Auto Dealership Energy Procurement in Illinois
Last reviewed: 7/31/2026
By Illinois Commercial Energy editorial team · Reviewed by JakenEnergy commercial energy team
Auto dealerships are a mixed-use energy account: bright showrooms and lots, extensive HVAC, a service shop full of equipment, and — increasingly — EV charging. For Illinois dealerships and auto groups, procurement plus attention to demand and charging load protects a real operating cost.
Who this is for
Dealer principals, general managers, and controllers at Illinois franchised and independent dealerships, including multi-rooftop auto groups.
The dealership load profile
- Lighting and HVAC — showroom, lot, and service-area lighting plus significant HVAC across large glass-heavy buildings.
- Service-bay equipment — compressors, lifts, and shop tools that add to load and demand.
- Natural gas for space heating, where the gas utility depends on location.
- EV charging (growing) — a rising driver of both energy and peak demand.
EV charging changes the demand picture
As EV sales and service grow, charging can raise peak demand and shift a rooftop's rate class or capacity profile. Because uncontrolled charging peaks can add demand charges exceeding the charging energy cost, model charging load before installation rather than discovering it on the next bill.
Auto groups and portfolios
Multi-rooftop groups are best handled as a grouped multi-location procurement, grouping electricity and gas by utility and aligning renewals across the group.
Getting started
Provide 12 months of electric and gas bills for a dealership (and interval data where charging is planned), and the account or group can be reviewed and priced on matched terms through the procurement process. No savings figure is promised in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat drives energy cost at a car dealership?
Dealerships combine large showroom and lot lighting, extensive HVAC for showrooms and service areas, and service-bay equipment (compressors, lifts, tools). Natural gas typically covers space heating. The mix of lighting, HVAC, and shop equipment can create meaningful demand on demand-billed rate classes.
QHow does EV charging affect a dealership's energy?
As dealerships add EV sales and service, charging infrastructure can raise both energy use and peak demand — potentially shifting the rate class or capacity profile. Charging load should be modeled before installation, because uncontrolled charging peaks can add demand charges that outweigh the charging energy cost itself.
QDo dealership groups procure better together?
Yes. Auto groups with multiple Illinois rooftops can group accounts by utility and align renewals. Because dealerships combine electricity and gas, a portfolio review usually covers both commodities across the group.
Related guides
Sources
Next scheduled review: 10/31/2026. Time-sensitive rate, tariff, capacity, and incentive details should be confirmed against the linked primary sources and a current bill.