The Obama administration today announced a big push to promote electric vehicles, including millions of dollars in funding to companies in Oregon.

Entek in Lebanon was listed as a partner with Johnson Controls in Holland, Mich., as receiving $299 million to make nickel-cobalt battery cells and packs. Entek is to produce the battery separators.

The government's list of grant recipients also listed EnerG2 Inc. of Albany as getting $21 million for production of "high energy density nanocarbon for ultracapacitors." The company is based in Seattle, according to its website, and if it has a branch in Albany, the Chamber of Commerce has not heard of it.

Cascade Sierra Solutions of Coburg will receive $22 million to provide electric outlets at 50 sites along interstate highways.

As part of the program, Nissan plans to offer thousands of electric vehicles, and a company based in Arizona, Electric Transportation Engineering, is getting nearly $100 million to install electric charging stations in several cities including Corvallis, Eugene, Salem and Portland.

The administration dispatched top officials around the country to help announce the initiative. President Obama went to Elkhart, Ind.

In Oregon, Gov. Ted Kulongoski welcomed news that Oregon had been selected as one of five test markets for the largest deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and the associated charging station network in United States history.

"This investment is exciting news for Oregon as we work to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and for consumers who would rather plug-in than pay at the pump," Kulongoski said.

Depending on continuing contract negotiations, up to 1,000 Nissan electric vehicles will be deployed in Oregon and 2,500 charging stations will be installed at homes and businesses that choose to purchase the Nissan EV and participate in the program.

Deployment of Nissan's EVs is scheduled for fall of 2010, and the installation of charging stations is expected to begin in the summer of 2010.

Also today, the governor signed House Bill 2078, which phases out the $1,500 state tax credit for hybrid vehicles and directs the incentive for the purchase of the next-generation of plug-in hybrids and all-electric vehicles instead.