DOE Pilot brings first curbside charging to
Illinois, part of ComEd’s effort to expand equitable access to EV
charging across the region
In line with its mission to advance the equitable adoption of
electric vehicles (EVs) throughout northern Illinois, ComEd today
joined the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) and members of the
Bronzeville community to commission the latest EV charging station
as part of a first of its kind U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
pilot launched on the city’s South Side to boost EV charging access
for communities with limited access.
The pilot brings five new EV charging stations to Bronzeville,
including the first ever curbside charging station located anywhere
in the state of Illinois, and marks a key milestone in advancing
efforts to boost EV charging access that will be required for
supporting an equitable transition to EVs in Illinois. Because
densely populated areas have limited access to EV charging, and
fewer parking lots to accommodate public charging infrastructure,
curbside charging will be critical for EV adoption in these
areas.
“ComEd is committed to supporting a clean energy future in
northern Illinois, and increasing charging access for our customers
is a key component to greater EV adoption,” said Melissa
Washington SVP of Customer Operations and Strategy at
ComEd. “The air quality and sustainability benefits of
EVs are vast, but we know that financial barriers and access to
charging can be challenging. That is why programs like this
charging pilot are so impactful in not only supporting air quality,
but ensuring equitable access to this critical technology.”
The $3 million project, including DOE grant funding and ComEd
matching funds, is part of a larger study being conducted by
national partners, including the Center for Sustainable Energy, to
understand how to bring charging to more low-income communities,
where there is a higher concentration of greenhouse gas emissions
(GHGs). Since the start of this pilot in 2022, the five Bronzeville
chargers installed throughout the community have served nearly 300
unique drivers, and more than 2,800 charging sessions.
“Pilot projects like this show how we can make EV ownership
accessible to more people by expanding crucial access to EV
charging, especially for people living in multifamily housing in
communities harmed by tailpipe emissions. We look forward to
collaborating with ComEd on new efforts to electrify commercial
fleets, trucks and buses, which often disproportionately impact
these same communities,” said John Gartner, senior director of
transportation programs at the nonprofit Center for Sustainable
Energy (CSE).
CSE led a nationwide team of EV infrastructure experts in
developing resources to accelerate EV charging at apartment
buildings and condominiums as part of the U.S. Department of
Energy’s Vehicle Charging Innovations for Multi-Unit Dwellings
(VCI-MUD) project. CSE administers EV and EV charging incentive
programs in a dozen states.
Growing the network of public charging is a key component of the
state's call for adding 1 million EVs to the road by 2030, outlined
in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Today, there are
nearly 100,000 registered EVs in Illinois, with the number steadily
climbing, and prompting EV charging infrastructure to expand to
match the demand. New incentive programs offered by ComEd and the
state of Illinois are helping remove barriers so that more
customers and communities can make the switch.
The chargers are strategically placed throughout the Bronzeville
community to support individuals living in multi-unit dwellings
(MUDs), including apartment complexes and condominium buildings.
The chargers located at ICO are also available for members of the
community to use. As a ComEd Community of the Future, Bronzeville
is a key example of the clean energy transformation happening in
Illinois.
“The Illinois College of Optometry is proud to call Bronzeville
home, and we are honored to be part of this EV charging pilot,”
said Dr. Mark Colip, president of Illinois College of
Optometry. “These new chargers are already having a positive
impact on our students, faculty, staff, neighbors and patients of
the Illinois Eye Institute. By making EV charging more
accessible, we are helping do our part to support better air
quality and fewer emissions in Chicago.”
The DOE pilot addresses unique challenges in charging access for
occupants of multi-unit development (MUD) residences. National
research reveals that while 80 percent of EV charging takes place
at private residences, only 5% of home charging takes place at
MUDs. More MUD charging is needed to level the playing field, as
nearly one-third of residences in the United States are multi-unit
dwellings with five units or more.
“Communities like Bronzeville are continuously impacted by
harmful air pollution, but initiatives like the installation of
publicly-accessible EV chargers and the launch of other support
programs from ComEd including their new EV and charging
infrastructure rebates, are making a difference for the people that
live and work here,” said Billy Davis, General Manager of Jitney
EV and a member of the Bronzeville Community of the Future Advisory
Council. “Pilots like these are steps in the right direction to
ensure that the clean energy transition is an equitable one.”
“The addition of Bronzeville’s first-ever EV charging stations
is a significant step forward as we work to improve transportation
access while lowering harmful emissions in our communities here and
across Chicago,” said Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward Alderperson for
Chicago’s Bronzeville community. “Through innovative pilot efforts
and new rebate programs, ComEd is playing a key role in catalyzing
investments in EV infrastructure that will bring more clean energy
technology into our neighborhoods and help more residents breathe
cleaner air for the future.”
Piloting expanded charging access in Bronzeville is just one
example of how ComEd is supporting an equitable transition to EVs.
Earlier this year, ComEd launched nearly $90 million in rebates,
with a significant level of funding reserved to help expand the
network of charging in the region, with a special focus on
low-income communities and those historically most affected by
pollution. More than half of the funding is reserved to help boost
EV investment in equity-eligible communities, and with higher
levels of rebates reserved for customers located in, driving, or
doing business in low-income and equity-eligible communities.
“The dangerous effects of air pollution and the burdens of
asthma continue to weigh more heavily on lower income communities,
but the clean energy transition has the potential to alleviate
those health risks,” said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of
Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health
Association. “The installation of publicly available EV
chargers are one way ComEd is making owning a clean, zero-emission
vehicle more affordable where the health benefits are most
needed.”
Residential customers have the opportunity to apply for rebates
of up to $3,750 to offset the costs of purchasing and installing
residential Level 2 chargers purchased on or after February 1,
2024. For building managers of MUDs, business sector rebates
ranging from $8,000-$80,000 are available to offset the cost of
infrastructure serving Level 2 EV chargers and up to $500,000 for
infrastructure serving DC Fast Chargers. Business and public sector
customers who made electric fleet or charging infrastructure
investments completed on or after June 1, 2023 can apply for
retroactive rebates through May 15, 2024. Interested applicants can
learn more at ComEd.com/clean.
ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon
Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 250 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.
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