Wire Size Calculator for Illinois
NEC 2020 wire size math for EV charger installers working in Illinois.
Wire sizing in Illinois is governed by NEC 2020 Table 310.16, with the state's 91°F summer ambient driving a 0.88× correction factor at 75°C terminations per Table 310.15(B)(1).
Worked example for Illinois
A 50 A continuous EV branch needs a conductor whose corrected ampacity meets or exceeds 50 A. In Illinois's 0.88× correction, that means picking a conductor whose 30°C-rated ampacity is at least 57 A. For copper THWN-2 in EMT, that typically lands at #6 AWG; aluminum requires one to two sizes larger.
Code & Utilities
EV installations in Illinois are governed by the 2020 National Electrical Code, in force since 2022. That includes Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) requirements: 125% continuous-load sizing on EVSE branch circuits, GFCI protection at outdoor receptacles, and provisions for energy management systems on shared circuits.
In Illinois, you'll most often interconnect with ComEd, Ameren Illinois, MidAmerican Energy. Each has its own service-upgrade timeline, EV rebate availability, and metering rules — confirm them before quoting commercial work.
Climate & Ampacity
Illinois's representative summer design ambient is around 91°F, which yields a 0.88× ampacity correction factor at 75°C terminations per NEC 310.15(B)(1). Because the correction is below 0.9, conductors that "look fine" on a 30°C ampacity table will not carry their nameplate current here — always derate explicitly.
Illinois takeaway
Don't forget conduit-fill derating per NEC 310.15(C)(1) when more than three current-carrying conductors share a raceway — a common condition on multifamily and workplace EVSE home-run racks in Illinois.