Illinois activates first NEVI-funded EV chargers
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- IDOT cut the ribbon on Illinois's first federally-funded EV charging station at a Phillips 66 Mach 1 station in Casey, IL, on Illinois 49 near Interstate 70
- The Casey site features four DC fast charging ports on the Electrify America network, each capable of delivering up to 350 kW, funded by an $854,641 competitive grant awarded to Phillips 66
- Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi said IDOT's strongest EV charging interest is coming from rural areas, where travelers stopping to charge spend money at local stores and businesses
- IDOT announced $23.5 million in Round 3 NEVI funding to build 140 new EV charging ports at 29 locations, each with at least four DC fast chargers capable of returning a typical EV to the road in under 30 minutes
- Illinois has conditionally awarded more than $67 million across three NEVI rounds for 91 charging stations, with plans to energize 489 public EV charging ports by program's end
Why it matters: Illinois has moved NEVI from paperwork to pavement, with first chargers live and $67M+ committed across 91 stations targeting 489 ports statewide. Rural communities like Casey are the clearest near-term winners, since IDOT explicitly framed the build-out as a way to pull traveler spending into small-town economies.
