Illinois launches $20 million funding round for public EV charging

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a new funding round to accelerate the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the state. The initiative will make up to $20 million available for new publicly accessible charging stations.Funding applications will open on 17 November 2025 via the Amplifund platform and will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. The programme covers both DC (Level 3) and AC Level 2 charging stations at public locations.Under the new funding notice, each application for Level 3 chargers must include a minimum of two station locations, with up to eight DC fast-charging ports eligible for funding per site. There is no limit to the number of Level 2 ports that can be funded. Eligible applicants must own the proposed charging site and/or the charging equipment, and all applications must achieve a minimum score to qualify.Evaluation factors include project readiness, location in counties where the Illinois EPA has not previously funded projects, proximity to existing public EV chargers, and placement at public transport park-and-ride facilities.Additional funding will be available for projects located in communities designated as Equity Investment Eligible through the state’s EIEC mapping tool. Sites situated in Environmental Justice (EJ) or R3 communities will receive extra points in the scoring process to promote equitable access to electric mobility.“Governor Pritzker has prioritised electrification of the transportation sector to improve air quality and benefit the health of our residents,” said Illinois EPA Acting Director James Jennings. “To support that priority, we are committed to expanding the charging infrastructure necessary to power current and future electric vehicles throughout Illinois.”The funding comes after a Seattle District judge previously ordered the US federal government to release funding withheld for the construction of charging stations for electric vehicles in 14 states, including California, New York, Illinois and Washington. Soon after, the governor announced $18.4 million in grants from the second round of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) programme to construct 25 fast charging locations along a predetermined corridor.epa.illinois.gov

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