Electric Cars On Rise In Elmhurst

ELMHURST, IL – More and more Elmhurst residents are buying electric cars, although gas-powered vehicles still make up the overwhelming number of purchases.

As of last month, 1,275 electric vehicles were registered in Elmhurst, about 4 percent of the total, according to Secretary of State statistics. The current number is nearly 30 percent above the 985 a year ago. Three years ago, the number stood at 478.

In November 2017, when the state started releasing such records, 87 electric cars were registered in Elmhurst.

Wealthier towns tend to have more electric cars. For instance, Hinsdale, which has a third of Elmhurst's population, has 1,034, according to state records.

The poorer suburbs of Dolton and Harvey, where the combined population is a bit less than Elmhurst's, only have about 50 electric cars, less than 5 percent of Elmhurst's number. In late 2017, three were registered in Dolton and none in Harvey.