New EV Charging Rebates Available in Illinois From ComEd

There is no better time to invest in EV charging as there is today! EV sales continue to grow each and every year. In 2023, EVs represented an all-time high of 9.5% of all new passenger vehicle sales per the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. Many analysts predict that the EV market share may reach 30% by the end of this decade. To support these millions of electric cars on the road, tens of thousands of charging stations are needed.

Thankfully, many different rebate programs are available throughout the country to help incentivize the transition to electric. Many of these programs cover a large portion of the project cost. ComEd, the largest electric utility company in Illinois, now has an EV charging rebate program available to businesses and multi-family properties within its service territory. 

Get in touch today with EVmatch as your EV charging partner if you are interested in applying to this ComEd EV Charging program. We can help verify your project is eligible for funding and assist in managing the project from start to end!

ComEd EV Charging Funding Amounts

Specifically, the program is split into to two EV charging station project types: Level 2 and DC Fast (also known as Level 3). Level 2 charging adds about 25 miles to an EV battery per hour of charging and is perfect for multi-family and business locations, where drivers are parked for many hours. Level 3 charging is much faster, but also more expensive, and is best suited for highway and freeway rest stops.

For Level 2 projects, ComEd will fund up to $8,000 per port with a maximum of 10 ports funded. For Level 3 projects, ComEd will fund up to $1,000 per kW with a maximum rebate of $500,000. The maximum funding a single property can claim is $1,000,000.

Select Customer Rebate Qualifications

In order to qualify for the increased “Select” funding, the customer has to be eligible for any one of the following criteria:

1. A Customer who domiciles in a low-income community and/or primarily serves in a low-income community. Domicile includes the location vehicles are permanently assigned, most frequently used, or dispatched from.
2. A Customer who domiciles in an Environmental Justice (“EJ”) community or a Restore, Reinvest, Renew (“R3”) community, collectively referred to as an Equity Investment Eligible Community (“EIEC”), and/or predominantly services in an EIEC.
3. A Customer who demonstrates through attestation that over 50% of the driving done by the vehicle at issue is in a low-income community or EIECs.
4. Chicago Transit Authority when seeking rebates for transit buses.

Further rules and restrictions apply so interested applicants are highly encouraged to reach through the program webpage and guidelines prior to submitting an application. 

Program Requirements

ComEd requires all applicants to comply with the following requirements in order to receive any rebates: 

1. Applications must be submitted within 90 calendar days of project completion.
   • ComEd is working on establishing a process in 2024 that will enable pre-approved rebate vouchers for qualified make-ready projects, in order to secure project funds early in the project
2. Business, public, and multifamily property customers must have a commercial ComEd electric account to qualify for Program rebates. For residential accounts, refer to the EV Charger Installation and Rebate Program.
3. To receive the highest rebate, customers must be an Select Customer** or attest that over 50% of the driving done by vehicles served by the charging infrastructure will be in a low-income, environmental justice, or restore, reinvest, and renew community**. 
4. The following supplemental application documentation are required to apply for a rebate: 
   • Paid contractor invoice with project details sufficiently detailed to differentiate make-ready costs from other costs
   • Installed EV charger spec sheet, dated receipts, site photos, installed EV charger photos, and EV charger serial number photos
   • If the project is for public chargers (chargers intended for public use): 
     • Annual reliability report
     • Attestation that the customer has performed public outreach in the development of the proposed project
     • Additional documentation may be requested as part of the application review and approval process
5. Construction must be completed before the rebate is paid. Construction completion is defined as EV chargers installed, energized, networked, open for safe use by the intended users with jobsites clear of all barriers, materials and obstructions that might limit public or fleet use, and verified as operational.

Not sure if your property is eligible or if EV charging is right for your property? Contact us today and we’ll help assess if your site is ready for EV charging.

Eligible Project Costs

The overall goal of the ComEd EV Charging Rebate program is to advance the proliferation of EVs through the deployment of EV charging infrastructure. While the program provides tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars for property owners to install EV charging stations, there are some limitations in what is considered an eligible project cost. Per ComEd, “Make-ready infrastructure includes costs required to make the site ready for EV charging on both sides of the ComEd meter.” Note that "Make-ready" costs can often account for 75% or more of the total costs of an EV charging project.

Eligible cost include, but are not limited to, the following: 

1. Permits
2. Electric panel upgrades
3. Conduit
4. Wiring
5. Site work
6. Trenching and repair
7. Required protective equipment
8. Labor

Ineligible Project Costs

Per ComEd, the following are considered ineligible for reimbursement:

1. EV chargers, also known as Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)
2. Mounting equipment/pedestals are not eligible for program rebates.

How to Apply?

You can get started with an application by heading over to the ComEd EV Charging Rebate program website. Note that the program has funding available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Therefore, if this is something that you are interested in, EVmatch highly recommends that you reach out to us to see how we can partner with you to reserve funding until it is no longer available.

Why Partner with EVmatch?

EVmatch is a preferred EV charging solution for businesses and multi-family properties. EVmatch provides software services to manage EV chargers, which allow EV drivers to find, reserve, and charge through the mobile app. Station hosts just need to complete the initial setup and then EV drivers can use the chargers at designated prices and times. Station hosts can determine the cost of charging and set dynamic pricing based on user type or time of day. Some hosts decide to simply cover electricity costs, where others charge a slight premium to generate revenue. With EVmatch, the station host has complete control over the use of the chargers while providing an easily accessible amenity to EV-driving tenants, employees, and the public. EVmatch's hardware and software prices are 40-60% lower cost than many comparable alternatives.

You can learn more about how EVmatch is the right choice for your EV charging project here. 

EVmatch also has an extensive list of trusted affiliate contractors local to the ComEd service territory such as Verde Energy Efficiency Experts,  CBBEL, AMB Renewable Energy, and Verde Solutions. Each partner has great experience installing EV chargers and is ready to assist you with your EVmatch project. You can contact us anytime to learn more about how we can help you with your EV charging project.