Latest news with #EVReadinessProgram
Business Wire
04-08-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
ComEd, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Announce 17 Northern Illinois Communities Complete Training to Become 'EV Ready'
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus today recognized a diverse group of communities completing a program designed to help prepare them to accommodate the growth of electric vehicles (EVs) and EV infrastructure. Through their completion of the EV Readiness Program, 17 local governments have demonstrated actions required to create permitting, safety plans and local policies that help make EVs more accessible in communities throughout northern Illinois. 'The EV Readiness Program provides cities and counties across the state with the foundation they need to support EV growth within their communities,' said ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones. "The shift to EVs will lower emissions and enhance air quality, key milestones on the journey to building a more sustainable future in Illinois.' The EV Readiness Program was launched by ComEd and the Caucus in 2022 to help prepare municipalities to accommodate the growing number of EVs in Illinois, which includes more than 145,000 currently registered in Illinois today, and the vast majority of them in ComEd's northern Illinois service territory. EV adoption is expected to increase in the future, as the state of Illinois, through its Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), has set a goal of getting to 1 million EVs on the road by 2030. 'With each graduating cohort, the EV Readiness Program continues to grow stronger and more impactful,' said Kevin Burns, Mayor, City of Geneva, Illinois, and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Environment and Energy Committee Chair and Immediate Past Executive Board Chair. 'This third cohort reflects the steady momentum our region is building toward a cleaner, more connected transportation future.' A diverse mix of 17 communities becomes the third cohort to graduate from this program during a ceremony held at the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) in Chicago, Illinois. To date, the program has reached 38 communities in its three unique cohorts. The participating local governments in this third cohort range from large urban cities to suburban communities, with representation from north, central, south and west sides of the region. The third cohort communities are: Broadview Brookfield Chicago Countryside DeKalb DuPage County Glenview Highland Park Johnsburg Lindenhurst Park Forest River Forest Rockford Rolling Meadows Streamwood Vernon Hills Warrenville 'By learning from each round and improving the program along the way, the Caucus is helping communities like ours turn ambition into action—and laying the groundwork for a robust, equitable EV ecosystem across northern Illinois,' said Nancy R. Rotering, Mayor, City of Highland Park, Illinois, and Caucus Executive Board Chair. The EV Readiness Program is guided by a comprehensive EV Readiness Checklist of 132 possible municipal actions to demonstrate preparedness for EV integration. 'The City of Chicago is proud to have earned Gold in the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus' EV Readiness Program. This recognition is a testament to our deep commitment to accelerating the transition to clean transportation in every neighborhood,' said City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson. 'Through this program, we've strengthened collaboration across City departments and are building the infrastructure and policies needed to expand access to EVs, reduce emissions and deliver cleaner air and healthier communities for all Chicagoans.' 'As we electrify transportation across the country, we must strive to build smarter, faster and more accessible charging infrastructure here in Illinois,' said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. 'By assisting 17 of our communities in Chicagoland to complete the EV Readiness Program, The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is accelerating the transition to clean transportation and strengthening Illinois' commitment to combatting the climate crisis. I'll continue working with Senator Duckworth and our local leaders to maintain Illinois' position as a leader in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.' During the third cohort, three communities earned Gold status, which reflects the most advanced participation under the program. The City of Chicago 'leveled up' to Gold status from the Bronze designation it received in the second cohort. The Village of River Forest and the City of Rolling Meadows also achieved Gold status in this cohort. DuPage County 'leveled up' from Bronze to Silver status by pursuing additional EV readiness actions, including participating in ComEd's Fleet Electrification Assessment. This comprehensive assessment helps communities and other commercial customers plan the transition to an all-electric fleet, providing the customer the opportunity to assess proper vehicles for their fleet, to plan and determine charging infrastructure needs, to measure total cost of electrification and emissions reduction, and to find information about ComEd and other incentive programs they may qualify for. With ComEd's assistance, numerous EV Readiness communities have participated in the free assessment, including the Cities of Chicago, Highland Park and Rolling Meadows, as well as the Villages of Park Forest and River Forest. 'The results of the EV Readiness program show what's possible when cities decide to lead instead of follow,' said Rolling Meadows Mayor Lara Sanoica. 'Rolling Meadows is proud to be recognized among the leaders creating a more sustainable future for our region.' 'The City of Rockford is honored to participate in the EV Readiness Program, which has played a vital role as we work to modernize our transportation system and ensure the benefits of clean mobility reach every neighborhood,' said Tom McNamara, Mayor, City of Rockford, Illinois. 'This program helped us lay the groundwork for a more sustainable, inclusive future – one that supports economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, and community well-being. We look forward to building on this momentum.' Participation in the EV Readiness program has proven to help communities increase EV registrations, while also helping them develop and qualify for additional funding opportunities. Communities like Chicago and Rolling Meadows have qualified for EV grant funding to create better EV access for their cities. By conducting an initial fleet EV suitability analysis, the City of Chicago successfully secured over $11 million in federal grants to replace older diesel vehicles with new electrified vehicles. In response to the rise of EVs in the region, the EV Readiness program was developed by a coalition of over 70 regional partners including local mayors, managers, and other local government staff members, as well as representatives from councils of governments, regional planning organizations, EV charging station companies, IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers), Argonne National Laboratory and ComEd. The EV Readiness Program is one example of significant investments that ComEd is making to support customers and communities in the transition to EVs. Earlier this year, ComEd launched over $100 million in EV rebate funding to support residential, business and public sector customers with expanding EV use, by funding fleet EVs and EV charging infrastructure projects. To ensure equitable access to EVs, ComEd's programs reserve over 50 percent of all funding for equity investment eligible communities (EIEC), as defined by the state of Illinois, or for low-income customers. Information on eligibility can be found at To learn more on the benefits of EVs, and how ComEd can support your electrification project, please visit To learn about participating in the EV Readiness Program, please visit the Caucus' website. About ComEd ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation's largest utility companies, serving more than 10.7 million electricity and natural gas customers. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population. For more information visit and connect with the company on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. About the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a membership organization of the Chicago region's 275 cities, towns and villages. Founded in 1997, the Caucus pushes past geographical boundaries and local interests to work on public policy issues. The organization provides a forum for metropolitan Chicago's chief elected officials to collaborate on common problems and work toward a common goal of improving the quality of life for the millions of people who call the region home. For more information, visit and connect with the organization on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. About Illinois Institute of Technology Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech was born to liberate the power of collective difference to advance technology and innovation for all. It is the only tech-focused university in the city, and it stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, architecture, business, design, science and human sciences, and law. Illinois Tech students are guaranteed access to hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and job readiness through the university's one-of-a-kind Elevate program. Its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. Its faculty and alumni built the Chicago skyline. And every day in the city's living lab, Illinois Tech fuels breakthroughs that change lives. Visit
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Glenview, plus Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, Glencoe, smooths way to electric vehicle charging
The village of Glenview is the latest suburb to actively prepare for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. It joins Skokie, Evanston, Glencoe and Wilmette and others which have taken similar steps. The Glenview Village Board took action earlier this month meant to remove potential barriers to developing EV (electric vehicle) infrastructure, village officials said. The move is also a response to the village joining the Electric Vehicle Readiness Program, an initiative from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus that helps communities prepare for—and encourage—increased use of electric vehicles. Skokie, Evanston, Glencoe and Wilmette are also members. Some of the new language added to village's code includes: • a prohibition on non-electric vehicles parking in EV charging station spaces. • establishing a 'market rate' fee to charge an electric vehicle at a village-owned station. • new definitions related to electric vehicles and EV infrastructure, including power range levels. • provisions that new residential construction have electrical infrastructure in place for future EV charging, as required by the Illinois Electric Vehicle Charging Act. • allowing EV charging stations to count as two parking spaces when new developments are seeking approval for a minimum number of spaces as part of a conditional use permit from the village. Currently, there are 25 public EV charging stations available around Glenview, though none are located on village-owned property, said David Just, village spokesperson. 'We continue to explore adding charging stations to village property, but have no active plans to do so at this time,' he said. During an April 9 meeting of the Glenview New Development Commission, Deputy Director of Community Development Adam Aronson said charging stations would be considered for purchase if grants are available to fund them. Glenview joined the Electric Vehicle Readiness Program last year as a member of its third cohort. 'It's designed to increase awareness and make it easier for people to utilize EV vehicles,' Glenview Director of Community Development Jeff Brady said of the program. More than 30 suburban municipalities and two counties are currently members, with a new cohort scheduled to be announced in the fall. Mary Munday, co-founder of Greener Glenview, a citizens sustainability advocacy group, said she is happy the village is part of the EV Readiness Program. 'We hope the village's participation does stimulate more EV charging stations,' she said. If the village adds its own stations, it may spur more businesses to do the same, Munday added. Encouraging electric vehicle usage promotes clean energy, and the EV Readiness Program helps communities take the steps needed to be more EV friendly, from specifying electric charging infrastructure in their zoning codes to applying for grants to add charging stations, to getting the message out to citizens, said Edith Makra, director of environmental initiatives for the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. 'The benefits to residents are that their community is showing forward thinking and planning, is aware of opportunities, and is ready to be progressive and move ahead with clean energy technologies,' Makra explained. Federal funding would have been available to the member communities to add EV charging infrastructure, but that funding—more than $14 million worth—has since been eliminated under the Republican presidential administration, Makra said. 'I don't know where we stand with federal funding [in the future], but I think electrification will continue because of the local momentum we have had and because it's the global trend,' she added. Like Glenview, nearby communities of Glencoe, Wilmette and Skokie have also joined the EV Readiness Program. Each community operates their own charging stations, available for public use. The village of Skokie has four charging stations which, over the last six months, have together averaged approximately 550 charging sessions per month with approximately 100 unique drivers utilizing them, said Patrick Deignan, communications and community engagement director. The average charging session lasts about four hours, 18 minutes, he added. While users of Skokie EV stations are charged a fee of 10 cents per kilowatt hour, municipal-owned stations in Wilmette and Glencoe are free to use, according to information on the community websites. Usage is not currently tracked in Wilmette, but officials are working to soon better obtain that data, said Lucy Mellen, sustainability coordinator for the village 'Even though we don't track usage, I can say the stations are heavily used,' she said. 'We frequently see them in use.' Glencoe operates two fee-based charging stations in the Village Court parking lot. By completing specific tasks and initiatives, municipalities can achieve bronze, silver or gold status in the EV Readiness program. Glenview's latest actions qualify it for bronze status, village officials said. 'Being bronze-designated demonstrates the village's commitment to ensuring that EV infrastructure is installed safely and efficiently, while proactively ensuring alignment with state policies,' Just said. 'Future grant funding could also be tied to program participation.'
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Illinois' largest utility unveils $100M to spur EV adoption
As the Trump administration attempts to block billions of dollars in federal funds for electric vehicle charging, an Illinois utility is moving forward with a massive investment to promote wider EV adoption. At a press conference last Thursday ahead of the 2025 Chicago Auto Show, ComEd announced $100 million in new rebates designed to boost EV fleet purchases and charging stations across northern Illinois. The program helps meet the mandate for the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which calls for 1 million EVs on the roads by 2030. Of the $100 million, $53 million is available for business and public-sector EV fleet purchases, while nearly $38 million is designated to upgrade infrastructure for non-residential charger installations. An additional nearly $9 million is intended for residential charging stations. The money is in addition to $87 million announced last year for similar incentives. Funding for the rebate programs comes from distribution charges and 'has nothing to do' with the federal government, Melissa Washington, senior vice president of customer operations and strategic initiatives at ComEd, said during an interview. This means that there is no risk of withholding or reductions from the Trump administration. Washington anticipates continued high levels of interest and engagement in the programs. 'Based upon what we saw last year, there was a quick demand. Applications came right away the minute we opened it up. I would imagine people will be going on [ComEd's website] and immediately trying to see what we have available for them,' Washington said. Since launching its EV rebate program last year, ComEd has funded projects in more than 300 ZIP codes, including nearly 3,500 residential and commercial charging ports, and provided funding for municipalities, businesses, and school districts to purchase more than 200 new and pre-owned EV fleet vehicles. The utility designated more than half the available rebate funds for low-income customers and projects in environmental justice communities. ComEd also partners with the Chicago-area Metropolitan Mayors Caucus on the EV Readiness Program, which helps local governments create ordinances and safety and infrastructure plans to accommodate the growing demand for EVs in their communities. Since its initiation, more than 41 northern Illinois municipalities have participated in the program. The importance of utility funding for the rebate programs was highlighted by Susan Mudd, senior policy advocate for the Environmental Law and Policy Center, who noted that a St. Louis-area school district is still waiting on 21 electric school buses that had been promised and ordered. The district has been unable to access the online portal to receive its federal funding, due to an executive order issued by the Trump administration. 'During the last four years, the federal government was a reliable partner with policies and programs that helped propel electric vehicle production and implementation and updated standards to save consumers money while cleaning up the air,' Mudd said at the press conference. 'That order has already meant that students who would already be riding quiet zero-emission buses are still on old, dirty diesel ones, and the business that was to deliver them can't get paid. 'While the new administration is willing to sacrifice the health of people across the U.S. and the world, thankfully, we in Illinois can continue to improve things,' Mudd said.
