In working for ComEd, one must have a split personality, akin to that of Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. The utility will teach us how to save on soaring energy costs, but it still wants us to use more electricity.

Especially since the cost of gasoline — the average U.S. household spends nearly one-fifth of its total family expenditures on transportation — has skyrocketed since President Donald Trump began his problematic war on Iran, where the Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of the globe’s oil supply.

Lake County motorists have been greeted by prices at the pump close to $4.50 a gallon for unleaded. Diesel is about a dollar more.

The national average retail price of a gallon of gasoline has topped $4 for the first time in more than three years. Crude oil stood at $117 a barrel the other day due to the Middle East conflict. Undoubtedly, higher diesel prices will eventually affect the costs of everything else across the U.S. economy.

Enter ComEd, which is driving motorists to consider electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids. High gasoline prices can lead to turning one’s garage into an individual charging port.

In a recent offering urging EV sales, ComEd noted that those who purchase higher-priced electric vehicles have substantial savings over the life of gas-powered vehicles. “Imagine never rushing to a gas station again. With an electric vehicle, just program it to charge overnight and it’s ready to go when you are,” the utility’s marketers urge.

“And today’s EVs offer plenty of range, giving you enough power to cover your daily commute, errands, and even a weekend getaway — without worrying about running out of a charge,” they added in the EV proposal. They note that on a national average, it costs less than half as much to travel the same distance in an EV as in a conventional vehicle.

The utility estimates it costs the average EV owner $573 a year at a rate of 14 cents a kilowatt hour, compared to annual costs of $2,210 for conventional vehicles if gasoline is $4.25 a gallon. There’s no doubt that with EVs, drivers are unaffected by the volatile swing of global oil markets.

But, they’re just as afflicted by the rising cost of electricity in northern Illinois, which ComEd admits is becoming a concern among its customers. The cost of energy, either to run vehicles or power homes and businesses, has become shocking.

The utility’s parent company, Exelon, in late February launched “The Exelon Promise,” a customer-first strategy focusing, among other things, on addressing the root causes of higher energy costs and rising electricity bills.

“The Exelon Promise reflects a companywide commitment to tackling rising energy costs and protecting the customers we serve,” ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones said in a statement. “Across northern Illinois, we are focused on providing safe, reliable energy while doing everything we can to keep costs under control for the communities who count on us.”

Illinois isn’t the only place where energy supply prices are spiking. The convergence of historic growth in U.S. electricity demand, limited energy supply, market dynamics and the growth of power-sucking data centers, experts say, are reasons higher costs are increasing nationwide.

Illinois is to wean itself from fossil-fuel dependence and be 100% dependent on renewable energy sources by 2050. Wonder how many betting sites will give odds on that happening in 24 years?

Along with strongly suggesting motorists switch to EVs, ComEd also wants us to save on energy costs, which is where that split personality comes into play. My last ComEd bill showed that $83 of my energy costs went toward: Electronics, $38; appliances, $34; lighting, $11.

So to cut back on my electric bill, ComEd suggests money-saving tips. Such as hanging laundry to dry.

A typical clothes dryer uses up to four times more energy than a washing machine. Hang-drying saves energy and reduces wear and tear on clothes, the utility says.

Another tip? Choose efficient lighting, like light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.

ComEd also suggests using light sensors and timers to save on lighting costs. Light sensors can automatically turn off lights when no one is in a room; plug-in timers, which also run on electricity, can turn on or power down lamps and lighting.

Certainly, there’s more on saving energy costs on the ComEd website, such as using power during off-peak times. Or one can consider using common sense.

Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor. sellenews@gmail.com. X @sellenews.