Illinois' Section of Route 66 to Get Electric Charging Stations

California has been at the forefront of the electric vehicle market for years now, as almost half of the United States electric car fleet has been sold there, and it has considerably more charging stations than any other state. But lately, other states have been increasing efforts for promoting the use of alternative fuel vehicles, and surprisingly, Illinois is one of them, as it looks to boost investment in infrastructure projects to support EVs on the road. The state plans to improve the supporting infrastructure for electric vehicles by increasing the number of publicly available charging stations, which is a prerequisite for a wider adoption of EVs.

Illinois officials announced that the state will spend $1 million to install a series of charging stations on the famous U.S. Route 66, which is supposed to help both commuters and tourists owning electric cars to cover long distances across the state driving in electric mode. The stations will be built along a 300-mile stretch of the route between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River, and will basically allow EV owners to drive between St. Louis and Chicago, recharging their cars while on the road.

Governor Pat Quinn said that this project reflects the state's and the region's commitment to sustainability and clean energy. "This new project exemplifies Illinois' place as the innovation capital of the Midwest, with cutting-edge business practices that create jobs and encourage sustainability.", Quinn stated.

The project is called the Illinois Route 66 Electric Corridor, and will be realized by the state of Illinois in collaboration with BMW, Nissan and Mitsubishi, along with the University of California, Davis. The three automakers are among the most serious players in the EV market, with the i3, the Leaf, and the i-MiEV as some of the best-selling electric vehicles in the world, so this project will surely be beneficial to them, as well, as they try to boost sales in Chicago and other metropolitan areas along this route that are considered to be great potential markets for plug-in vehicles.

At least one charging station will be installed in eight cities: Plainfield, Dwight, Pontiac, Normal, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville, and Edwardsville - which will be paid for by Nissan - with each site equipped with a DC fast-charging station, which will either have a CHAdeMO or CCS connector, along with one Level 2 station. According to state officials, EV owners will be able to recharge their cars at one of these stations in less than 20 minutes. The project is supposed to start later this month, and once it's finished, which officials hope will be by next summer, it is expected to help increase popularity of electric vehicles in the Midwest, which at the moment, lags behind the West Coast in terms of adoption of alternative fuel vehicles. As an added benefit, the Illinois Route 66 Electric Corridor may well help revive Route 66 and bring it back to its former glory as one of the country's most popular attractions.