The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that US$18.4m (c. £13.6m) in grants is being awarded to build 25 charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) along interstate corridors.
The funding is made possible through the second round of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
This programme is helping to invest in communities and generate economic development to advance Illinois’ goal to have a million EVs registered by 2030.
As part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress and signed into law in 2021, Illinois is set to receive a total of $148m (c. £109m) through NEVI to build out an EV charging network.
This will first be along interstate corridors, followed by more local locations, with gov. Pritzker announcing the initial round of $25.3m (c. £18.72m) in NEVI awards last year to build 37 charging stations.
In May, Illinois attorney general Kwame Raoul joined 16 other attorneys general in suing the Federal Highway Administration for withholding the remainder of the appropriated funds.
A judge in June ordered the administration to release funding appropriated to Illinois and 13 other states.
Governor JB Pritzker said: “Illinois has been at the forefront of building a clean energy economy that creates jobs and helps lower costs for consumers, and building electric vehicle chargers across the states has been core to that mission.
“I’m thankful for the quick action of our attorney general in the fight to restore these funds that president Trump was unlawfully withholding.
“With these resources rightfully coming back to Illinois, I look forward to taking another step forward in our continued efforts to expand EV infrastructure and boosting local economies across Illinois.”
Achievements and innovations in EV charging infrastructure will be recognised and celebrated at the fourth annual CiTTi Awards on 25 November 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector!
