Michigan electric vehicle registrations climbed nearly 60 percent over the past year, which comes as the state is preparing to deploy tens of millions of dollars for additional charging infrastructure.
State officials project as many as 60,000 plug-in electric vehicles to be on Michigan roads by 2024. Electric vehicle adoption is expected to grow exponentially in the following years as automakers produce more consumer and commercial fleet models. Michigan’s largest energy provider, Jackson-based Consumers Energy, anticipates 1 million electric vehicles in its Lower Peninsula service territory by 2030.
Behind the scenes, though, is a sprawling and coordinated effort by utilities, state officials and the private sector to bolster the charging station infrastructure needed to support the growth in EV adoption.
In her proposed budget for next fiscal year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has recommended spending $90 million for various point-of-sale and charging station rebates and another $10 million to begin converting state government fleet vehicles. Much of this funding would come through two federal spending plans, the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Whitmer’s plan also recommends additional funding for various electric vehicle job training programs.
…
Jane McCurry, executive director of advocacy group Clean Fuels Michigan, called Whitmer’s EV-related budget proposals “really comprehensive” and noted that the multiple layers of collaboration are “going to be really crucial. I do feel the administration has set the stage for that.”
She also called the current EV buildup a “down payment” that will require additional investments in job training and ensuring affordability for potential EV drivers.
“Utility programs combined with federal infrastructure funding and the state budget provide an awesome down payment to really get the ball rolling downhill so we have ubiquitous charging infrastructure for Michiganders,” she said. “But it’s a down payment. So everyone can be part of it, we have to have the workforce in Michigan and the vehicles built in Michigan.”
