The City of Springfield’s new EV charging network was made possible
with the State of Illinois’ Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program.
SPRINGFIELD & CHICAGO – Today, the City of Springfield, City Water, Light and Power (CWLP) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the installation of the final electric vehicle (EV) chargers funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program. The ceremony was held next to the newly installed chargers on 425 S. 4th Street in Springfield. The event, held with various project partners and the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, commemorated the beginning success of the new charging network, which has added 40 new Level 2 charging ports across the capital city. The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA), in its role as the Illinois Climate Bank, served as administrators of the CFI Grant Program and participated in the ceremony.
“This project is another example of Springfield investing in infrastructure that supports both today’s residents and the future growth of our community,” said City of Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher. “We are very grateful for this funding to be able to expand access to EV charging stations and add more convenient transportation options while continuing to position Springfield as a forward-looking capital city.”
“We are proud to be one piece of the puzzle supporting increased access to EV charging,” said Allison Pink, Illinois Finance Authority Executive Director, “Expanding access to reliable EV charging is an important part of building a more connected, resilient, and sustainable Illinois, and we are proud to support Springfield in this effort.”
The City of Springfield was initially granted over $629,000 through the CFI program. Over the summer, Springfield energized 38 EV charging ports across eight other sites throughout the city. Sites include four additional downtown locations, the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) campus, and high-traffic commercial areas. The City of Springfield was one of the first municipalities to begin construction under this program, and upon activation of its final two charging ports, Springfield will be the first of IFA’s grantees to install all its Level 2 charging stations.
“The greatest impact of this project to our city is that it does more than support electric-vehicle adoption. It helps strengthen our local economy,” said Tom Chi, CWLP Smart Cities Project Manager. “By strategically installing public charging stations near downtown destinations, retail centers, parks and educational institutions, EV drivers can visit local businesses for shopping and dining while their vehicles charge. The project promotes Springfield as an EV-friendly community while encouraging visitors and residents to spend more time supporting local businesses.”
“The Climate Bank is proud to play our part in expanding access to electric vehicle charging across our state. It’s somewhat fitting that the State’s capital is the furthest along in this program,” said Jakub Budz, Illinois Finance Authority Program Associate. “Over the next year, more than 200 EV charging ports are expected to come online across the State. As we continue our progress in the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, the City of Springfield will serve as an example of what the Climate Bank and its partners can achieve.”
These new charging sites support Illinois’ goal of having one million electric vehicles on the road by 2030 by strengthening accessible, reliable, and connected infrastructure throughout the region. In partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), IFA is deploying close to 50 DCFC and 400 Level 2 charging ports across the State, to achieve that goal. Springfield’s efforts demonstrate how coordinated partnerships between municipalities and state agencies can accelerate the adoption of clean transportation and provide long term community benefits.
The full list of EV charging stations can be found on the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s
Driving a Cleaner Illinois map.
The Springfield EV charging project was funded by a grant from the Illinois Finance Authority's Community Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant, Subgrantee Opportunity. The total project budget is $786,000, with $629,000 covered by the grant. Funding to the Illinois Community Charging Program comes from a $15 million federal award to the Illinois Finance Authority under the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant Program. The chargers, installed by B & B Electric under contract with Hanson Professional Services, are 240 volt Level 2 units capable of delivering 25 to 35 miles of range per hour. The charging rate is set at $0.26/kWh.
City of Springfield, CWLP EV charging station locations include:
• University of Illinois at Springfield Lot I
• Parkway Pointe, 3400 block of Freedom Drive
• W. Wabash Avenue and Drawbridge Road
• W. Wabash Avenue and S. Park Avenue at Wabash Trail Parking
• Municipal Center West, Monroe Street
• BOS Center, Washington Street
• Lincoln Home National Historic Site, 7th & Edwards Streets
• Y block, 4th & 5th Streets
• Old State Capitol, 5th & Washington Streets
Project Partners In Attendance at Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting: City of Springfield-CWLP, Illinois Finance Authority-Illinois Climate Bank, Hanson Professional Services, B&B Electric, Dunamis Charge, EV Energy Group.
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About the Illinois Finance Authority:
The IFA is a nationally recognized conduit issuer in the tax-exempt financing market and the commercial property assessed clean energy financing market. Pursuant to the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act of 2021, IFA is designated as the Climate Bank of the State. Learn more at
il-fa.com and
illinoisclimatebank.com.
