Latest updates - February 2025

• The Federal Highway Administration issued a memo Feb. 6 ordering states to suspend all state EV charging infrastructure deployment plans under the NEVI program. The memo also rescinded federal rules for NEVI until the FHWA completes a new version of the rules. Until those new rules are complete, states are not allowed to obligate additional funding for NEVI.
• However, we can continue work with funds that have previously been obligated. This means we have sufficient funding to cover the cost of EV charging infrastructure on U.S. 97, I-205 and I-5 south of Eugene.
• But our ability to obligate more NEVI funding to pay for construction of EV charging infrastructure on other roads is currently suspended pending the updated federal NEVI rules. FHWA has not published an updated timeline yet. 

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NEVI Frequently Asked Questions – Updated August 12, 2024

About the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program is a federally funded program that will establish a nationwide network of public EV fast charging stations in all 50 states over five years along major highways and interstates. The funding is part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Oregon will receive $52 million over five years from the NEVI program. The program requires minimum 20% matching funds from contracted private companies, meaning Oregon will ultimately have about $65 million under the NEVI program.

The NEVI program runs over five funding years, 2022-2026. Each year the federal government distributes a portion of Oregon's $52 million to ODOT.

In total, we anticipate installing or upgrading about 50* public EV fast charging stations in Oregon via the NEVI program.

*This is an estimate and may change depending on project and material costs.

ODOT's role in the NEVI program

We will manage the NEVI program in Oregon as a competitive grant and ensure it funds charging stations that meet federal standards and Oregon's EV charging goals. ODOT does not own, install, operate or maintain any of the NEVI charging stations; pre-qualified private companies will complete that work.

Details about NEVI Round 1

In October 2024 we selected three private EV charging companies as finalists for NEVI work on the three roads in NEVI round 1: Interstate 205, Interstate 5 south of Eugene, and U.S. Highway 97.

As of February 2025, each company selection is an “intent to award" meaning we still need to negotiate and sign grant agreements with each company. We expect that process to wrap up in the first half of 2025.

About NACS connectors: We're working with the three companies to ensure the NACS (SAE J3400) connector will be included in NEVI-funded stations once it becomes UL listed and standardized. 

Here's a breakdown of the proposed stations along each road.

Interstate 205

Estimated station install timeline: 2025.

Station locations (2 total)

1. Fred Meyer in Happy Valley.
2. 76 gas station in Gladstone.

Station designs and amenities

• 350kW CCS charging ports.
  
• One pull-through parking spot at the 76 gas station.
• Both locations are near restrooms and shopping, and will have security cameras and overhead lighting.

Estimated station install timeline: 2025.

Station locations (7 total)

1. E Street in Shaniko. (Precise location TBD.)
2. Dairy Queen in Madras.
3. Dairy Queen in Bend.
4. La Pine Chamber of Commerce in La Pine.
   
5. Eagle Crater Lake Inn in Chemult.
6. KLA-MO-YA Casino in Chiloquin.
7. The Growler Guys in Klamath Falls.

Station designs and amenities

• Minimum 150kW CCS charging ports.
• CHAdeMO charging ports to support older EVs.
• Pull-through parking spaces at Shaniko, Chemult, Chiloquin and Klamath Falls locations.
• Canopies at each station for shade and rain protection.
• Each location will have one accessible station parking space for people with disabilities.
• 110v outlet at each station for charging e-bikes and other mobility devices.
• Nearby options for food, water and restrooms, and overhead lighting.

Station locations (4 total)

1. O'Reilly Auto Parts in Cottage Grove.
2. Roseburg Marketplace in Roseburg.
3. Sagwal gas station in Wolf Creek.
4. WinCo in Medford. 

Station designs and amenities

• 150kW minimum CCS charging ports.
  
• Parking spaces accessible to people with disabilities.
  
• Overhead lighting.
• Nearby options for food, water and restrooms.

NEVI overview and status of NEVI grant funding rounds 2-4

The NEVI program was created by the 2021 federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Under the law, Oregon will receive roughly $52 million in NEVI funding between 2022-2026 according to the following schedule:

To receive this funding, we are required to update our NEVI State Plan on a yearly basis. Once approved by the Federal Highway Administration, we have approval to obligate that fiscal year's funding. Obligation is the approval provided by the Federal Highway Administration for work to start and expenditures to be reimbursed.

Prior to Feb. 6, 2025, the Federal Highway Administration approved $41.1 million for us to obligate for NEVI projects. Of that total, we have obligated roughly $26.1 million. The rest of the approved funding is frozen, as per a Feb. 6, 2025, memo from the Federal Highway Administration. Currently, we are not allowed to obligate more funding until we get more guidance from the Federal Highway Administration.

We can continue to work on the portions of the NEVI project for which we have obligated funding. This includes continuing to work with the companies we selected for NEVI Round 1 to construct 13 fast charging stations along I-205, U.S. 97, and I-5 south of Eugene. Due to the suspension of the NEVI program rules and the pause on obligations, we are reevaluating the timeline for future rounds of NEVI and will provide an update as soon as possible. 

Round 1 Funding

See the "Details about NEVI Round 1" section for more information about Round 1 funding, which began in summer 2024.

NEVI Rounds:

Read an online PDF of Oregon's latest NEVI State Plan (2025)

Note: The federal government issued new guidance about the NEVI program in February 2025 and paused some parts of the program. They are also updating the federal rules that govern the NEVI program. As a result, some information in our latest approved state plan may be out of date.

Read the “latest updates" section above for more information.

NEVI station design

Each NEVI charging station will have a minimum of four DC fast charging ports capable of providing at least 150kW simultaneously. We're also aiming for at least one port to deliver more than 150kW. DC fast charging ports can charge up EVs quickly; some newer EV models can charge from 10-80% in under 30 minutes.

The federal government also has requirements for NEVI charging station design. Some highlights include:

• CCS connectors for each port, with the option for additional connector types like NACS or CHAdeMO.
• 24/7 station availability.
• Multiple payment methods, including contactless credit/debit cards and phone/SMS. Payment methods must be accessible to people with disabilities.
• No membership requirements.
• Five-year maintenance plans with service from qualified technicians.

Read the full NEVI standards and requirements on the federal register website.

Where the NEVI stations will be located

The NEVI program has rules about EV charging station locations:

• Stations must be no farther than 50 miles apart from each other.
• Stations must be located within one mile of an interstate or highway exit.
• Stations must be placed along roads designated as “EV alternative fuel corridors."

ODOT selected the roads in Oregon's NEVI program, but the private EV charging infrastructure companies awarded grant funds will determine final charging station locations along each road.

See the “Overview of NEVI grant funding rounds" section above for Oregon's planned NEVI roads.

Get involved with our NEVI work

Join our mailing list

Get updates about our public EV charging infrastructure work delivered to your inbox:  Sign up for our EV infrastructure mailing list.

Latest updates archive

• December 2024: We've selected “intent to award" finalists for NEVI station work along the Round 1 roads:
      - Electrify America for Interstate 205.
      - EV Charging Solutions for U.S. Highway 97.
      - EV Gateway for Interstate 5 south of Eugene.
  We expect signed grant agreements with each company in early 2025 and station installation work to start in late 2025. See the “Details about NEVI Round 1" section for more information.
  
• September 2024: We will be reviewing proposals for the Round 1 NEVI work on US 97, I-5 south of Eugene, and I-205 this Fall. We expect to announce awards later this year.
• August 2024: We received several proposals from our pre-qualified pool of applicants for the NEVI Round 1 Notice of Funding Opportunity by the August 21, 2024 due date.
• June 2024: We issued Notice of Funding Opportunities for the Round 1 NEVI work on Interstate 205, US 97, and Interstate 5 south of Eugene on June 13, 2024.
• May 2024: To roll out NEVI faster and more cost effectively, we transitioned from our previous plan - a Design-Build-Operate-Maintain contract - to one that will deliver NEVI as a competitive grant program for each road.
• October 2023: We completed the first step of the NEVI work solicitation process, the Request for Statements of Qualifications.
• September 2023: The Federal Highway Administration approved our “Round 3" plan for NEVI funding. Read the approval letter PDF. (Note: We've changed how we describe the NEVI program from “years" to “rounds" since our plan was approved. See the revised “Overview by rounds" section on this webpage for more information.)
• Spring 2023: We launched an online open house that details the first round of the NEVI projects (referred to as Year 1 NEVI projects on those webpages.)
  

NEVI webinars and listening sessions archive

We've hosted several webinars and listening sessions about NEVI since 2022. If you would like the archived recording of any of the below sessions, email Matt Noble in ODOT Communications.

• April 2022 public webinar about the NEVI program.
• June 2022 public webinar about the NEVI program.
• October 2023 listening sessions with EV service providers and utilities, EV advocates, and the public.
  
  

Oregon's future charging needs

In 2021, we completed a study to help understand Oregon's needs for public EV charging over the next 15 years: the Transportation Electrification Infrastructure Needs Analysis. Learn more about the study at that link or read the executive summary of the study's findings.  

Why we support NEVI investments in EV charging infrastructure

Electric vehicles that are partially or fully powered by electricity emit far fewer air pollutants than vehicles powered by gas or diesel. That is important because those pollutants, particularly greenhouse gas emissions, harm our health and make climate change worse.

In Oregon, transportation is responsible for about 35% of total greenhouse gas emissions. More EVs on our roads means fewer emissions, healthier communities, and a better future for Oregon and the planet. Our data says that by 2050, we're on track to reduce emissions from transportation about 60%. Learn more on our transportation emissions website.