• Posted: September 16, 2022
• Chicago Auto Show, ev, ev charger installationn

OAKBROOK TERRACE, ILL. (September 14, 2022) – The Chicago Automobile Trade Association (CATA), the area’s new-car dealer association and producer of the Chicago Auto Show, announces Powering Chicago, the voice of the unionized electrical industry in Chicago and Cook County, as the premier sponsor of the first-ever Chicago Drives Electric event, Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

Although a burgeoning industry, Powering Chicago has long been at the forefront of the area’s steady shift toward electric vehicles (EVs). Its member contractors have been installing EV chargers in the region since 2008, and for decades it has been training members on this specialized electrical work at the IBEW/NECA Technical Institute (IN-Tech) in Alsip.

“Powering Chicago proudly supports CATA’s efforts to raise awareness about the benefits of EVs, our highly trained members have installed EV chargers and infrastructure throughout the area for nearly 15 years. We look forward to sharing this expertise as premier sponsor of the Chicago Drives Electric event.”

Executive Director Elbert Walters III

For an interactive look at a real charging station, Powering Chicago invites all attendees to tour its on-site Mobile Field Trip Truck, a 73-foot semi-trailer outfitted with the latest electrical technology. Aboard the truck, guests will also learn how Powering Chicago trains members and future electricians in the latest renewable energies, including EV charging technology, as part of its industry-leading apprenticeship program at IN-Tech.

Powering Chicago will engage attendees in several ways throughout the event:

• Media: Next Steps Panel (Sept. 29 from 12:30-1:45 p.m.) – Joining representatives from Charge Enterprises, CDK Global, and ComEd, Powering Chicago’s Bob Hattier, business representative at IBEW Local 134, will discuss selecting contractors for EV charger installations, evaluating electrical upgrades and differences among charger levels.
• Dealerships: Infrastructure Panel (Sept. 30 from 10-11 a.m.) – Along with executives from Charge Enterprises and ComEd, Powering Chicago’s Bob Hattier will provide guidance on dealership EVSE needs for service bays, showrooms and parking lots and Gina Dooley, Project Manager, EV Division at Jamerson & Bauwens Electrical Contractors will be a panelist.
• Attending Public: Mobile Field Trip Truck Tours (Oct. 1 and 2 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.) – Tour Powering Chicago’s 73-foot semi-trailer for an interactive look at the latest electrical technology, including a real EV charging station.

For more information on Powering Chicago, visit PoweringChicago.com.

About Powering Chicago

Bringing together the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 134 electricians and the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) of Chicago and Cook County, Powering Chicago is an electrical industry labor-management partnership that invests in consistently better construction, better careers and better communities within the metro Chicago region. Employing the latest technology, its members are elevating industry performance through their commitment to safety, level of experience and reliability, while also investing in the future of skilled labor through an innovative apprenticeship program that is paving the way for the next generation of skilled electricians. For additional information, visit poweringchicago.com.