Today, City Council approved an ordinance that will integrate expanded statewide requirements for electric vehicle (“EV”) readiness in new residential buildings with Chicago’s existing requirements for EV readiness in multifamily and commercial buildings. The expanded requirements will apply to building permits applied for on or after November 1, 2023.

“I applaud Governor Pritzker, the General Assembly, and all the advocates who supported the new state law for their efforts to continue supporting EV readiness in Chicago,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Today, City Council took another important step in ensuring that Chicagoans will have cleaner air to breathe and can conveniently charge EVs in Chicago buildings.”

“In addition to strong support for public transit, walking and biking, transitioning from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles is a key step in combating climate change,” said Alderman Matt Martin who sponsored the ordinance with Mayor Johnson. “I’m proud to partner with the Mayor on this important ordinance that will build on Chicago’s existing EV readiness ordinance by seamlessly integrating these new state requirements.”

In 2020, the City Council adopted EV readiness requirements for new multifamily residential buildings with five or more units and parking areas with 30 or more spaces serving new nonresidential buildings. Under Public Act 103-0053, which was signed by Governor Pritzker in June, starting in early 2024 all new residential buildings in Illinois with onsite parking, including single-family homes, are required to be built with infrastructure to facilitate the future installation of EV charging equipment. This ordinance will help to ensure building permit applicants in Chicago are aware of these requirements when they begin the permitting process this fall.

The ordinance also contains minimum technical requirements for energy management systems. Energy management systems are a type of equipment that balances the distribution of power to several EV chargers in the same parking facility, allowing for more efficient electrical system design.

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