In a joint press release, ComEd and the Metro Mayors Caucus announced that the Village of Park Forest is part of the third cohort of communities participating in the EV Readiness Program.

This initiative helps local governments prepare for the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and the necessary EV charging infrastructure. Twenty communities, including the Village of Park Forest, will receive technical assistance through this program to streamline policies and implement best practices for safe and effective transportation electrification in the region.

"Working alongside our partners at the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, ComEd is committed to expanding access to EVs and charging for our communities across northern Illinois,” said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of Governmental, Regulatory, and External Affairs for ComEd. “Training through the EV Readiness Program is essential for helping communities navigate the policies and infrastructure planning needed to safely and equitably ramp up EV adoption. Congratulations to the newest cohort, who will help more residents in their communities unlock the many benefits of EVs—such as reducing harmful pollution and creating cost savings for drivers.”

ComEd and the Caucus first launched the EV Readiness Program in 2022 to support communities increasingly focused on adopting EVs, which offer cost savings, as well as environmental and health benefits. There are currently more than 119,000 EVs on the roads in Illinois, with the majority in northern Illinois, marking over a twofold increase from the 53,000 registered in 2022. This growth is largely due to the state’s landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), passed in 2021, which aims to put 1 million EVs on the road by 2030.

The EV Readiness Program has now reached 41 communities in northern Illinois and is poised for continued expansion thanks to support from ComEd. Their investments in beneficial electrification are designed to help customers adopt cleaner technologies, like EVs, that reduce emissions and enhance the environment while generating energy cost savings. These investments, along with funding for critical education programs, have provided nearly $90 million in EV rebate and infrastructure funding available earlier this year to help cover the costs of projects such as residential charging, EV fleet vehicle purchases, and make-ready infrastructure.

With access to charging and the cost of purchasing identified as key barriers to widespread EV adoption, ComEd's EV programs are addressing the needs of both customers and communities. So far, these programs have incentivized the installation of over 3,000 Level 2 and DC Fast Charging (DCFC) ports, nearly 150 fleet vehicles—including school buses—and have extended EV funding into over 300 individual zip codes in the area. 

For more information on the EV Readiness Program, please visit the Caucus’s program webpage.