340-270-0030 Definitions and Abbreviations (1) “Area median income” means the median income for the metropolitan statistical area in which a household is located or, if the household is not located within a metropolitan statistical area, for the metropolitan statistical area in closest proximity to the location of the household, as determined by the Housing and Community Services Department, adjusted for household size. (2) “Base manufacturer’s suggested retail price” or “base MSRP” means the lowest retail prices suggested by the manufacturer for a given model of a new motor vehicle. The base MSRP does not include the price of optional accessories or equipment, destination charges, or dealership add-ons. The base MSRP model must be available for sale and purchase. (3) “Charge Ahead rebate” means a rebate for the purchase or lease of a new or used light-duty zero-emission vehicle with an electrochemical storage capacity or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle issued through the Charge Ahead Program. (4) “DEQ” is the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality or a contractor selected by DEQ. (5) “Eligible vehicle” means a motor vehicle that: (a) Qualifies as a: (A) Light-duty zero-emission vehicle with an electrochemical energy storage capacity; (B) Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle; (C) Neighborhood electric vehicle; or (D) Zero-emission motorcycle; (b) Is new, or has been previously used only as a dealership floor model or test-drive vehicle; (c) Has not previously been registered in Oregon; (d) Is constructed entirely from new parts that have never been the subject of a retail sale; (e) For motor vehicles as defined in OAR 340-270-0030(9)(d)(A) and (C) and (15), and for a motor vehicle as defined in OAR 340-270-0030(9)(d)(B) that was purchased or leased prior to January 1, 2022, has a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price of less than $50,000. The manufacturer must have the base MSRP model available for sale and purchase; (f) For a light-duty zero emission vehicle as defined in 340-270-0030(9)(d)(B), that was purchased or leased on or after January 1, 2022, has a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price of less than $60,000. The manufacturer must have the base MSRP model available for sale and purchase; (g) Is covered by a manufacturer’s express warranty on the vehicle drive train, including the applicable energy storage system or battery pack, for at least 24 months from the purchase or lease date; and (h) Is certified by the manufacturer to comply with all applicable federal safety standards issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for new motor vehicles and new motor vehicle equipment. (6) “Heavy-duty zero-emission vehicle” means an on-road vehicle with a manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating greater than 26,000 pounds with a drivetrain that produces zero exhaust emissions of any criteria pollutant (or precursor pollutant) or greenhouse gas under any possible operational modes or conditions. (7) “Household” means an individual living alone, a family with or without children, or a group of individuals who are living together as one economic unit. (8) “Lease date” means the day that the lease agreement is signed. (9) “Light-duty zero-emission vehicle” means a motor vehicle that: (a) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,500 pounds or less; (b) Is capable of travelling at a speed of 55 miles per hour or more; (c) Has at least three wheels; and (d) Is powered: (A) Primarily by an electric battery and may or may not use a flywheel energy storage device or a capacitor that also stores energy to assist in vehicle operation; (B) By polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells or proton exchange membrane fuel cells that use hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air to produce electricity; or (C) Primarily by a zero-emission energy storage device that provides enough power for the vehicle to travel 75 miles or more using only electricity and may or may not use a backup alternative power unit that does not operate until the energy storage device is fully depleted. (10) “Low-income service provider” means an organization that provides health, dental, social, financial, energy conservation or other assistive services to low or moderate income households in Oregon. A low-income service provider must be registered as a 501(c)(3) organization based in Oregon at the time the eligible vehicle is purchased or leased. (11) “Low income household” means an individual or a household with income less than or equal to 50 percent of the area median income. (12) “Medium duty zero emissions vehicle” means an on-road vehicle with a manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating 8,501-26,000 pounds with a drivetrain that produces zero exhaust emissions of any criteria pollutant (or precursor pollutant) or greenhouse gas under any possible operational modes or conditions. (13) “Moderate income household” means an individual or a household with income less than or equal to 80 percent of the area median income. (14) “Motor vehicle” has the meaning given that term in ORS 801.360. (15) “Neighborhood electric vehicle” means a motor vehicle that: (a) Is powered using an electric battery; (b) Has a gross vehicle weight not exceeding 3,000 pounds; (c) Is capable of traveling at a speed of up to 25 mph; and (d) Has at least four wheels. (e) DEQ will require certification to zero-emission standards in California Code of Regulations Title 13, section 1962.2 to show a vehicle meets these specifications. (16) “Person” means a person as defined in ORS 174.100 or a public body as defined in ORS 174.109. (17) “Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle” means a motor vehicle that: (a) Has zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system when operating as an electric vehicle; (b) Has an onboard electrical energy storage device with useful capacity of 10 or more miles of urban dynamometer driving schedule range, as described by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 40 CFR 600.116-12, on electricity alone; (c) Is equipped with an onboard charger; (d) Is rechargeable from an external connection to an off-board electrical source; (e) Meets the super ultra-low emission vehicle standards for exhaust emissions, as certified to standards in California Code of Regulations, Title 13, section 1961(a)(4) (2003); (f) Has a warranty of at least 15 years and 150,000 miles on emission control components; (g) Is capable of travelling at a speed of 55 miles per hour or more; (h) Has an on-board internal combustion engine; and (i) Has at least three wheels. (18) “Purchase date” means the day that the purchase and sales agreement is signed. (19) “Qualifying household” means a household with income that does not exceed 400 percent of federal poverty guidelines. (20) “Qualifying vehicle” means a motor vehicle, as defined in ORS 801.360, or a combination of vehicles operated as a unit, that: (a) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,501 pounds or greater; (b) Has a drivetrain that produces zero exhaust emissions of any criteria pollutant (or precursor pollutant) or greenhouse gas under any possible operational modes or conditions; (21) “Used electric vehicle” means a light-duty zero-emission or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle that: (a) Would have been eligible for the standard rebate at the time of its original sale or lease had the rebate program in OAR 340-270-0010 to -0500 existed; or (b) Is a direct model predecessor of an eligible vehicle as defined in OAR 340-270-0030(5)(a)(A). (22) “Vehicle dealer” means: (a) A person engaged in business in this state that has been issued a vehicle dealer certificate under ORS 822.020; or (b) A person engaged in business in another state that would be subject to ORS 822.005 if the person engaged in business in this state. (c) It does not include a person who: (A) Conducts an event that lasts less than 7 consecutive days, for which the public is charged admission and at which otherwise eligible vehicles are sold at auction; or (B) Sells an otherwise eligible vehicle at auction at an event as described in (A). (23) “Zero-emission motorcycle” means a motor vehicle that: (a) Has zero evaporative emissions from its fuel system; (b) Is capable of attaining a speed of 55 miles per hour or more; (c) Is designed to travel on two wheels; and (d) Is powered by electricity. (e) DEQ will require documentation of the following as proof that a motorcycle meets these specifications: (A) Successful completion of the most current California Zero-Emission Motorcycle Evaluation Procedure, as defined in California’s Implementation Manual for the Clean Vehicle Rebate Project; and (B) Issuance of a “pass” determination and verification that the vehicle meets the specified range and acceleration requirements by the California Air Resources Board.. (24) “ Zero Emission Rebates for Oregon Fleets - ZEROFleet” means Oregon DEQ’s incentive program providing rebates for the purchase or lease of zero emissions medium and heavy-duty vehicles in OAR 340-270-0030 and OAR 340-270-0600 through OAR 340-270-0700. (25) “Zero-emission vehicle” means a motor vehicle that that is certified to zero-emission standards in California Code of Regulations, Title 13, section 1956.8, 1962, 1962.1,1962.2, 1962.4 and 2195.1. [NOTE: View a PDF of California Implementation Manual by clicking on "Tables" link below.] Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 468.020, 2017 Or. Law Ch. 750 Sec. 148-157, House Bill 4059 (2018), Sec. 18-21 & House Bill 2592 (2019), Sec. 35-37 Statutes/Other Implemented: 2017 Or. Law Ch. 750 Sec. 148-157, House Bill 4059 (2018), Sec. 18-21, House Bill 2592 (2019), Sec. 35-37 & , 2021 Or. Laws, Ch. 95, §§ 4a, 5, 6, 8 and 9 History: DEQ 18-2025, minor correction filed 07/15/2025, effective 07/15/2025 DEQ 15-2024, amend filed 09/30/2024, effective 09/30/2024 DEQ 6-2022, amend filed 05/19/2022, effective 05/19/2022 DEQ 19-2021, temporary amend filed 11/17/2021, effective 01/01/2022 through 06/29/2022 DEQ 2-2020, amend filed 01/24/2020, effective 01/24/2020 DEQ 21-2019, temporary amend filed 09/27/2019, effective 09/29/2019 through 03/26/2020 DEQ 6-2019, amend filed 01/28/2019, effective 01/28/2019 DEQ 186-2018, adopt filed 05/14/2018, effective 05/14/2018