ComEd’s efforts to advance EV adoption earns company a Plug In America award

ComEd, a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corp., is the only energy company to earn a 2024 Drive Electric award from Plug In America, a national electric vehicle (EV) advocacy group.

“ComEd has made targeted investments to help remove barriers and empower more customers to tap into the benefits of EVs, while our industry-leading reliability has given them confidence in charging,” ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones said on Wednesday.

“This recognition from Plug In America is a testament to the work we are doing alongside our communities and partners across the region to ensure that everyone can enjoy the economic and environmental benefits that come with Illinois’ fast-growing EV ecosystem,” he added.

ComEd received the honor based on its efforts to advance the nation’s EV movement, and for the creation of EV customer programs designed to address gaps and equitably increase the adoption of EVs, according to Plug In America.

Through its annual Drive Electric Awards, Plug In America selects the top individuals and organizations making an impact in the EV movement. This marks the first time that ComEd is recognized. Other honorees this year included U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, and major urban cities of New York and San Antonio, among others.

“ComEd has established itself as a leader in the EV transition. They have taken a comprehensive approach to removing barriers to EV adoption for customers, dealers, fleets and communities,” said Joel Levin, executive director of Plug In America. “Most notable is their focus on EV equity, including higher rebates and point-of-purchase rebates to reduce upfront costs.”

ComEd also targets the most impacted communities by reducing pollution through fleet electrification programs, said Levin, adding that the organization applauds ComEd “for helping Illinois achieve its goal of putting one million EVs on the road in the next six years.”

Through investments in its infrastructure and customer resource programs, ComEd said it aims to help ease the transition for customers who are interested in switching to EVs, and most recently launched nearly $90 million in EV rebate programs for customers to pursue charging infrastructure and fleet electrification projects.

Thus far, the EV rebate programs have helped support the incentivization of nearly 1,600 residential and non-residential private and public charging ports, 109 electric fleet vehicle purchases, including over a dozen heavy duty, school bus and transit vehicles, and has reached customers in nearly 300 different zip codes across the northern Illinois region, the utility said.

ComEd has also created tailored programs to help prepare local communities to accommodate the growth of EVs and EV infrastructure. For example, through its EV Readiness Program, created in partnership with and administered by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, more than 30 communities have received training to support them in the development of permitting, safety plans and community engagement strategies so that EV use is made accessible to all, according to the company.

“ComEd has launched innovative transportation electrification initiatives that are responsive to the needs of our region. Recognizing that local governments are essential partners in the safe and rapid adoption of [EV] technologies, they have partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to support municipalities in becoming EV Ready Communities,” said Kevin Burns, Mayor of the City of Geneva, Ill., and executive board chairman of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. “We are thrilled to see them earn this prestigious recognition.”

EV adoption is expected to continue increasing in Illinois through its Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which set a goal of getting one million EVs on the road by 2030. Plug In America reports that EV use is increasing in Illinois, with over 111,000 EVs currently registered in the state and nearly 90 percent of them in ComEd’s northern Illinois service territory.

“As I’ve said since day one of my administration, a clean energy future is meaningless if it leaves behind the historically disenfranchised and perpetuates inequities,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said. “ComEd is working alongside state programs like CEJA to ensure this isn’t the case, and I’m grateful for their leadership.”

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