EV charging ports switched on at Joliet’s Inwood Athletic Club

Drivers will now be able to charge their electric vehicles while tailgating at JCA home football games, during a cardio workout at Inwood Athletic Club or between twangs at the Taste of Joliet.

Six new charging ports, each able to power two vehicles, are now operational at a station in the parking lot of the Inwood Sports Complex in Joliet.

The station was touted at a press conference Monday morning as the latest instance of Illinois’ devotion to reducing carbon emissions from internal combustion vehicles.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, on hand to celebrate the station, stressed the station’s importance.

“Foundational to a successful transition to EVs is having the charging infrastructure in place,” Pritzker said.

Joliet mayor Terry D’Arcy, meanwhile, praised the station’s environmentally friendly potential.

“The installation of electrical vehicle chargers at this Joliet Park District site marks a major milestone. The project represents our collective and collaborative commitment to meeting the needs of our residents, while playing a part in a broader effort to combat climate change and reduce the carbon footprint,” D’Arcy said.

The mayor continued: “As an owner of an electric vehicle, and someone who works in the automotive industry, I understand firsthand the importance of this technology.”

The station is the first one fully funded by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, a program which prioritizes “Illinoisans who live in communities that have historically faced economic barriers and environmental damage,” according to the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.

“The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act put forward significant investment in our electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Since June of last year, we’ve distributed more than $69 million in CEJA funds to support EV chargers all across our state,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker also said that charging stations will soon be built every 50 miles along Illinois highways.

Overall, EVs face several hurdles hampering their popularity. First is the incoming Trump administration, which has mostly condemned EVs and could plunge the industry into uncertainty.

Pritzker said consumer morality would ultimately prevail over that political obstacle.

“The EV industry will continue to grow with or without the support of the Trump administration,” he said. “People are choosing to do what’s right for the environment, and fight climate change.”

Although auto consumers balk at the cost of some EVs, the governor pointed out their increasing affordability as shoring up their popularity.

“They are … extremely affordable when you take into account the cost of purchasing gasoline versus the cost of plugging in,” he said. “If you take the total cost of ownership on some of the lower-priced electric vehicles that are out now, it’s actually a pretty good deal as compared to a fossil fuel, internal combustion engine vehicle,” Pritzker said.

State Sen. Rachel Ventura of Joliet, also at the press conference and herself an electric Tesla driver, said that “EVs are more affordable than ever,” and noted that many EV drivers will be saving thousands of dollars over the lifetime of their car on gas and oil expenditures.