
Electric Outage: 1-844-484-2300
Water Emergency: 541-685-7595
EWEB Main: 541-685-7000
Using fireworks near power lines could lead to a fire, explosion, power outage or downed line.
Find Out MoreA new digital fire lookout tower will soon be able to spot small fires before they threaten communities and infrastructure in the upper McKenzie River Valley, thanks to a new ALERTWildfire camera installed Monday on a communications tower owned and operated by the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB).
Find Out MoreIt's called an FUV, a fun utility vehicle. And we are so having FUN! We are proud to have a small fleet of electric vehicles. Two to be exact.
Find Out MoreEWEB exceeded drinking water safety standards in 2021 for every type of contaminant regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Oregon Health Authority. The utility has never failed to meet the standards.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, it is important EWEB check in with customers to see how we are performing. We invite you to share your feedback and opinions.
Find Out MoreEWEB is offering an updated suite of environmental programs designed for customers who want to save money, water and energy while taking their commitment to sustainability to the next level. At the same time, EWEB is also injecting $100,000 of additional funding into our solar photovoltaic (PV) program.
Find Out MoreAs a public utility, owned by the people of Eugene, it’s important for us to be open and transparent with our customer-owners. The following State of the Utility Address, delivered by General Manager Frank Lawson at the March 1 EWEB Board meeting, highlights key events, accomplishments and challenges of 2021.
Find Out MoreHere’s an hour of one-time tasks and a few more behavior change goals that will help you reduce your water use, save energy, lower your carbon footprint and save money on your EWEB bill!
Find Out MoreEugene’s drinking water received an outstanding performance rating from the Oregon Health Authority.
Find Out MoreSeveral hundred customers have been restored, but the smaller outages with five or fewer customers may not be restored until Tuesday or Wednesday.
Find Out MoreNew programs provide customers opportunities to invest in local environment, watershed protection, and future climate scientists
Find Out MoreHere in Eugene, where we are fortunate to have one of the cleanest power portfolios in the nation, electrification presents opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support climate recovery goals.
Find Out MoreWhile world leaders debate climate action, EWEB reflects on our community's climate successes
Find Out MoreAt EWEB, we factor climate change into almost everything we do. As Eugene’s publicly-owned utility, we strive to fulfill our roles reducing our community’s carbon footprint, optimizing our use of clean energy, and helping our watershed adapt to a warmer climate.
Find Out MoreWe are aware of a vendor issue affecting payments that were made between Thursday evening 8/26/21 and Sunday 8/29/21.
Find Out MoreIntrigued by the possibility of saving money on vehicle fuel and maintenance with an electric vehicle (EV), our family leased a Chevrolet Spark EV in 2016. This car has an 80-mile range, which was fairly typical for an EV in 2016, and we intended it as the in-town commuter vehicle while we continued using a gas-powered companion for long-distance travel.
"Sparky" exceeded our expectations.
As a long-time purchaser of inexpensive vehicles with 4-cylinder engines, I was surprised to find, for the first time, that I owned a car that was fun to drive. I don't generally drive for fun, but the "zippiness" of the Spark EV, thanks to the innate characteristics of EV engines and drive trains, provided an unexpected amount of satisfaction.
When the lease ended, we reluctantly surrendered Sparky and initially considered upgrading to the vehicle that replaced it in Chevrolet's electric line-up, the Bolt. After our successful experiment with the electric Spark, we were ready to invest in an EV that could be used for everything: long-distance trips as well as the in-town commute.
The Bolt seemed to be a fine car, but we just weren't as comfortable in the seats as we had been in the Spark, and I was still somewhat nervous about recharging when traveling.
We settled on the BMW i3 with a range extender. The "range extender" is a very small gas engine that provides an extra 50-70 miles of travel if you need it. The rated all-electric range of the i3 is 153 miles, which is less than many 2019 EVs, but I liked the security of knowing I could always keep going with a stop at a traditional gas pump.
After our first 2,500 miles of use, we have put 1.8 gallons of gas in the tank and even that was mostly avoidable. The range extender primarily functions as a security blanket.
Leasing vs. buying
For both cars, we chose to lease for three years rather than making an outright purchase. While there are many factors in that decision, part of our thinking is that we want to take advantage of the rapidly increasing range of newer vehicles. Because of advantageous leasing terms, the i3 was actually less expensive to lease than several EVs that have lower sticker prices.
The new commuter vehicle
A bit before acquiring the BMW i3, the family also became a one-car household. Like many families, we always kept two cars, one for each adult. But in 2019 we acquired our first electric bicycle, a Magnum Cruiser. It turned out that with an electric bike for commuting we no longer needed two cars.
While an EV saves money on fuel and maintenance, those savings pale in comparison to the financial benefit of substituting the acquisition cost of an electric bike for that of a car. And no car insurance!
4200 Roosevelt Blvd.
Eugene, OR 97402
800-841-5871
541-685-7000
Open Monday-Friday
Phone hours: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.