The Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance requiring new construction of larger residential and commercial buildings to make at least 20% of parking spaces ready for the installation of EV charging stations.

The new rules apply to residential buildings with 5 or more units, and commercial buildings with 30 or more parking spaces. As Utility Dive reports, the ordinance also requires at least one of the EV-ready spaces to be accessible to people with disabilities.

Chicago has announced plans to power all of its municipal buildings with renewable energy by 2025, and all city buildings by 2035. The Chicago Transit Authority aims to electrify its fleet of over 1,850 buses by 2040.

“Analysts have forecasted exponential growth in EVs over the next two decades, and Chicago must be ready,” said Alderman Brendan Reilly, the chief sponsor of the measure. “Readiness starts with ensuring our municipal code anticipates the need for charging resources and other assets that will optimize the performance of our transportation network and minimize costs for electricity consumers, as EVs proliferate.”

Source: Utility Dive