ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (Caucus) today (Dec 3) announced the third cohort of communities participating in the EV Readiness Program, a unique initiative to help local governments prepare to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure. A total of 20 communities will receive technical assistance through the program that will enable them to streamline policies and implement best practices for safe and effective regional transportation electrification.
The third cohort includes a diverse mix of communities across the region, including Berwyn, Broadview, Brookfield, Countryside, DeKalb, Evanston, Glenview, Grayslake, Highland Park, Johnsburg, Lindenhurst, Park Forest, River Forest, Rockford, Rolling Meadows, Streamwood, Vernon Hills, and Warrenville.
"Working alongside our partners at the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, ComEd is committed to expanding access to EVs and charging for our communities across northern Illinois," said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of Governmental, Regulatory and External Affairs for ComEd. "Training through the EV Readiness Program is essential for helping communities navigate the policies and infrastructure planning needed to ramp up EV adoption safely and equitably. Congratulations to the newest cohort, who will help more residents in their communities unlock the myriad benefits of EVs - from reducing harmful pollution in our communities to creating cost savings benefits for those driving them."
ComEd and the Caucus first launched the EV Readiness Program in 2022 to support communities increasingly focused on embracing EVs, which provide cost savings, environmental and health benefits for communities. EVs are on the rise in Illinois, with more than 119,000 on the roads today and the majority of them in northern Illinois, more than doubling from the 53,000 registered in 2022. This growth is happening in large part thanks to the state's landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) passed in 2021, which sets a goal of putting 1 million EVs on the road by 2030.
"The EV Readiness Program demonstrates how working together across the region supports innovation by communities of all sizes and strengths," said City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Caucus Environment and Energy Committee Chairman. "The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus pioneered EV Readiness, and we have designated 21 municipalities and two counties as EV Ready Communities' for their work to accelerate equitable access to EVs and EV charging."
EV Readiness Program participants focus on policy development related to EV infrastructure, permitting, and safety, and support community engagement. Through the program, EV Readiness cohort members will follow a pathway toward EV Ready Bronze, Silver, or Gold designation, achieving status by taking action in several categories related to EV adoption and infrastructure. Two of the communities that are participating in the third cohort - the City of Chicago and DuPage County - are seeking to "level up" to a Silver or Gold designation. They had previously earned Bronze designation. Members of the third cohort begin work in early November and are expected to achieve "EV Ready Community" designation status by the summer of 2025.
"Our aim is to spark investment in EV charging so our residents and businesses can enjoy the benefits of clean energy," said Village of Park Forest Mayor Joseph A. Woods. "Our Climate Action and Resilience Plan identifies key strategies to reduce emissions from transportation, including to promote EV adoption in our community as well as in our own public fleet."
"We all have a responsibility to protect our environment and to mitigate the impact of climate change," said City of Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott. "Our net-zero Municipal Complex features EV charging stations for public and facility use, to encourage the use of non-pollution emitting vehicles, and prime parking spaces reserved for high-efficiency vehicles. We hope that our work in the EV Readiness Program helps us extend access to clean transportation across the City."
"We want to ensure we are prepared for the expected surge in electric vehicles in the coming years and investments that will go along with this," said City of DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes. "Joining the EV Readiness Program will help us do just that, and it will assist us in bringing the benefits of EV technology to more DeKalb residents, regardless of where they live or what their income level is."
With the EV Readiness program reaching 41 communities in northern Illinois so far, it is poised for continued expansion thanks to support from ComEd, via its investments in beneficial electrification, geared toward helping customers adopt cleaner technologies, like EVs, that will lower emissions, enhance the environment, and in some cases generate energy cost savings. These investments, in addition to funding critical education programs for communities, have also provided a significant amount of EV rebate and infrastructure funding, with nearly $90 million in funding made available to customers earlier this year to help cover the cost of EV projects such as residential charging, EV fleet vehicle purchase and make ready infrastructure.
With access to charging and cost of purchase identified as some of the key barriers to widespread EV growth, it is clear that ComEd EV programs are helping to address the needs of customers and communities. Already, ComEd EV programs are showing results, incentivizing the addition of more than 3,000 L2 and DCFC EV charging ports, nearly 150 fleet vehicles, including school buses, and with EV funds reaching into over 300 unique zip codes in the area. Funding remains available, apply today at www.comed.com/clean.
For more information on the EV Readiness Program, please visit the Caucus' program webpage.
About ComEd
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company with approximately 10 million electricity and natural gas customers - the largest number of customers in the U.S. 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 ComEd.com, 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 mayorscaucus.org, and connect with the organization on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
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