Illinois EPA announces recipients of $25.1 million aimed at funding new EV charging ports

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Director John J. Kim announced $25.1 million is being awarded to 20 applicants for electric vehicle charging infrastructure under the Driving a Cleaner Illinois program. The grants will fund 643 new direct current fast charging ports at 141 locations throughout the state.

These awards fund DCFC charging stations at publicly accessible locations across the state. Additional points were awarded to projects in Equity Investment Eligible Communities.

The grantees are as follows:

• 3216N Inc: Awarded with $320,000 for EV charges in Elk Grove Village and Stone Park at gas stations.
• Adams Electric Cooperative: Awarded with $277,814.00 for two EV chargers in Quincy at a community college hotel.
• Amoco Food Shop Number 1 Inc: Awarded with $320,000 for two EV charges in Chicago at gas stations.
• BP Products North America Inc: Awarded with $8.3 million for EV chargers in Addison, Aurora (2), Bellwood, Bloomington, Bolingbrook, Chicago (2), Crystal Lake, Des Plaines (2), Effingham (2), Elk Grove Village, Glen Ellyn, Hampshire, Huntley, Joliet (2), Kankakee, Lake in the Hills, Lombard, McHenry, Morris, Mt. Vernon, Naperville (2), Romeoville, Round Lake Beach, Round Lake Park, Summit, Third Lake, Troy, Volo, West Chicago, Woodridge and Zion at gas stations.
• Egyptian Electric Cooperative Association: Awarded with $320,000 for EV charges in Carbondale and Carterville at a university hotel.
• Gjovik Ford: Awarded with $400,000 for EV charges in Plano and Sandwich at car dealerships.
• GPM Investments LLC: Awarded with $319,751.44 for EV chargers in Edgewood and St. Elmo at gas stations.
• ITSM Software Consultants Inc: Awarded with $1.8 million for EV chargers in Algonquin (2), Arlington Heights (2), Bridgeview, Buffalo Grove, Chicago, Matteson, North Chicago, Roselle and West Chicago (2) at shopping/retail stores.
• Lanman Oil Company: Awarded with $480,000 for EV chargers in Charleston, Mattoon and Tuscola at gas stations.
• OBE Power Networks 1 LLC: Awarded with $320,000 for two EV chargers in Ottawa at parks/recreation facilities.
• OSF Healthcare System: Awarded with $320,000 for two EV chargers in Peoria at healthcare centers.
• Pilot Travel Centers LLC: Awarded with $1.4 million for EV chargers in Decatur, Effingham, Gilman, Marion, Marshall, Oakwood, Rochelle, Vandalia and Woodhull at gas stations.
• PowerPort EVC LLC: Awarded with $320,000 for EV chargers in Ashkum and Bourbonnais at shopping/recreation centers.
• Red E Charging LLC: Awarded with $2.1 million for EV chargers in Arcola, Atlanta, Bolingbrook, Brimfield, Chicago, Fulton, Loves Park, Marion, Peotone, Richton Park, Shorewood, Villa Park and Wilmette at gas stations.
• Rivian Automotive LLC: Awarded with $920,000 for EV chargers in Normal, Oak Brook and Springfield at shopping/retail stores.
• Road Ranger LLC: Awarded with $1.6 million for EV chargers in Bourbonnais, Dixon, Grayville, Marion, Marshall, McLean, Minonk, Princeton, Rochelle and Springfield at gas stations.
• Shiner Management Group Inc: Awarded with $320,000 for EV chargers in Gurnee and Mundelein at shopping/retail stores.
• Sustainable Energies Corporation: Awarded with $1.8 million for EV chargers in Country Club Hills, East Peoria, Glendale, Grayslake, Gurnee, McHenry, Melrose Park, Moline, Round Lake Beach and Waukegan (2) at restaurants.
• Universal EV LLC: Awarded with $2.9 million for EV chargers in Casey, Chillicothe, Decatur, East Peoria (2), Elk Grove Village, Gilman, Granite City, Hoffman Estates, Lincoln, Marion, Ottawa (5), Peoria, Princeton (2), Sandoval and Salem at hotels and/or shopping/retail stores.
• Victory Lane Ford Inc: Awarded with $560,000 for EV chargers in Carlinville and Litchfield at car dealerships.

The awards are based on a Notice of Funding Opportunity issued in late 2023, seeking publicly accessible locations statewide.

These grants were made possible through Gov. JB Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan and authorized under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.

“In Illinois, we’re strategically turning our vision for a clean energy future into a reality,” Pritzker said in a news release. “Thanks to recent grant awards, my administration will double the number of publicly available fast charging ports – putting us one step closer to our goal of reaching 100% clean energy by 2050.”

In 2023, Illinois EPA awarded $12.6 million in Volkswagen Settlement funding for more than 300 new EV fast-charging ports.

“Through these grants, Illinois will increase the number of fast charging ports by over 100%, resulting in nearly 1,000 more fast charging ports available for Illinois’ EV motorists and visitors,” Kim said in a news release. “This is significant progress in building out EV charging infrastructure throughout Illinois, with more opportunities on the way.”

The Illinois EPA also recently announced Round 2 of CEJA EV charging funding, which includes the same eligible private-sector applicants and Level 3 DCFC Chargers, while also opening eligibility to units of local government and Level 2 chargers.