Polo unveils EV charging station, recognized for work to meet EV needs

POLO — Polo’s participation in an initiative to help local governments prepare to meet a growing demand for electric vehicles and EV charging infrastructure has reached its end, but the work completed remains.

City officials unveiled Polo’s first EV charging station, located at 212 S. Division Ave., on Dec. 1.

“The EV charger is being used, which makes me happy to know,” Polo City Clerk Sydney Bartelt said. “It’s not just sitting there. We’re on the map.”

The charging station was one of the final actions Polo took as part of the EV Readiness Program’s inaugural cohort, which was formed in November 2022 by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and ComEd.

On Dec. 7, Polo and 11 other cohort members were recognized by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and ComEd for achieving “EV Ready” status. In addition, the city received special recognition as a “Small But Mighty Community,” for having the largest percent increase in EVs registered in the municipality – 400% – and for installing the city’s first EV charger.

“It was really special to be there and to get that [designation] and to be recognized for those things,” Bartelt said.

City Hall had to be closed for the day, but it was well worth it to be able to accept Polo’s awards, she said.

Polo earned Bronze “EV Ready” designation, along with 10 other communities. The village of Oak Park earned Gold designation, and four other cohort members – the village of Richton Park, Kane County and the cities of Aurora and Chicago – are continuing their work with the program’s second cohort.

Municipalities in the cohort ranged in population from Polo’s 2,291 to Chicago’s 2,746,388.

According to the 2020 census, Polo, Deer Park, University Park, Hampshire and Glencoe each have fewer than 9,000 residents; Richton Park’s population is 12,775. Geneva, Darien, Maywood, Hanover Park, Carol Stream, Oak Park and Skokie each have between 21,000 and 68,000 residents. Aurora’s population is 180,542 and Kane County’s is 516,522.