To combat lagging EV charger installation rates, Illinois will install 1,000 public fast-charging EV ports across the state at high-traffic locations, such as shopping centers, hotels, truck stops, and restaurants, in 2024.
According to the State, this will more than double the number of fast-charging ports currently available in Illinois.
In addition, more than 200 charging ports will be installed on the State’s interstate highways by the end of 2025 to accommodate travelers utilizing EVs.
This announcement comes shortly after Illinois ranked 49th out of 50 states in charger access based on the ratio of EVs to public chargers by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
Illinois will provide $40 million in grants from Governor J.B. Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan – the State’s 2021 climate bill – and a settlement with Volkswagen over allegations of emissions cheating.
Another $93 million in grants – provided by the federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program – will also be awarded for installing charging ports in 2024, with $50 million specifically for installing fast EV charging stations along interstate highways.
Illinois is also slated to receive an additional $98 million from the federal infrastructure program for EV charger installations.
In total, these funding opportunities will help the State reach its goal of having 1 million EVs on the road by 2030, up from the 94,000 it currently has.
