Oregon's state EV rebate program reopens Tuesday, Aug. 25, and Lake Oswego residents shopping for an electric vehicle will get a chance to kick the tires in person less than a month later.
The ninth annual Lake Oswego Clean Energy and EV Fair runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 19 at Lake Oswego United Methodist Church. Admission is free.
More than 20 local EV owners plan to show off their Teslas, Rivians, Chevy Bolts and Nissan LEAFs, and local dealers will offer test drives of newer models. The first 60 people who take a test drive receive a free meal from Spice of Africa, an electric-powered food cart.
"The fair offers a unique, no-pressure environment to learn from your neighbors," Lake Oswego Sustainability Network board members Linda Ganzini and Alan Bates wrote in an Aug. 23 commentary announcing the event.
The nonprofit group, known as LOSN, has organized the fair since 2018.
State rebates open Tuesday
The timing lines up with Oregon's Clean Vehicle Rebate program, which reopens Aug. 25 after running out of money three years in a row, according to OPB. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality administers the program with about $8.5 million in available funds this cycle.
Rebate amounts depend on income:
- Standard Rebate (any buyer, new vehicle under $50,000 MSRP): $2,000 for a battery EV, $1,500 for a plug-in hybrid.
- Charge Ahead Rebate (household income $51,000–$251,000): up to $7,500 for a new battery EV, $5,000 for a plug-in hybrid, $4,000 for a used battery EV.
The window is expected to stay open through Nov. 4. Buyers have six months from their purchase date to apply, even if the program closes before then.
Home energy upgrades on display
The fair also covers home energy. Experts will be on hand to discuss high-efficiency heat pumps, induction cooking, insulation and air-sealing, solar panels and home battery storage.
The Energy Trust of Oregon offers up to $3,500 in rebates for rooftop solar and $5,000 for battery storage, according to LOSN. A dedicated renters' table will cover community solar options for residents who don't own their homes.
Electrify Oregon plans to serve pancakes and cider cooked on induction hot plates, and attendees can enter a drawing for one of three STIHL battery-powered leaf blowers.
PGE bills dropping slightly
Residents may also notice a small break on their Portland General Electric bills. Oregon's POWER Act, passed in 2025, shifted infrastructure costs to large data centers. The Oregon Public Utility Commission approved a 29.7% rate increase for data centers on July 7, which translates to a 1.3% decrease for residential customers, about $1.91 less per month.
Fair organizers said they'll have information on how the POWER Act affects household energy costs.
What's next
The EV rebate application portal opens Tuesday, Aug. 25. The Clean Energy and EV Fair is Sept. 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lake Oswego United Methodist Church. More details at losn.org.
