Grounded Podcast Episode 53: Fueling EVs in rural Oregon

Fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are powered by electricity, so they need to “fuel up” at charging stations. While as much as 80 percent of charging happens at home, public chargers allow those without access to home charging and those traveling farther distances to recharge their batteries.

On this episode of Grounded, we’re joined by Jillian DiMedio, ODOE Senior Energy Policy Analyst to discuss the availability and reliability of chargers in Oregon. We’re also joined by Steve Gutmann, co-founder of EVmath, and Robert Wallace, executive director of Wy’East RC&D, to discuss the challenges and benefits of EVs and charging in rural Oregon.

Level 1 chargers take up to 12 hours and are mostly used at home or work. Level 2 chargers take 6-8 hours and are used in a variety of locations. DC fast chargers take 20-45 minutes and are used commonly at highway refueling stops, shopping, etc.

Charging infrastructure in Oregon continues to expand, but growth has slowed relative to the national pace and risks further slowing amid diminishing federal support. Between 2023 and 2025, Level 2 charging ports in Oregon increased by 42 percent and DC Fast Charger Ports by 53.5 percent.

While public charging reliability is beginning to show improvement, with recent surveys indicating growing user confidence, charger malfunctions remain the most reported issue among EV drivers. The introduction of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program standards is driving a shift in the industry toward greater accountability, improved performance, and more consistent user experiences.

Most chargers are located in Portland and along the main highway corridors. Some scattered locations are shown throughout the eastern half of the state.

Charger locations in Oregon by type.

PodcastsKatelyn JacksonEV Charging, Electric Vehicles, EVs, ZEVs, BiZEV, Biennial Zero Emission Vehicle Report