ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus 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, 12 local governments are the latest to receive support that allows them to develop permits, safety plans, and community engagement strategies to make EV use accessible to all.
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, with more than 100,000 currently registered in Illinois, and the vast majority 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 one million EVs on the road by 2030.
“Expanding EV adoption is key to a cleaner future in Illinois, which is why ComEd is working with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and partners across the region to support communities for the EV transition,” said ComEd president and CEO Gil Quiniones. “Through the EV Readiness Program, cities and counties are developing a foundation to increase EV access for their communities, which will in turn lower emissions, and enhance air quality and boost transportation around the region. We congratulate these latest graduating communities for their work to create a cleaner and more sustainable future.”
A diverse mix of 12 communities becomes the second cohort to graduate from this program during a ceremony held at the US Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois.
“EV Ready Communities leverage their unique strengths and authorities as local governments to drive EV adoption and accelerate deployment of EV charging infrastructure,” said Kevin Burns, Mayor, City of Geneva, Illinois, and Chairman of the Executive Board and Environment and Energy Committee of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “The thoughtful planning and actions we take at the local level complements the knowledge and innovation that Argonne National Laboratory, ComEd and our industry partners contribute at the regional and national level.”
This year’s graduating communities follow last year’s inaugural graduation and range from large urban cities to suburban communities, with representation from north, central, south and west sides of the region. The latest communities to demonstrate EV readiness are:
- Aurora
- Batavia
- Bensenville
- Chicago
- DuPage County
- Elgin
- Glencoe (upgraded to Silver status for additional EV readiness training)
- Hickory Hills
- Kane County
- Montgomery
- Richton Park
- Wilmette
The EV Readiness Program is guided by a comprehensive EV Readiness Checklist of 131 possible municipal actions to demonstrate preparedness for EV integration. To earn the title of EV Ready Community, local governments must reach “Bronze” level designation on the checklist by completing 16 Bronze requirements and earning 30 points of their choice on the checklist. Communities pursuing advanced zoning, permitting, and new construction actions can obtain either Silver or Gold status.
“Through our Climate Action Implementation Plan, we set a target to reduce transportation GHG emissions by more than 28% by 2030, and through the EV Readiness program, we are well on our way,” said Sarra Hinshaw, sustainability manager for Kane County. “Working with ComEd to undergo the fleet electrification assessment and with extensive support from the Caucus throughout the EV Readiness training program, we now have the knowledge, plans and policies in place to support community-wide growth in EV charging and electrify the county’s own fleet.”
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