Tag: ev

ComEd Receives Approval for Beneficial Electrification Plan 2, Continuing to Advance Transportation Electrification in Illinois

Posted on | by courtney

Investment of $168 million over three years will support EV purchases and charging infrastructure advancements

ComEd announced that the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has approved its second Beneficial Electrification (BE) Plan, investing approximately $168 million over a three-year period beginning in 2026. The continuation of ComEd’s BE funding marks a significant step forward in ComEd’s commitment to advancing electric vehicle (EV) adoption and reducing emissions in northern Illinois.

Building on its current $231 million investment in beneficial electrification, deployed from 2023 through 2025, ComEd will invest an additional $168 million between 2026-2028 through BE Plan 2 to help residential and non-residential customers transition to and take advantage of electric vehicles.

Since February of 2024, ComEd has incentivized the purchase and installation of nearly 5,000 public and private EV charging ports (Level 2 and Fast Chargers) and the purchase or lease of nearly 1,000 new and pre-owned electric fleet vehicles. More than 70% of the rebates awarded have gone to low-income customers or business and public sector organizations located in, or primarily serving, low-income and Equity Investment Eligible Communities (EIECs). Over this same period, Illinois has seen EV registrations grow three to four times faster than the nation as a whole.

“The shift to EVs is a major milestone on the road to Illinois’ clean energy future, and it is part of a broader effort to electrify more of our region’s energy system,” said Gil C. Quiniones, ComEd President and CEO. “Through the expansion of our Beneficial Electrification programs, ComEd is helping to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and enable all communities to enjoy the benefits and opportunities that flow from the global energy transformation.”

The approval of ComEd’s BE Plan 2 follows the successful implementation of ComEd’s first BE Plan, which was approved in 2023 under the guidance of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). Signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in 2021, CEJA aims to combat climate 2

change by leveraging Illinois’ clean electricity grid and promoting beneficial electrification across the state.

“Illinois is committed to decarbonizing the transportation sector, and ComEd’s BE Plan 2 plays a crucial role in enabling more electric vehicle adoption in the state,” said Megha Lakhchaura, State EV Officer of Illinois. “By expanding charging infrastructure and providing incentives from the state and key partners like ComEd, we are making EV adoption more accessible and practical for residents and businesses alike.”

Key components of ComEd’s second Beneficial Electrification Plan include:

Residential EV Charger and Installation Program: $11 million, over three years, to offer rebates of up to $2,500 per household to support the purchase and installation of residential Level 2 electric vehicle chargers.

Business and Public Sector EV Purchase Program: $82 million, over three years, to offer rebates for the purchase or lease of new or pre-owned fleet EVs of all weight classes.

Business and Public Sector Make-Ready Program: $44 million, over three years, to offer rebates for covering costs associated with making sites ready for public or private Level 2 of DC Fast Charging equipment.

Customer Education and Awareness Program: $11 million, over three years, to fund multiple efforts to empower and support customers to make informed decisions about vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure deployment. This includes free access to ComEd support tools including Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Toolkits and training programs for municipalities interested in achieving “EV Ready” status, and free Fleet Electrification Assessments, among others.

Research and Development Program: $11 million, over three years, to evaluate and demonstrate the impact of new transportation and electrification technologies.

Portfolio Program: $9 million, over three years, to fund a variety of initiatives spanning across multiple programs, to support a successful deployment of BE Plan 2 as a whole.

Projects located in, or primarily serving, low income or EIECs, will be eligible for higher rebate amounts, and will receive more than 50% of the BE Plan 2 budget. Exact rebate amounts may be adjusted in response to demand over the course of the BE Plan 2 timeline.

EVs provide a variety of benefits for customers. Not only do they offer fuel and maintenance cost savings and performance benefits, but communities can experience broad environmental improvements from reduced tailpipe emissions. Additionally, electrifying transportation—especially vehicle fleets—can create tangible benefits for all communities 3

and families across northern Illinois, including health benefits in communities which have traditionally borne the brunt of climate change and air pollution.

“Reducing vehicle emissions is one of the most effective ways to improve air quality and public health,” said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. “Given current uncertainty with other sources of funding that foster zero-emission transportation, ComEd’s continued investment in its Beneficial Electrification Plan is now even more critical in helping cut harmful pollutants, leading to cleaner air and healthier communities across northern Illinois.”

ComEd’s BE Plan 2 was developed in close collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including environmental organizations, community groups and industry experts to ensure equitable access to electrification benefits. The continued efforts in 2026 will build upon the existing resources and tools ComEd has already launched to support customer education and EV adoption including, the ComEd EV Toolkit, EV Ambassador Program, EV Readiness program, EV Load Capacity Map, Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Service Provider Network, EV Dealership Network and more.

For more information on ComEd’s second BE Plan and available resources and programs offered by ComEd, please visit ComEd.com/EV.

ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 energy company serving more than 10.7 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.

Sustainable DuPage Webinar

Charge Up: Preparing Businesses for an Electric World

Posted on | by courtney

A Sustainable DuPage Webinar

This webinar is all about electric vehicles! Learn about evaluating your needs, fleet assessments, and the tools available for business owners considering a move to electric. 

Presenters:

  • Violeta Ryman, Senior Program Manager, ComEd
  • Rahul Chatterjea, Senior Energy Engineer, ComEd

 

To request a copy of this presentation, please contact Choose DuPage.

About the Sustainable DuPage Program Series

Choose DuPage and the DuPage County Environmental Division have partnered to host a series of sustainability-focused events. Made for businesses and communities in the DuPage region, the series covers topics at the intersection of business, life and sustainability.

Learn More About Sustainable DuPage

ComEd Announces $100 Million in EV Rebates Now Available to Boost Charging and EV Adoption Across Northern Illinois

Posted on | by courtney

CHICAGO (February 6, 2025) – ComEd today joined a variety of local and industry stakeholders at the annual Chicago Auto Show to announce that it has made $100 million in rebates available to help more customers take steps toward electric vehicles (EVs) in 2025. To reduce upfront cost barriers to EVs, the rebates cover three distinct programs: residential EV charger and installation costs, all-electric fleet vehicles and business and public sector make ready charging infrastructure. ComEd EV investments are available for residential, business and public sector customers, and are designed to equitably provide funding for communities to promote the widespread adoption of EVs in Illinois.

Customers can apply now for a variety of EV rebates at www.comed.com/clean.

“ComEd is focused on ensuring that not only is the grid is equipped for increased electrification, but that our customers and communities have the support needed to navigate the transition to EVs and the benefits they provide for customers as well as the environment,” said Melissa Washington, SVP of Customer Operations and Strategic Initiatives at ComEd. “Building on the success of last year’s rebate programs, ComEd is pleased to launch another $100M that will help customers take steps toward adding at-home L2 charging, fleet EV projects for fleets of any size, and to catalyze more investment in building a network of regional public and private charging to accommodate the growing demand for EVs in northern Illinois.”

Through its 2025 investments, ComEd is making $53 million in rebates available for business and public sector EV fleet purchases, including small businesses pursuing as few as one electric vehicle for commercial use, regardless of small-, medium- or heavy-duty weight class size; and nearly $38 million in rebates available to support infrastructure “make ready” upgrades needed for the installation of public and private Level 2 (L2) and Level 3 (DCFC) charging stations for non-residential customers. Residential customers will have access to nearly $9 million in funding to reduce the upfront costs of purchase and installation of adding at-home L2 charging—with rebates of up to $3,750 per charger.

The funding announcement follows last year’s first-of-its kind announcement to fund EV projects, with ComEd launching nearly $90 million for customers in 2024. Both 2024 and 2025 programs are made available as part of a state mandated program to help more customers take steps toward EVs, a result of the passage of Illinois’ landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which calls for having 1 million EVs on the roads by 2030.

“The ComEd rebates that support EV adoption and accelerate the expansion of charging infrastructure are pivotal in driving a sustainable future,” said Megha Lakhchaura State EV Officer of Illinois. “These initiatives will empower consumers to make cleaner choices and support the transition to zero emission transportation.”

All ComEd EV rebate programs put equity front and center, reserving more than half of the total funds for low-income customers and equity-eligible communities, and by offering higher rebates exclusively for low-income customers and for those located in or primarily serving low-income and equity-eligible communities. While EVs provide a wide range of benefits – from reducing emissions to generating fuel cost savings, to spurring economic development – the positive impacts on air quality benefit all communities, especially those most historically impacted by pollution.

“ComEd’s CEJA-enabled programs to get more zero-emission vehicles moving are critical for cutting health-damaging air pollution, particularly in vulnerable communities that face a higher burden from lung disease,” said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. “We encourage all eligible applicants to take advantage of this great economic opportunity that will benefit both them and their neighbors.”

Since launching its first ever EV rebates last year, ComEd has seen a significant increase in customer EV projects. To date, ComEd has funded EV expansion projects in more than 300 ZIP codes, helping to propel nearly 3,500 residential and commercial charging L2 and DCFC ports, public and private, as well as the addition of over 200 new and pre-owned EV fleet vehicles for municipal, business customers and school districts. More than half of the funds have been directed to low-income customers and to propel projects in equity-eligible communities.

“We are pleased to see that ComEd’s rebate offers for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, including electric school buses, are underway and picking up steam,” said Susan Mudd, Senior Policy Advocate at Environmental Law & Policy Center. “Getting kids out of dirty diesel buses and communities having fewer diesel trucks and buses passing through them every day will help kids and adult residents’ lungs and health. With the new federal administration’s threats to numerous air quality programs, ComEd’s program is especially critical, giving school districts the opportunity to provide kids a clean ride to school and others a lifeline to modernize and clean up their vehicle fleets.”

ComEd’s EV investments have coincided with increasing the rate of adoption of EVs in Illinois, with more than 126,000 EVs on state roads today, and the vast majority, more than 112,000 of them, driving in northern Illinois. In addition to funding programs, ComEd facilitates a number of initiatives to support customers in moving toward EVs, and to help communities achieve their own local and regional transportation net-zero emissions goals.

“On behalf of the Chicagoland new-car dealers, we applaud ComEd for propelling the widespread adoption of electrified vehicles in Illinois,” said Chicago Automobile Trade Association President Jennifer Morand. “As EV adoption continues to grow in Illinois, local new-car dealers are committed to supporting the revolution by offering a variety of all-electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles to consumers as well as provide much needed education.”

ComEd has teamed up with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus in developing a first of its kind training for municipalities and local governments, called the EV Readiness program, helping them to create local ordinances, safety, and infrastructure plans designed to accommodate the growing demand for EVs in their communities. Since that time more than 41 local governments in northern Illinois have been reached by the program, receiving assistance with creating local policy to ensure safe and effective regional transportation electrification.

“ComEd’s support of our EV Readiness Program and commitment to expanding EV adoption and infrastructure has been a game-changes for the communities we serve,” said Kevin Burns, Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Chairman of the Environment and Energy Committee and Immediate Past Executive Board Chairman. “By supporting our local initiatives to advance policies and build infrastructure for a sustainable future, ComEd’s investments will play a key role in reducing emissions, improving air quality and ensuring an equitable transition to clean transportation across northern Illinois.”

To ease the customer experience, ComEd offers Fleet Electrification Assessments, along with a make ready rebate reservation program, giving charging project developers certainty on available funding awaiting when they complete their projects, created a fleet EV Point of Sale program in partnership with more than 70 area auto dealers and manufacturers to qualify for fleet rebates for new and pre-owned vehicles at the time of purchase and established an EV Service Provider Network, comprised of over 84 local businesses certified to install EV charging infrastructure, providing customers a go-to list of contractors to call when they are planning to add charging infrastructure.

“Being a part of the ComEd Energy Efficiency program and the Electric Vehicle Service Providers network has been a blessing and life changing experience both personally and professionally,” said Ed West, president and owner of Veterans Energy. “This partnership has been critical to the growth of my business, and I look forward to the Veterans Energy team helping more EV-interested customers in northern Illinois qualify for expanded ComEd EV rebates that will help build their projects and go green in the coming year.”

To review eligibility requirements and to apply for EV funding, customers are encouraged to visit ComEd’s website.

electric vehicles

Start Your Engines: Northern Illinois Emerges as an EV Powerhouse

Posted on | by courtney

Northern Illinois has long been a leader of science, technology and advanced manufacturing. Now, those fields are coming together to drive the region’s electric-vehicle (EV) ecosystem—a growing network of communities, manufacturers, institutions and suppliers dedicated to all things EV.  

The result is a win-win: an influx of jobs and investment for the region and an emerging powerhouse committed to building the future of sustainable technology.

Charged Up: Welcome to the EV Ecosystem

Governments and businesses around the world have committed to reducing carbon emissions and investing in more sustainable technologies. That includes Illinois, where the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act has the state on the road to 100% clean energy by 2045.

To deliver on these commitments and create a cleaner, more sustainable future, communities must reduce their reliance on fossil fuel-burning automotives. (The EPA estimates that transportation accounts for about 27% of U.S. emissions.) That means alternatives, such as EVs, must be made widely available.  

While a small portion of Americans currently drive electric vehicles, making EVs affordable and available to the majority of the country will require mass production, as well as investments in a new infrastructure to support EVs and advancements in the technologies that power them. EVs are coming, but first we must solve a massive logistical puzzle.

That’s exactly what’s happening in Illinois, where an ‘EV ecosystem’ has emerged to fuel the development and production of EVs. This ecosystem consists of six major factors:

  1. The regional supply chain, including businesses that manufacture EVs, batteries, semiconductors and other related technologies. Illinois is the fourth-largest auto employment base in the U.S., the #2 location for battery manufacturers, and #4 in number of locations that manufacture non-battery EV components.
  2. The policies that support EV-related investments, including subsidies, rebates and incentives through the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Reimagining Electric Vehicles Act. In Illinois, there are currently more than $70 million in capital funds earmarked for EV infrastructure projects.
  3. The research institutions that advance the economic and scientific development of the EV field. Two of the 17 U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories are located in the heart of Northern Illinois, DuPage County: Argonne and Fermilab. Argonne alone receives $1 billion in annual funding to advance U.S. battery research and manufacturing, as well as research into the EV-adjacent fields of semiconductors, material science, transportation systems, grid stability and security, clean energy generation, supply chain security, quantum computing and AI.
  4. The diverse talent pipeline that makes all of this possible. Home to some of the nation’s top engineering and IT and computer-science schools, Illinois’ EV workforce is projected to increase by 83% by 2024.
  5. A central location that enables mass distribution of EV products across North America. Northern Illinois is located in the middle of one of the world’s most connected rail networks and is home to several international airports and a robust system of navigable waterways.
  6. Strong local demand for EVs. Illinois is already home to 54,000 EV drivers and thousands of charging stations. That consumer base continues to grow as local drivers, communities and transportation organizations go electric.

On their own, each factor is critical. But it’s their unique combination that has made Northern Illinois a global hub for the EV industry, and businesses are taking notice.

Bumper to Bumper

While the rise of Illinois’ EV ecosystem can be traced to the region’s rich history of automotive production, the industry shifted into overdrive with the arrival of EV manufacturer Rivian.

In 2016, Rivian’s leadership team visited a shuttered Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois. They were there to purchase equipment. However, once they arrived in Illinois and took stock of the region’s workforce and pro-business policies, they changed course and purchased the plant. With backing from investors including Amazon, Ford and Cox Automotive, Rivian expanded their Illinois operations and went public in November 2021. Today, the company employs 3,700 workers and is one of the world’s biggest EV producers.

Attracting Rivian was itself a big win for the Illinois EV industry, but it was only the beginning.   

In 2021, as Rivian’s first electric truck rolled off the assembly line, Canadian manufacturer Lion Electric Company announced that it had selected Joliet in Will County, Illinois as the site of its U.S. manufacturing facility. When production begins in late 2022, Lion’s 900,000-square-foot facility will produce up to 20,000 zero-emission buses and trucks each year.

These vehicles will be essential to helping communities across the country decarbonize transportation systems. Their production, meanwhile, will bring more than 1,400 jobs and over $130 million to Joliet.

Next in line was Merkur, a manufacturing performance and product-development firm. They opened a new office in DuPage County, Illinois to be closer to Lion and the regional EV ecosystem.

“We want to be where our customers are; it’s as simple as that,” said Jonathan Levesque, Director of Business Development and USA Market at Merkur.

“Northern Illinois has several key advantages for us. It’s a major hub for the industries we serve: transportation, manufacturing, aeronautics and agri-food. Plus, its central location and international airports make it easy for us to reach clients and suppliers across the country and around the world. When our client Lion moved here, it was an easy decision to open an office in Downers Grove.”

“What I love about this story is that it shows how attracting the right business brings more businesses,” said Doug Pryor, President & CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development.

“First there was Rivian, then Lion, then Merkur. Now, we have more companies in EV and related sectors looking to invest. It’s all because of regional collaboration; working together, we made a strong cluster to support future economic growth. We created the conditions that allow these businesses to thrive.”

Fueling the Movement

A short drive from Merkur and Lion – you could easily visit all three on a single charge – is Argonne National Laboratory. One of 17 U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratories (and one of two in DuPage County), Argonne is approaching the challenge of building an EV infrastructure on multiple fronts.

The first is economic. There are currently about 52,000 public charging stations across the U.S. That might sound impressive, but to meet growing demand and facilitate the widespread use of EVs, the country must build hundreds of thousands more.

The good news is that there is a large pool of federal funding – $5 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – marked for new charging stations. However, to access this funding, states must first demonstrate the potential economic benefits of new stations.

Identifying and gathering the right data can be difficult. That’s why scientists at Argonne developed a free online tool (JOBS EVSE) to help states estimate the economic impact of charging stations. Using the tool, state representatives and others can determine the cost of installing and maintaining new stations. They can compare that cost to the total value in sales that the stations are projected to generate, as well as the estimated number of jobs that will be produced during construction and management.

The Consumer Angle

While Argonne is helping states access funding to build charging stations, they are also working to help electric vehicle drivers of the future spend less time at the (electric) pump.

Currently, a pit stop at a charging station can take 30 minutes or more, much longer than it takes to pump gas. Scientists at Argonne are working to narrow that gap. In partnership with several other national laboratories, they are developing batteries and charging technologies designed to speed-up recharging to 15 minutes or less, while enabling batteries to hold higher densities of energy for longer charges.

Faster charging and longer battery life are more than just convenient. Shorter lines at the pumps enable widespread adoption of EVs, while faster charging makes electric trucks more feasible for the fast-moving supply chain.

“I think it’s fair to say that every car company views fast charging as the ‘killer app,’” said Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science (ACCESS) in a recent post on Argonne’s website. “We are reaching a stage where electric cars and trucks must charge fast — it’s not a nice-to-have.”

Meanwhile, another DuPage County organization, ComEd, is also approaching the EV challenge from a consumer angle. Buying an electric vehicle for the first time can be intimidating. To make the process more approachable, ComEd recently released the EV Toolkit, a digital resource that provides helpful information on savings, benefits and incentives for consumers purchasing EVs, as well as an overview of EV brands and models, rate options and charging locations.

“Mass consumer education is critical,” said Jennifer Morand, Co-President of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association in a ComEd press release. “The EV customers of yesterday can’t be compared to today’s EV buyer, which is why resources like ComEd’s EV Toolkit are pivotal for this next phase of EV adoption.”

Supercharged: The Future of EVs in Northern Illinois

Give it a few years, and you could be riding a bus manufactured by Lion Electric in Joliet, produced under the guidance of Merkur in Downers Grove, powered by a battery using technology developed at Argonne, and built using parts sourced from suppliers across the region.

That’s the vision of Northern Illinois’ EV ecosystem: to create a diverse and comprehensive regional supply chain, where producers can source nearly all of their supplies locally. For the region, that would mean more jobs and a more stable and efficient supply chain, while generating tax revenue for local communities.  

While the Northern Illinois EV ecosystem has already begun to achieve this vision, there is still room to grow.

In particular, there is a high demand for regional producers of batteries and semiconductors. Today, batteries, the most valuable component of electric vehicles, are almost exclusively produced in China, Japan and Korea. (For comparison: in 2020, China had 93 battery-producing mega-factories. The U.S. had four.) Semiconductors, another essential component, are also widely produced overseas.

As a result, domestic EV manufacturers often must source essential components from overseas operations. As the global supply chain has become increasingly volatile, there have been numerous production delays, shortages and rising material costs.

Local, state and national governments are working to change that. New federal programs like CHIPS and the Science Bill offer semiconductor producers billions in subsidies to invest stateside. Meanwhile, Illinois is targeting battery and chip manufacturers through aggressive incentive programs, while communities across Northern Illinois continue to draw investors from across the supply chain to the region’s emerging electric vehicle ecosystem.

“Whether you’re making the vehicle itself, the battery, the chip, or the many other components that go into developing EVs and the EV infrastructure, we want you here,” said Greg Bedalov, President and CEO of Choose DuPage, the economic development organization of DuPage County.

“We have the workforce, the suppliers, the incentives and the location. Most importantly, we have the mindset. Our communities believe that sustainable technology is the key to a better future. We’re here to make it.”

EV

ComEd Unveils Plan to Support Beneficial Electrification in Northern Illinois, Including Increased Adoption of Electric Vehicles

Posted on | by courtney

Proposed plan would provide $100 million per year in incentives, education and infrastructure support to remove barriers to electrification and deliver significant environmental and air quality improvements for communities 

CHICAGO (July 6, 2022) —ComEd announced that it has submitted its plan to support the adoption of beneficial electrification (BE) technologies, including customer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), which regulates the state’s public utilities. ComEd is proposing to commit $100 million annually over the next three years to promote beneficial electrification, with programs designed to reduce upfront costs of EVs and charging equipment; enable broad, equitable deployment of charging infrastructure and other electrification technologies; educate customers; and prioritize investments equitably for communities in need. 

This plan would significantly lower carbon emissions and provide invaluable health and human welfare benefits including air quality improvements derived from a reduction of harmful pollutants from vehicle tailpipes. The plan marks the latest milestone in the implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). ComEd’s plan advances the objectives of CEJA, including the law’s goal of having 1 million EVs on the road in Illinois by 2030 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality for communities across the state. 

Through a mix of incentives, new rate design options, and educational and technical support, ComEd’s plan would help promote the transition to clean transportation and other clean technologies. The proposed investments would prioritize low-income customers and customers residing in environmental justice Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) communities and, as defined by the State of Illinois. 

“ComEd is committed to supporting a clean energy future that promotes cleaner air and safer communities, and that helps all of our communities achieve the goals set forward by the state’s new clean energy law,” said Gil C. Quiniones, CEO of ComEd. “The threat of climate change requires us to take swift action to reduce emissions by moving faster to adopt cleaner technologies. Designed with input from a wide range of local stakeholders and experts, our plan will reduce barriers for customers and support broad adoption of electrification across homes, schools, and communities in our region – keeping the state at the forefront for clean energy while creating the infrastructure needed to eliminate harmful emissions across all our communities.” 

ComEd made the announcement during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at a recently installed Multi-Unit Dwelling (MUD) EV charging station at 43rd Street and Calumet Avenue in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. This installation is the first of five planned MUD charging stations that will serve residential properties with three or more units and enable research funded in part by a U.S. Department of Energy grant. EV charging infrastructure, and especially infrastructure designed to provide accessibility to all communities, is vital for the broad adoption of EVs. The new BE Plan, combined with state and federal programs, will further expand deployment of EV infrastructure across northern Illinois. 

“For too long, the health of our communities has been negatively impacted by harmful air pollution, but CEJA is giving us an opportunity to reverse that trend and accelerate the transition to EVs,” said Billy Davis, General Manager of Jitney EV and a member of the Bronzeville Community of the Future Advisory Council. “The Beneficial Electrification plan ComEd is proposing will give a much-needed boost to our efforts in Bronzeville and across the region to electrify transportation, eliminate charging deserts, improve air quality, and create economic opportunities for new businesses.” 

In support of the state’s goals, the plan will contribute to long-term air quality improvements by enabling EV adoption to lower carbon and air pollutant emissions. ComEd estimates that vehicle and other incentives and rebates as outlined in the plan would help remove 900,000 metric tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of the amount of carbon sequestered by approximately 1 million acres of U.S. forests in one year, an area approximately the size of Glacier National Park. What’s more, the plan would avoid an estimated 4,000 metric tons of local pollutants emitted from vehicle tailpipes, providing health and human welfare benefits, especially for disadvantaged communities where vehicle emissions have the greatest health impacts. 

“CACC encourages the use of clean fuel vehicles, clean fuels, and advanced vehicle technologies to promote an improved environment, energy efficiencies, domestic and renewable fuels, and a reduction in the use of imported petroleum,” said John Walton, Chair of the Chicago Area Clean Cities (CACC) coalition. “Electric vehicles have a role in furthering our mission to improve air quality and reduce lung disease, and ComEd’s beneficial electrification plan will help expand access to infrastructure and encourage more robust EV participation for our region.” 

“While Illinois has dramatically cut air pollution from fossil fuel power plants, vehicles are now the number one cause of carbon pollution in Illinois” said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. “With a focus on getting more zero-emission electric vehicles in communities, ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification plan is a serious roadmap for improving air quality precisely where the combination of high lung disease rates and unhealthy air pollution levels present the greatest threat to area residents.” 

Earlier this year, ComEd participated in a series of workshops to engage regional partners, including 10 meetings hosted by the ICC, to formalize input from those representing communities, health advocacy, industry, local business, school districts and other customer groups and interests across the service region. ComEd embraced the feedback it heard and proposed a plan to address the priorities of the communities it serves. 

The key components of the BE Plan include:

Residential Program 

The BE Plan includes $15 million annually in incentives that will reduce upfront costs related to purchase and installation of EVs, in-home charging stations, and non-transportation electrification equipment (such as building heating and cooling, lawn equipment, electric stoves, etc.). Larger rebates will be available for low-income customers and those located in environmental justice and/or equity investment eligible communities. To ensure those with the greatest needs have access to resources, ComEd will target 50 percent of its residential program funds for customers in equity investment eligible communities. 

C&I and Public Sector Program

To reduce the cost barriers associated with purchasing fleet vehicles and installing charging stations, the plan proposes $63 million annually to support new rebates for fleet electrification, with the majority of funding going toward vehicle rebates for public transit, commercial and school fleets. Funding will also support charging installation costs for public sector customers and public charging providers in environmental justice or R3 communities. This is intended to provide additional support to accelerate the benefits of clean transportation to environmental justice and equity investment eligible communities. Across the C&I and Public Sector Program, ComEd will target more than 40 percent of funding for customers within or primarily serving equity investment eligible communities. 

“ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification Plan proposes strategies to accelerate electrification of transportation and buildings that are consistent with our Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region,” said City of Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, Chairman of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus’ Environment Committee, Energy Subcommittee, and EV Readiness Advisory Committee. “The plan offers resources to help local governments, businesses and residents alike adopt new technologies that will reduce carbon emissions, reduce air pollution, and promote economic growth, particularly in communities that have faced barriers to electrification.” 

“Innovative manufacturers not only use emerging new technology like electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, we create it and produce it,” said Mark Denzler, President & CEO of the Illinois Manufacturer’s Association. “Since 1990, manufacturing has reduced emissions more than any other sector in the United States. The manufacturing sector is developing new technologies that make energy more affordable, reliable, and cleaner every year. This new program will incent our state’s leading economic engine to further invest in electric-powered transportation and support Illinois jobs.” 

New C&I EV Charging Class 

In addition to incentives, ComEd is proposing a dedicated EV charging delivery customer class for (commercial and industrial (C&I) customers. The new rate class would significantly reduce upfront infrastructure or “make-ready” costs and would provide members an alternative to the default demand-based rate structures, which, at low utilization rates, can make the cost of charging high for customers. These efforts reflect recommendations from stakeholders and are intended to reduce barriers to the deployment of charging infrastructure in ComEd’s service territory. ComEd expects the benefits of this new customer class to multiply the impact of federal funding that the Illinois Department of Transportation will employ to support the development of charging stations across the highway system. 

“We are pleased to partner with ComEd to help advance the move toward electrification and drive the expansion of green jobs in the region,” said Brian Robb, Government Relations Director at Lion Electric. “In the last several years, Lion has been working with the elected officials, advocacy groups, environmental justice groups and many organizations such as ComEd to demonstrate how electrification can deliver economic growth, benefit a community’s health and well-being, and help build a solid charging infrastructure network in the State of Illinois.” 

“Staying at the forefront of the emergence of electric-powered transportation options is important to the customers retailers serve and, therefore, important to us,” said Rob Karr, President, Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “This proposal by ComEd includes a provision that will make it more convenient and cost affordable for Illinois retailers to install beneficial electrification infrastructure such as charging stations.” 

Customer Education and Pilot Programs 

A $9 million community education program will empower customers to make the transition to electrification. This program will help residential and business customers understand the timeline and impact of electrifying personal vehicles and fleets, as well as how utility programs and rates can benefit them. ComEd is also proposing $5 million annually for pilots to study the benefits of various electrification strategies for customers and the grid. 

Non-Transportation Opportunities 

In addition to EV benefits, the BE Plan offers a broad opportunity to reduce carbon and other emissions across sectors. While most of the BE Plan focuses on clean transportation, ComEd is also proposing a set of non-transportation rebates to work in tandem with energy efficiency offerings to spur adoption of electric technologies in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. 

Rate Impact 

ComEd is proposing a cost recovery plan that aligns benefits with costs, avoids large rate impacts, and that minimizes impact on low-income customers. Pending approval, the average residential bill won’t see an increase until 2025, with an average impact of 11 cents a month, and up to 21 cents a month by 2027. For C&I bills, customers would see a slow increase of 42 cents per Megawatt hour (MWh) in 2025, and up to 83 cents per MWh in 2027, year three of the program. 

“I appreciate ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification plan,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “It puts $300M over three years towards educating consumers on the benefit of electric vehicles, making EV charging stations in residential homes more easily attainable regardless of income through incentives and rebates, and should spur the use of a cleaner energy for commercial companies. 

“The IEC Powered by Future Green is particularly excited with ComEd’S inclusion of a School Bus Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Pilot and a new rate class for electric school bus chargers that will alleviate the upfront cost burden of infrastructure upgrades,” said Tim Farquer, Administrative Lead for the Bus-2-Grid Initiative, a service of IEC Powered by Future Green, and Superintendent of Williamsfield Schools. “Add in ComEd’s proposed electric school bus/charger rebates, and the upfront cost hurdle of school bus electrification will become much easier to clear. We welcome the opportunity to explore a partnership with ComEd to implement these new programs alongside new solar installs that benefit our most vulnerable students & schools. These programs bring us one step closer to the day our kids no longer recognize the smell of harmful diesel emissions.”