Distributed Energy Resources, GHG Emissions  -  September 3, 2024

Village of Skokie Electrifies Fleet

The Village of Skokie received a $45,000 electric vehicle (EV) rebate that will help in electrifying the Village’s municipal fleet. 

The rebate was provided by ComEd’s beneficial electrification (BE) plan and supported by the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which is designed to accelerate the adoption of all-electric technologies.

Funding for fleet EVs and related infrastructure is an essential step to reducing barriers to EV adoption and supports a state goal of achieving 1 million EVs on Illinois roadways by 2030. 

With the help of the ComEd rebate, Skokie purchased six municipal fleet vehicles, a key component of their push to electrify and reduce carbon emissions. ComEd funding for Skokie electrification projects will serve equity investment eligible communities (EIECs) specifically and further the plans outlined in the Village’s Environmental Sustainability Plan adopted in 2022, which includes goals for dramatically reducing carbon emissions.

“With support from ComEd and the State of Illinois, Skokie is leading the charge on municipal adoption of electric vehicles, helping the Village reduce fleet emissions and save money on vehicle purchases and maintenance,” said Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen in a statement. “More than 1,000 EVs are now on the road in Skokie, including a growing number of our municipal fleet vehicles, putting the Village on the way to achieving the ambitious emissions reduction goals outlined in our Environmental Sustainability Plan and paving the way to cleaner air benefitting our entire community.”

Skokie is making rapid progress in expanding EVs with four public charging stations and five municipal fleet ports added to date. Additional charging ports are planned over the next year. Additionally, Skokie became the first community to partner with ComEd on a fleet electrification assessment in 2024 and to participate in the ComEd and Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (MMC) EV Readiness Program, earning a certification in December 2023. Both efforts will help prepare the community to further expand EV implementation and support increased EV adoption in the years ahead.

ComEd EV funding programs are still accepting applications and will run through the end of 2025. Additionally, ComEd recently put forward expanded investments for EVs, continuing many of the same transportation electrification rebates offered in the first plan to expand those investments for customers in 2026-2028.