Illinois is making substantial strides towards a cleaner energy future with a new $25.1 million investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. John J. Kim, Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), revealed plans to allocate this funding under the Driving a Cleaner Illinois program. The initiative aims to deploy 643 new Direct Current Fast Charging (DCFC) ports at 141 locations across the state, significantly bolstering the EV charging network.
Director Kim highlighted the importance of this investment, stating, “Through these grants, Illinois will increase the number of fast charging ports by over 100 percent, resulting in nearly 1,000 more fast charging ports available for Illinois’ EV motorists and visitors.”
This funding comes on the heels of a previous $12.6 million award from the Illinois EPA in Volkswagen Settlement funding, which supported the installation of over 300 new EV fast charging ports in 2023. These funds will be used to install DCFC charging stations at publicly accessible locations such as malls, grocery stores, gas stations, and hotels.
Governor JB Pritzker expressed enthusiasm about the progress being made, saying, “In Illinois, we’re strategically turning our vision for a clean energy future into a reality.” He added, “Thanks to recent grant awards, my administration will double the number of publicly available fast charging ports — putting us one step closer to our goal of reaching 100% clean energy by 2050.”
The grants also prioritize projects in Equity Investment Eligible Communities, ensuring that the benefits of this investment are equitably distributed across the state. This significant investment marks a crucial step forward in Illinois’ efforts to promote EV adoption and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with its ambitious clean energy goals.
