CHICAGO -- I-GO Car Sharing, a nonprofit car-sharing organization in Chicago, has launched a $2.5 million electric vehicle project that will add 36 all-electric vehicles to its fleet and 18 solar charging stations that will be publicly accessible. 

Once completed, I-GO said, the group will have the largest electric car fleet in the Midwest.

“I-GO is committed to being at the forefront of car sharing technology and sustainability, and providing pollution-free electric vehicles to our members is part of that commitment,” said Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-GO.

This EV infrastructure project has drawn grant funds from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Chicago Area Clean Cities Partnership and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.

I-GO on Nov. 30 announced the locations of 11 solar-powered EV charging stations throughout the Chicago region, including several JEWEL-OSCO stores, the Illinois Institute of Technology, the Village of Oak Park, the city of Evanston and Uncommon Ground restaurant. The remaining seven locations will be announced soon, I-GO said. The canopies will be installed in early 2012.

Each solar charging station will form a canopy that covers four parking spaces and will be able to refuel two electric vehicles. Two spaces will be reserved for I-GO at each location, and the others will be available to the public. Each canopy will be topped with 44 solar panels, representing a capacity of 10 kilowatts. 

The company 350Green will install the solar canopies. Here are the announced locations:

Jewel-Osco, 5516 N. Clark Jewel-Osco, 5343 N. Broadway Jewel-Osco, 101 W. 87th Street Jewel-Osco,  438 W. Madison, Oak Park City of Evanston Municipal Lot #3, 1702 Chicago Avenue City of Evanston Municipal Lot #4, 2122 Central Street City of Evanston Municipal Lot #32, 825 Hinman Avenue Village of Oak Park lot in the 1100 block of North Boulevard, between Marion and Forest Village of Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Uncommon Ground, 1401 West Devon Illinois Institute of Technology, 3201 S. State Street Jewel-Osco, 5516 N. Clark
Jewel-Osco, 5343 N. Broadway
Jewel-Osco, 101 W. 87th Street
Jewel-Osco,  438 W. Madison, Oak Park
City of Evanston Municipal Lot #3, 1702 Chicago Avenue
City of Evanston Municipal Lot #4, 2122 Central Street
City of Evanston Municipal Lot #32, 825 Hinman Avenue
Village of Oak Park lot in the 1100 block of North Boulevard, between Marion and Forest
Village of Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison
Uncommon Ground, 1401 West Devon
Illinois Institute of Technology, 3201 S. State Street