ComEd expands electric vehicle education efforts in Illinois high schools
A new group of five Illinois high schools was chosen for ComEd’s EVs for Education program this week, opening up $250,000 for their use in purchasing electric vehicles and charging equipment for driver’s education courses.
The company has awarded a total of $950,000 to 19 high schools in Illinois since the grant program was created in 2019.
Given that the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) seeks 1 million EVs on the road by 2030, ComEd wanted a program that helps potential users from a younger generation become acquainted with the vehicles.
“The benefits related to EVs are clear, and ComEd is working to remove barriers to adoption to help more customers move toward cleaner transportation, which generates energy savings, reduces pollution and helps bring cleaner air into our communities,” said Louie Binswanger, senior vice president of Governmental, Regulatory and External Affairs at ComEd. “Through our EVs for Education program, we’re working to bring the environmental and health benefits of EVs into more communities by empowering the next generation to play a role in our clean energy future.”
While many have benefited from the EVs for Education grant already, schools can only participate if they offer a public school driver’s education program and are located in the ComEd service region, which encompasses northern Illinois. Priority was given to applications from school districts with predominantly low-income student populations and those in areas underserved by EV access or charging, and those suffering from pollution-induced lower air quality.
Curriculum for the program was developed in conjunction with the Illinois High School & College Driver Education Association (IHSCDEA). It will give students not just experience in an EV, but teach them to understand the vehicles’ basic components, charging requirements and operational/charging considerations.
“The IHSCDEA is very excited about the ComEd EVs for Education program, helping more public high school driver education students experience the differences between internal combustion engine (ICE) and electric vehicles,” Wayne Hartmann, IHSCDEA Technology Coordinator, said. “These differences, which include handling characteristics, driving strategies, fueling techniques, and maintenance, are important for students to experience first-hand under the supervision of a qualified instructor. EV usage is certainly on the rise, and the program will equip students as they begin to interact with EVs more and more on our roadways.”
Each school will receive a $50,000 grant to help electrify their driver’s education curriculum by adding at least one EV to their existing vehicle fleet and purchasing at least one Level 2 EV charger. The selected schools for the 2023-2024 program include: Bloom Trail High School, Chicago Heights; Bremen High School, Midlothian; Dwight D Eisenhower High School, Blue Island; Rockford East High School, Rockford; and Sterling High School, Sterling.
Further application options should soon open for the 2024-2025 school year as well.
