Illinois installs first public EV charging stations at state parks with EVBox donation

EVBox has donated 40 EV charging stations across Illinois state parks, museums, and beaches. The donation is in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to boost electric vehicle infrastructure in the state.

 

LIBERTYVILLE (IL), October 8, 2024 – EVBox has donated 40 EVBox Iqon electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). These charging stations will provide EV drivers with convenient access to charging stations in Illinois. This marks a significant milestone in the expansion of EV infrastructure in Illinois' public spaces. 

From left: Dan Fedor, NA Senior Business Development Manager at EVBox, JB Pritzker, Illinois Governor
And Sunny Patel, NA Senior Product Manager at EVBox with EVBox Iqon.
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From left: Dan Fedor, NA Senior Business Development Manager at EVBox, JB Pritzker, Illinois Governor And Sunny Patel, NA Senior Product Manager at EVBox with EVBox Iqon.

Governor Pritzker joined the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and local leadership to announce the EVBox donation of electric vehicle charging stations to the state. Visitors to Illinois state parks will be able to conveniently charge their electric vehicles while camping overnight or stopping for an afternoon hike with EVBox Level 2 charging stations, which will be placed at Illinois state parks, historic sites, museums, beaches, and other widely used public areas. 

To help advance electric mobility in their home state, EVBox, based in Libertyville, teamed up with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Together, they worked on a plan designed to significantly boost the availability of charging stations statewide. 

EVBox proudly supports Illinois’ commitment to addressing the evolving needs of its residents by expanding access to EV chargers. As electric vehicles become increasingly common, investing in charging infrastructure is essential to keeping parks and public spaces accessible for all. This initiative helps pave the way for a cleaner future while making it easier for communities to transition to electric mobility. 

These are the first EV charging stations made available for public use by the State of Illinois. The state will not charge a fee for drivers to use the charging stations. 

Three of the charging stations have been installed in state parks that are within 60 miles driving distance of St. Louis: Frank Holten State Park in East St. Louis, Eldon Hazlet State Recreation Area near Carlyle, and Washington County State Recreation Area near Nashville. A fourth charger was installed at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area in Cass County in central Illinois. 

Additional EVBox charging stations will be installed at IDNR sites around Illinois, including Starved Rock State Park in LaSalle County, Giant City State Park in Jackson County, Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area in Dekalb County, William Powers State Recreation Area in Cook County, and more. 

Illinois joins other states, including Michigan, Minnesota, and Tennessee in offering EV charging stations at state parks. The addition of charging stations in parks reinforces goals set forth in IDNR’s climate action plan, a roadmap for zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In addition, the department is proud to offer this convenience to EV drivers while also encouraging them to visit scenic parks and historic sites around Illinois. 

I am proud to announce that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has installed the first set of electric vehicle charging stations at four Illinois state parks with the help of our partners at EVBox. This is a milestone that brings us closer to reaching our ambitious goals of encouraging a reduction in fossil fuel emissions, advancing further electric vehicle adoption by making charging more convenient, and making it easier for people to explore all that our incredible state parks have to offer. JB Pritzker (Governor of Illinois)

We know the future is electric and we're committed to making sustainable transportation more accessible, not just for Illinois residents, but visitors too. By bringing EV chargers to these sites, we are supporting our clean energy goals so more and more people can enjoy Illinois!  Juliana Stratton (Lt. Governor of Illinois)

It’s an honor to be part of the effort to electrify Illinois’ beautiful state parks and support Governor Pritzker’s ambitious vision for a greener, more sustainable future. On behalf of EVBox, we’re thrilled to mark the first of several donations of EV chargers to be installed across the state parks. Together, we’re making EV charging more accessible and helping to preserve the environment for generations to come.  Dan Fedor (NA Senior Business Development Manager at EVBox)

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About EVBox

To build a sustainable future, EVBox empowers businesses and drivers to embrace electric mobility. EVBox’s charging solutions lay the foundations for a world where electric mobility is the new normal by giving EV drivers the ability to charge with confidence, allowing businesses to easily enter the market and scale their offering as demand grows, and evolving with the rapid pace of innovation. Founded in 2010, EVBox is now a market leader in electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVSE) who has delivered over 550,000 charging ports to partners and customers globally. The solutions EVBox is offering include charging stations for residential, commercial, and fast-charging network usage, as well as charging management software. More information can be found on evbox.com.

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