Cities like Chicago are unprepared for the Uptick in Electric cars that is coming and the charging infrastructure needed. If done right, cities, energy companies, and technology companies, can make a profit off of chargers.

Study: Chicago Could See 80,000 Electric Cars by 2030

Chicago could see more than 80,000 electric cars on the road by the end of next decade, but drivers will need the city to install thousands of new charging stations in order to power their vehicles. The number of electric vehicles in Chicago and other U.S.

From article, (Chicago could see more than 80,000 electric cars on the road by the end of next decade, but drivers will need the city to install thousands of new charging stations in order to power their vehicles.

The number of electric vehicles in Chicago and other U.S. cities will increase significantly by 2030, according to a new study by left-leaning nonprofits Illinois PIRG Education Fund and the Frontier Group. The study also outlines policy and infrastructure changes required to accommodate the growing “EV” market.

The demand for electric vehicles is already on the rise, with sales increasing by more than 30 percent in each of the last two years, according to data from the nonprofit Veloz. A 2017 report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that the U.S. will have 15 million electric vehicles on the road by 2050.

By 2030, when Chicago could have as many as 81,000 electric vehicles on its roadways, the city will need about 2,700 publicly available charging stations, according to the study. Currently, there are fewer than 300 stations in the city.

 Last year, Chicago’s Department of Transportation administered federal grant funding to cover 30 percent of equipment and installation costs for new direct current, or DC, fast-charging stations. Compared to residential-use stations that fully charge vehicles overnight, DC fast chargers supply a full charge in 20 to 30 minutes.

Costs for fast-charging stations range from $80,000 to $100,000, according to the Chicago-based Environmental Law & Policy Center.

As of February 2017, CDOT said there were 34 fast-charging stations in northeastern Illinois.

The new study, “Plugging in: Readying America’s Cities for the Arrival of Electric Vehicles,” calls on cities to map out charging locations for the coming wave of electric cars, particularly in areas without off-street parking.

The study’s authors also instruct cities to adopt policies that support electric vehicles, which reduce emissions of pollutants that can harm human health and contribute to climate change.

“American cities risk being unprepared for the impending arrival of thousands of electric vehicles on their streets,” said Alana Miller, policy analyst at Frontier Group and coauthor of the study, in a statement. “Without forward-thinking policies that give EV owners places to park and charge their vehicles, cities could lost out on the health and air quality benefits that electric vehicles can deliver.”)

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Me, "Cities like Chicago are unprepared for the Uptick in Electric cars that is coming and the charging infrastructure needed. If done right, cities can make a profit off of chargers.

Think about it. Cities charge you to park in certain areas with meter parking at a terminal that dispense tags. Why can't they charge you for charging up your car at a similar charging terminal? This could be a new revenue stream for cities. 

Electricity rates are not that high. Cities could add a usage fee just like a parking meter fee. An energy company provides the power and charges for the power, and a technology company provides the charger, and charges for its use, while making sure it stays in good repair. All these charges are added together in your charging bill when you come back to your electric car. 

Obviously, the bill needs to include the fact that this is a perk for people who can charge their car at home and not a perk for workers or apartment dwellers who do not have access to a garage for charging their electric car. 
The Bill would also stay low because these charging Terminals would be all over the city, (Where there presently are not) making a nice profit, and they would want repeat customers. 
Everybody wins, the City, (Ex. NYC) the Electric power company, (Con Edison) the charger provider, (Tesla, BP, Shell, etc.) and ultimately the customer, (You and Me)."