Leaders of ​‘EV Ready’ Illinois cities recognized in ceremony at Argonne

(Press-News.org) City leaders who are working to accommodate more electric vehicles (EVs) were recognized in a ceremony o Aug. 23 at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. Utility ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus spotlighted 12 communities in northern Illinois that recently completed the EV Readiness Program.

The EV Readiness Program trains and assists local government officials in taking concrete steps to support EV adoption. As a national leader in EV research, Argonne was a fitting backdrop for the event and has natural connections to the program, which ComEd and the Caucus launched in 2022. This year’s graduating communities range from large urban cities to suburban communities, with representation from the north, central, south and west sides of the region.

“Argonne partners with industry and all levels of government to deploy innovations that drive U.S. prosperity and advance our national security. We’re thrilled to see these local communities leading the transition to a clean-energy future.” — Argonne Director Paul Kearns

By serving as host, Argonne had an opportunity to expand on its collaboration with municipal leaders from these respective communities through a tour that showcased research underway in EV infrastructure, energy storage and battery recycling.

“These municipalities and counties are significantly contributing to our nation’s goal of a net-zero economy by 2050,” Argonne Director Paul Kearns said. ​“Argonne partners with industry and all levels of government to deploy innovations that drive U.S. prosperity and advance our national security. We’re thrilled to see these local communities leading the transition to a clean-energy future.”

Illinois currently has over 100,000 registered EVs, and the state has set a goal to get one million EVs on the road by 2030. Participants in the EV Readiness Program follow a comprehensive EV Readiness Checklist of 131 possible municipal actions to demonstrate support of EV integration.

The latest communities to demonstrate EV readiness are:

Aurora Batavia Bensenville Chicago DuPage County Elgin Glencoe (upgraded designation status) Hickory Hills Kane County Montgomery Richton Park Wilmette “We recognize that municipalities are going to play a vital role in the transition to electrification. Many of the policies that drive how and where infrastructure is installed are very hyperlocal policies that municipalities oversee: zoning, parking code, use of public space,” said Philip Roy, director of external affairs for ComEd. ​“The broad success we are seeing tells us that, with the right level of support, education and resources, transportation electrification can be made accessible to all communities.”

This year’s graduates join last year’s inaugural cohort in becoming EV Ready communities. To earn the title, local governments must reach a baseline Bronze level designation by completing 16 Bronze requirements and earning 30 points of their choice on the program’s checklist. To reach Silver or Gold status, participating communities must demonstrate additional actions such as conducting a fleet assessment for Silver, procuring an EV for the municipal fleet for Gold, and other steps. Glencoe is the only community in this cohort and in the EV Readiness Program to level up from Bronze to Silver status through additional work on the checklist.

“EV Ready Communities leverage their unique strengths and authorities as local governments to drive EV adoption and accelerate deployment of EV charging infrastructure,” said Kevin Burns, mayor of Geneva, Ill., and chairman of the executive board and Environment and Energy Committee of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. ​“The thoughtful planning and actions we take at the local level complements the knowledge and innovation that Argonne National Laboratory, ComEd and our industry partners contribute at the regional and national levels.”

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://​ener​gy​.gov/​s​c​ience.

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