging market and the time to act is now,” Kulongoski said in a news release. “It is absolutely critical that the state, local and private partners work together to attract car and battery manufacturers to Oregon and build a consistent and reliable charging infrastructure so consumers can make the switch to new, greener vehicles seamlessly.”