Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation

RMI analysis indicates that Illinois could achieve significant household cost savings, pollution reduction, and public health improvements by adopting three clean transportation strategies: vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed investments in state transit systems.

• Implementing a combination of vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and increased transit funding could save Illinois households an average of $2,815 per year. Specifically, adopting Advanced Clean Cars II (ACCII) alone could save commuters an average of $732 annually through reduced fueling and maintenance costs.
• The adoption of these three strategies could reduce pollution by up to 305 million metric tons between 2024 and 2050, which is equivalent to the emissions avoided by 3,000 new wind turbines.
• Clean transportation strategies would significantly reduce mortality in Illinois. Reducing crash fatalities through car alternatives could save 220 lives annually, while vehicle electrification could save an average of 47 lives per year due to improved air quality. Additionally, replacing 1 in 25 car trips with walking or biking could avoid 1,645 premature deaths annually.
• Illinois has received federal funding, including $225 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for climate-smart transportation and $149 million for a charger network, as well as millions from the Inflation Reduction Act for electric school buses. However, the state has not yet adopted clean vehicle standards, and 30% of its transit vehicles are past their useful life.

APA

RMI (2024). Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation. https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-illinois-is-leaving-money-on-the-table-until-it-embraces-clean-transportation/

Chicago

RMI. Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation. 2024. https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-illinois-is-leaving-money-on-the-table-until-it-embraces-clean-transportation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation |date=19 April 2024 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-illinois-is-leaving-money-on-the-table-until-it-embraces-clean-transportation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2024analysis, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Analysis: Illinois is leaving money on the table until it embraces clean transportation}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2024}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/analysis-illinois-is-leaving-money-on-the-table-until-it-embraces-clean-transportation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }