Wondering why northern Illinois is leading the charge on EVs?

Electric vehicles (EVs) seem to be just about everywhere you look these days! The once rare sighting of a super-quiet, all-electric car is now omnipresent, as more EVs hit the roads, from passenger vehicles to commercial trucks. As we reflect on the EV movement this World EV Day, September 9^th, it seems that just about everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. But it wasn’t always that way!

ComEd electric bucket trucks

In 2010, there were only 23 registered EVs in ComEd’s service region – extending as far west as Iowa, to the northeastern tip of Illinois, and through Chicago and surrounding suburban communities as far south as Pontiac. Today, more than 111,000 EVs are driving in Illinois, with nearly 90 percent of all of the state’s EVs in ComEd’s service territory. Since ComEd launched new transportation electrification rebate programs in February, monthly EV registrations as a share of all new vehicles registered have more than doubled in northern IL and surpassed the U.S. average, pointing to strong growth in EV adoption. In fact, this strong and steady growth is one of the reasons why ComEd recently earned the sole utility company honors for its efforts to boost EV adoption equitably, as recognized by national electric vehicle advocacy group, Plug in America.

ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones with Lion Electric school bus

A lot has changed in the past couple of years. Customers are increasingly educated about the benefits of EVs, which are proven to reduce fuel and maintenance costs, noise pollution, and harmful tailpipe emissions, benefitting historically polluted communities the most. And of course, more and more affordable EV options are on the market today, a key step in addressing the impact that transportation has on climate change, as the largest contributor of greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions in the U.S. today.

But with these promising clean energy transportation options on the market, customers must be confident in making the switch.

For a few reasons, the northern Illinois region has seen a significant rise in EVs, keeping growth stable, even as it’s fluctuated nationally. It’s in no small part thanks to clean energy access and new distinct customer programs that are unique to the ComEd service region to help grow EV charging and boost EV drivers. For more on why northern Illinois is experiencing its EV boom, read on!

Northern Illinois leading the charge on EVs:

• Access to clean and affordable energy from the most reliable grid in the nation means customers know they will be able to charge their EVs when they need to use them and that their EVs will be powered by clean energy generated in Illinois

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  ComEd presents $45,000 rebate check to the Village of Skokie to offset the cost of municipal EVs, joined by Governor JB Pritzker

  Removing cost barriers to EV adoption is critical – whether it’s upfront costs or addressing where to charge. Through nearly $90 million in incentives launched earlier this year, and more available in 2025, ComEd is tackling both, and funding charging infrastructure and fleet electric vehicle purchase for residential, business and public sectors; funding remains available;

• Expanded EV charging – less than seven months after the launch of ComEd’s new customer programs, more than 1,600 new charging ports have been added as a result of the programs, helping foster conditions to support the more than 3,500 public charging ports operating in Illinois today;

• ComEd EV programs have also helped fund 109 new fleet electric vehicles on the road, including more than a dozen heavy-duty vehicles, and school and transit buses, a key step in removing emissions-heavy diesel-fueled alternatives from the roads;

• Preparing local communities for EV charging infrastructure expansion is key – which is why ComEd teamed up with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to create the EV Readiness Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative in Illinois which has helped train over 30 local units of government, preparing them to develop infrastructure, zoning and permitting plans, fleet upgrades and other community-driven approaches that will support more EV drivers in their community.

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  Gotion EV battery manufacturing plant in Manteno, IL

  ComEd plays a key role in supporting EV manufacturer and supplier businesses who are helping ramp up the availability of EVs for customers locally, supporting the recent livening of projects at Lion Electric, and with ongoing construction to support EV battery maker Gotion, launching operations next year.

• ComEd is also putting EVs front and center in its operations – having added nearly 650 electric-powered cars and trucks to its own fleet so far, and with more than 600 charging ports built at its operating facilities across the region, all part of its plan to electrify 50 percent of the ComEd vehicle fleet by 2030.

Customer education programs are helping more customers make the switch every year. ComEd’s free, one-stop-shop EV Toolkit can help you plan your EV purchase journey from end to end, considering things like cost, make and model options, chargers, fuel cost savings from a customized calculator, where to charge for free, and more. Furthermore, ComEd offers Fleet Electrification Assessments to business and public sector customers free of charge, as they embark on their electrification journey.

Lion Electric EV manufacturing plant

And that’s not all – new customer resources have launched this quarter, helping residential customers, as well as businesses, make the leap to EVs even easier! Recent additions for ComEd customers include the launch of an EV Service Provider Network to easily locate qualified vendors to install charging and apply for rebates on their behalf, and an EV load capacity map to support business and public sector customers with siting of new charging infrastructure projects.

Interested in an EV, or looking for a friend? Check out our website today at www.comed.com/cleanenergy.