What is the OEVA?
What is the OEVA?
Embedded Files
The Oregon Electric Vehicle Association (OEVA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to Electric Vehicle education. We're an all volunteer group of EV Enthusiasts and EV Owners of all makes and models, and an independent chapter of the national Electric Vehicle Association.
If you like EVs, would like to know more about them, and would like to share expertise with other EV owners and the public, we're your club.
OEVA Monthly Meeting Classic—We're At Multnomah Arts Center
OEVA Monthly Meeting Classic—We're At Multnomah Arts Center
Thursday October 8th, 7 to 9 PM, OEVA Board Meeting 6:30 PM
7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219, We're in Room 7
Thursday October 8th, 7 to 9 PM, OEVA Board Meeting 6:30 PM
7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219, We're in Room 7
It's the annual Board election, and let's talk about club activities for the next year
It's the annual Board election, and let's talk about club activities for the next year
Before the pandemic, the OEVA Monthly General Meeting was always held at the Multnomah Arts Center (Room 30, if memory serves me). For our October 8th General Meeting we're back at the MAC, this time we're in Room 7. There is a class in that has Room 7 reserved until 6:30, so if you're one of the folks who always gets to the OEVA meeting early, you may have a wait until they clear out. When they do clear out we'll set up the room and hold a brief board meeting, which all OEVA members are welcome to attend. The General Meeting starts at 7 PM with food and socializing as usual. The club is providing the usual delicious deli sandwiches from Costco and beverages. Bring something to go along with that to share: salad, chips, cookies, snacks, veggies, fruit. The evenings program begins at 7:30.
We'll start with the board election for the 2026-2027 term. There have been a few changes to the board. Chris Stonard, Ken Butler, and Ken Hoffman have stepped away due to work and family demands. We're bringing on Doug Haines, Erica Toussaint, and John Hinshaw. Bill Meyer, Morris Green, Paul Burkey, and Ron Jackson will continue on the board. The vote for the board will be held at the meeting and all OEVA members can vote. Paul Albertson, Sham Datta, and now adding Casey Workman, are performing special non-board volunteer roles. We're always looking for folks who want to get more involved with the OEVA, to take on special volunteer projects, or take on leadership responsibilities and join the board.
We'll follow with an open discussion of what OEVA activities are most important to you, what we should do more of, and what is less important. We do lots of things: Monthly General Meetings hosted at EV-related businesses to learn about electric vehicles and technology; Public education through volunteering at the Oregon International Auto Show, the Westside Sustainable Living Fair, the Lake Oswego Clean Energy & EV Fair, and other events, and we organize major events like our Drive Electric Earth Month Test Drive & Expo at Daimler HQ; EV community building activities like our Annual All-EVs Picnic in July, and welcoming all EV makes and models to our group drives to interesting sites. Let's talk about your ideas. Let's see what we can create together!
Thanks to Morris Green for finding space at the MAC, and bringing the sandwiches and beverages.
There is plenty of free parking, and also paid parking available if you prefer to pay for parking. Room 7 is just inside the door from Parking Lot B, so that's the most convenient. Parking Lot A at the front of the building is also convenient, just go down the hall to the right from the main entrance. If those lots are full, there are many spaces in Parking Lot D behind the building, enter through the courtyard. Or there is on street parking. And if you want to pay for parking, you can pay with the Parking Kitty app and use Parking Lot C (or park there without paying and maybe get towed). The building is ADA accessible.
Parking Lot B. Room 7 is on the left just through the doors.
Parking Lot C, Pay to Park. I'm not sure why anyone parks here.
OEVA Board Election is at the October 8th General Meeting
OEVA Board Election is at the October 8th General Meeting
We're all volunteers here, and everyone is invited to participate at some level:
Attend events, help out at events, volunteer for projects, join the board.
We're all volunteers here, and everyone is invited to participate at some level:
Attend events, help out at events, volunteer for projects, join the board.
Talk with a board member about what you would like to contribute.
Talk with a board member about what you would like to contribute.
Everyone would rather go to a good party, than a drab one. What makes a party good is not the canapes served, it's the enthusiasm the participants bring to the party. At the OEVA, we're all volunteers coming together over our interest in and enjoyment of EVs. Everyone can help out a little bit, and some of us can help out more.
If you attend a General Meeting, you may notice that someone didn't open up the container of the food they brought to share. Take a moment to open the package so it's ready to serve. Before you go home, help clear off the food table. We leave nothing behind. See someone new, go over and say hello to welcome them. Look for the little opportunities to help out.
Volunteer to help put on events, to show your EV, or to share your EV experience. This month's Lake Oswego Clean Energy and EV Fair was a great opportunity. Events where we share our experience with EVs are at the heart of the OEVA.
There are many tasks that help the club, and when a volunteer steps forward to take on that role the OEVA gets better. It needn't be a big time commitment, but it is a big help having someone step up so that task gets handled. What sort of tasks or roles? John Hinshaw organizing group drives. Paul Albertson taking care of OEVA polo shirts and name badges. Sham Datta handling technical issues. Casey Workman is visiting dealerships to ask about hosting future General Meetings. Perhaps there is something that you could take on that fits with your interests and time available?
If the success of the transition to EVs is important to you, if it is how you feel drawn to make your contribution to make the world better, consider joining the OEVA leadership team. Board members take on an area of leadership, and step up to make club activities happen from planning to execution. We meet once a month over Google Meet to discuss plans and set the direction for the club.
The world makes demands on us all, but those not yet retired have been particularly hard hit of late. This year all our board members who have full time jobs have had to step back from their service to the club, caught between the rock of job demands and the hard place of family and health issues. The board adjusted for the reduced resources by cancelling our fall National Drive Electric Month event. We'd all like to see the OEVA do more things, not fewer. If you have the time, and along that line particularly to those of us who are retired, consider joining the OEVA board and making a positive contribution to the world.
However you would like to contribute to the success of the club, every effort is welcome. Talk to a board member, Me (Ron Jackson), Morris Green, Bill Meyer, Paul Burkey, and let us know what you would like to do for the club. If you're willing to be someone we can call when we're looking for a volunteer for a one-time task, Bill Meyer is compiling an email list.
If we all put in some effort, the OEVA will grow as a fun, active club.
IMPORTANT EV NEWS
Oregon DEQ reopens Clean Vehicle Rebate Program for 2026
FREE MONEY!
Oregon DEQ reopens Clean Vehicle Rebate Program for 2026
FREE MONEY!
The New Charge Ahead Rebate is $7,500 on Eligible EV Purchase or Lease.
Hurry, vehicle must be purchased from August 25th to November 4th, 2026.
The New Charge Ahead Rebate is $7,500 on Eligible EV Purchase or Lease.
Hurry, vehicle must be purchased from August 25th to November 4th, 2026.
With the end of the Federal EV rebate program, it seemed like EV incentives are dead. But with the Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, income qualifying Oregonians can get a rebate of $7,500 on a new EV or $4,000 on a used EV. Higher income individuals can get a $2,000 rebate on a new EV. The maximum income threshold is actually reasonably high, so lots of people will qualify for the larger rebate. The biggest catch is that this rebate only applies on vehicles purchased in a very narrow time window, from August 25th to November 4th, 2026.
All the details of the program are on the DEQ website at this link. If you've been thinking about maybe buying or leasing an EV, check into the program. Lots of EVs are on the Eligible Car List.
We're Losing Level 2 Public chargers
We're Losing Level 2 Public chargers
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield alerts us to the continuing need for them
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield alerts us to the continuing need for them
During the OEVA Group Drive to the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum I spoke with Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield of the YouTube channel Transport Evolved. She was driving a new Lightning Mk.II electric motorcycle from HMP. This is a street-legal, DOT-approved combination electric scooter and motorcycle priced starting at $3,999. Range is rather limited, particularly at higher speeds, but as neighborhood or around town transportation (a small town perhaps) this could be a really practical and inexpensive commuter and errand vehicle for some people.
Nikki reminded me that there are not just these new low cost sub-100 mile range EVs in use, but that there are still many early day EVs around that don't have a huge amount of range. Consider that many early Leafs are still essential transportation for some folks, with limited range a problem for their commutes, particularly in winter. Much of the public Level 2 charging infrastructure hasn't been well maintained, and often these chargers are essential for lower range vehicles to get their owners home.
What can we do about this? Let's help get the word out to places that haven't maintained their Level 2 chargers that these chargers are beneficial to many folks, and encourage them to get their chargers working again. If the charger owners hear from folks that these chargers have value, they are a lot more likely to have them repaired. If we just shrug our shoulders and drive off in search of another charger, it just gets worse. Let people know that EV charging is important to us.
Portland E-BIKE Rebate Program
Portland E-BIKE Rebate Program
Low cost electric mobility for modest income Portlanders!
Low cost electric mobility for modest income Portlanders!
Long-time OEVA Member Christopher Holmquist told me about the Portland E-Bike Rebate Program, and this is such a generous deal that I'm sharing the information with you here. The City of Portland rebates range from $1,600 for a standard e-bike, $2,350 for a cargo e-bike, to $8,500 for an adaptive e-bike. Plus up to $300 for accessories.
Requirements include living in the city of Portland, 18 or older, income at or below $52,140 (for households of 1, higher incomes for larger households and adaptive e-bike recipients), other requirements, and purchasing through a participating Portland retailer.
The program provides a purchase voucher, so you are not out the cash for the bicycle while you wait to receive the rebate.
If an electric car is out of reach, but you can get by with an electric bike (and live in the city of Portland), this might be the program for you. Check it out at https://portlandebikerebate.com/
The program is funded with $20 million, and the program will issue rebates several times a year for the next several years.
Page updated
Report abuse