ComEd Awards Nearly $1 Million in EV Rebates to School District in Northern IL

ComEd is accelerating the transition to clean student transportation in northern Illinois. On November 17, 2025, the utility presented a $930,000 EV rebate check to West Aurora School District 129, helping fund the district’s rapid move to an electric school bus fleet. Working with Highland Electric Fleets and Blue Bird, the district has deployed 27 electric school buses and installed 28 EV chargers—making it one of the largest electric school bus operations in ComEd’s service territory and one of the biggest recipients of rebates under ComEd’s Beneficial Electrification Plan.

The impact of ComEd’s EV rebate programs has been substantial. Since launching in February 2024, nearly $130 million in funding has been awarded across 354 northern Illinois zip codes. The rebates have supported more than 8,700 charging ports and over 2,700 fleet EVs. Eighty percent of rebates have gone to low-income customers or organizations located in, or serving, Equity Investment Eligible Communities, ensuring that the financial and health benefits of electrification reach the residents who need them most.

“ComEd is proud to fund electrification projects like West Aurora School District 129’s and hundreds of others across the region, as our customers and communities take steps toward a lower carbon future,” said Gil Quiniones, President and CEO of ComEd. “EV rebates are helping reduce the upfront costs while also bringing us closer to achieving the state’s energy and climate goals.”

“West Aurora is proud to lead with actions that strengthen our schools and our community,” said Dr. Angie Smith, SD129 Associate Superintendent of Operations. “From energy efficiency to transportation, these investments reduce emissions, improve air quality and create a healthier environment for students, staff and families across our district.”

For West Aurora, the transition is about more than technology. Electric buses reduce emissions, cut noise, and create a better ride for students and drivers. The district has made environmental performance and operational efficiency priorities, and access to utility rebates makes large fleet transitions more achievable.

ComEd’s EV rebates are a key requirement of Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which aims to put one million EVs on state roads by 2030. Illinois currently has more than 150,000 registered EVs, and nearly 90 percent run in ComEd’s territory, a massive jump from just 19,000 in 2019. As more fleets electrify, communities across northern Illinois will see cleaner air, healthier neighborhoods, and more equitable access to modern transportation.

“Reaching Illinois’ goals for a cleaner transportation future depends on advancing fleet electrification plans, including school bus fleets, to reduce tailpipe emissions throughout our state,” said Megha Lakhchaura, EV Officer for the state of Illinois. “West Aurora School District 129 is leading by example in their fleet electrification efforts, thanks to initiatives like the ComEd EV rebate and the Clean School Bus programs. The work of programs like this are making transportation electrification more accessible for all northern Illinois businesses and communities.”

“Reducing emissions from vehicles, especially heavy-duty vehicles like school buses, is one of the most effective steps we can take to improve air quality and public health in Illinois,” said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at Respiratory Health Association. “ComEd’s continued support of transportation electrification funding is allowing businesses, communities and school districts like West Aurora to achieve their electrification goals and help eliminate pollution and create cleaner air for all our communities.”

“The Environmental Law & Policy Center celebrates West Aurora School District 129’s launch of its new electric school bus fleet. This transition to zero-emission buses will bring healthier, quieter rides for students, their drivers and the neighborhoods these buses serve,” said Genevieve Kwan, Illinois Government Affairs Representative at the Environmental Law & Policy Center. “We’re thrilled to see this partnership come to life—leveraging federal and ComEd funding, and Highland Fleets’ expertise—to build what may now be the largest electric school bus fleet in northern Illinois. We’re also excited to see these buses support the grid when they’re not performing their critical job of safely transporting student, enabling the district to send power back to the grid and receive compensation for that service.”

ComEd’s EV programs continue through 2028, with higher rebates available for projects in low-income and equity-eligible areas. As a unit of Exelon Corporation, ComEd serves more than four million customers across northern Illinois and continues to play a central role in advancing the state’s clean transportation goals.

To help customers connect to the benefits of EVs, ComEd offers various resources including, the ComEd EV Toolkit, EV Ambassador Program, EV Readiness program, EV Load Capacity Map, Fleet Electrification Assessments, EV Service Provider Network, EV Dealership Network and more.