I get this call a lot lately, usually from an office manager or a property owner: “We’re thinking about putting in a couple of EV chargers. What’s that going to run us?”
Fair question, and the answer has moved enough in the last year that whatever you read in 2023 is probably wrong now. The hardware got cheaper. The code got stricter. And here in northern Illinois, ComEd is sitting on a pile of rebate money that can cover a real chunk of the install if you know to ask for it.
I’m Alexandr Godonoaga, owner of Cob Services LLC. We install commercial EV charging across Downers Grove and the nearby suburbs under Illinois license #26-00032356. Here’s what it actually costs to add ports in 2026, and what makes the number go up or down.
What a Level 2 port costs to install
For most Downers Grove businesses, offices, retail, restaurants, small apartment buildings, a Level 2 charger is the right tool. It’s the kind that fully charges a car over a few hours, which is plenty for a parking lot where cars sit during the workday or a shopping trip.
Installed, a single Level 2 port typically runs $3,500 to $15,000. That’s a wide range, and the reason is that the charger itself is the small part. A commercial Level 2 unit is maybe $1,000 to $10,000 depending on features. The rest is labor, conduit, and any electrical work your building needs to feed the thing.
What surprises most people is that doing more than one at the same time brings the per-port price way down. When you install several ports together, you dig the trench once, do the panel work once, and pull one permit for the whole job. A multi-port install can land closer to $3,500 to $6,000 per port for that reason. So if you’re even half thinking about adding a second or third down the line, it’s worth pricing them together now.
What drives the price up or down
The single biggest factor is how far the chargers are from your power source. A charger going on a wall right near your electrical room is a cheap run. Chargers out in the far corner of the lot mean trenching across the pavement, and trenching is where budgets balloon. If you’ve got a choice in where they go, that decision moves the number more than the brand of charger ever will.
Your existing electrical service matters almost as much. If your building already has spare capacity, we tap into it and you’re in good shape. If it doesn’t, you’re looking at a panel or service upgrade on top of the charger work, which is real money. That’s why I won’t quote this kind of job over the phone. I need to see your panel.
And then there’s a code change that actually works in your favor, which I’ll get to.
The load-management trick that can save you a panel upgrade
This is the most useful thing in the whole post, so don’t skim it.
The old way of thinking said every charger needs its full rated power available, all the time. Under that math, adding four ports to an older building often meant an expensive service upgrade just to handle the theoretical load. A lot of businesses got quoted a huge number and walked away.
The current code lets us design around the managed load instead of the nameplate load. Chargers rarely all pull maximum power at the same moment, so we can install a system that shares the available power intelligently. That often means we can add several Level 2 ports to your existing service without touching your panel at all. It’s the single biggest cost-cutter available right now, and not every installer designs for it. Ask whoever quotes you whether they’re using load management. If they look at you blankly, call someone else.
A licensed electrician isn’t optional anymore
There used to be a gray area where a handy maintenance person might wire up a charger. That’s gone.
Under the 2026 code, any hardwired commercial charger has to be installed by a licensed electrician. This isn’t us padding the bill. If a charger is hardwired rather than plugged into a receptacle, the licensed install is the legal requirement, and skipping it can void your insurance if there’s ever a fault or a fire. The code also tightened up ground-fault protection and the disconnect rules. So when you compare quotes, make sure you’re comparing licensed electricians, not a low bid from someone who’s going to create a liability problem you inherit.
The money on the table: rebates and credits
This is where Downers Grove businesses leave real cash unclaimed, so pay attention to the timing.
ComEd put roughly $70 million into EV programs for 2026 across northern Illinois, and one of those programs is make-ready money for the charging infrastructure itself, the wiring, panel work, and conduit that gets a site ready for chargers. For commercial projects that can offset a serious portion of the install. The exact 2026 amounts get finalized as the programs roll out, so the move is to check your eligibility before you commit to the project, not after.
On top of that, there’s a federal tax credit covering 30% of the equipment, capped per port, that for most projects sunsets June 30, 2026. If charging is something you want done this year, that deadline genuinely matters. I’m an electrician, not your accountant, so run the credit past whoever does your taxes, but don’t assume it’ll still be there next year.
Stack the ComEd infrastructure rebate with the federal credit and a project that looked expensive on paper can come out a lot more reasonable.
Do you even need DC fast charging?
Probably not, and I’ll talk you out of it if you don’t.
DC fast chargers are the highway-style units that charge a car in minutes instead of hours. They cost a different universe of money, often $60,000 to $180,000 or more per port, because they need heavy power and frequently a utility-side upgrade. They make sense for a fleet depot, a truck stop, or a high-turnover spot where cars can’t sit. For an office or a retail lot where vehicles park for hours anyway, they’re overkill. Level 2 does the job for a fraction of the cost. Anyone trying to sell a regular business on DC fast charging without a real reason is selling, not advising.
What to budget, realistically
For a typical Downers Grove commercial property in 2026:
A single Level 2 port, installed: $3,500 to $15,000, driven mostly by distance from your power source and whether your panel can handle it.
Several Level 2 ports together: often $3,500 to $6,000 per port, because the site work is shared.
DC fast charging: $60,000 to $180,000+ per port. Only if your use case truly calls for it.
Those are planning numbers, not a quote. The real figure depends on your building, and the only way to get it is to have someone walk the site and look at your service.
If you’re weighing EV charging for your Downers Grove business, we’re happy to come look and give you a straight number, including which rebates you actually qualify for. You can reach us at (630) 427-5923 or read more about our commercial electrical work in Downers Grove.
Alexandr Godonoaga is the owner of Cob Services LLC, a licensed commercial and residential electrical contractor serving Downers Grove and the surrounding Illinois suburbs. Illinois electrical license #26-00032356. This article is general information, not tax or legal advice; confirm current rebate and credit eligibility with the relevant program and your tax professional.