Contact: Noah Barnes, Electrification Coalition
nbarnes@electrificationcoalition.org, (202) 461-2371
LANSING, MICH.—The Electrification Coalition (EC) applauds the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) for submitting its National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) state plan to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation.
The Michigan Plan for EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan lays the groundwork for administering the funding awarded to the state through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The state will receive $110 million over the course of the NEVI program, a significant investment in the state’s charging ecosystem, alternative fuel corridors, and electric transportation future.
The EC commends Michigan on creating and submitting a robust deployment plan that was developed with the input of over 200 stakeholder entities, 10 state agencies, and the general public.
By enacting this plan, Michigan will support the next generation of transportation through charging station installation and operation. The investment increases EV and charging access for rural communities, as well as fosters economic development by ensuring EV drivers can confidently travel across the state. Michigan’s NEVI plan maximizes benefits to disadvantaged communities, as well as rural and underserved communities, in alignment with the Justice40 Initiative.
“In submitting its state plan, Michigan is taking actionable steps to bring greater EV infrastructure access to all who live, work, and play in the Great Lakes State,” said Aaron Viles, director of campaigns for the EC. “We have long supported transportation electrification policies and programs in Michigan, and are excited to see EGLE, LEO, MDOT, OFME, and other state agencies working collaboratively to achieve the goal of increasing EV adoption, reducing the state’s dependence on oil and the associated national and economic security risks.”
“To meet and leverage this critical EV moment, we urge Michigan’s leaders to support bold policies that will take advantage of Michigan’s important legacy as the birthplace of automobile manufacturing and innovation,” said Viles. “Maintaining a strong Michigan economy and ensuring the community benefits of transportation electrification will depend on state leaders passing ambitious, supplementary policies, such as those listed in the state plan, to facilitate the widespread adoption of EVs.”
To lead regionally and nationally on transportation electrification, the EC urges the following policy actions:
- Increase Michigan’s EV adoption rates. The state legislature should encourage local EV adoption through the creation of consumer purchase incentives, such as those considered in the most recent budget process.
- Electrify the state fleet. 100% of the State of Michigan’s fleet should be transitioned to zero-emission vehicles while supporting state electrification goals, this policy leads from the front and sets the precedent for electrifying other public, and private, fleets in the state.
- Adopt a Clean Fuels Standard. To decrease the use of oil in Michigan and increase the use of domestically produced power to move the state’s transportation sector, the state should enact a Clean Fuel policy to promote electrification.
- Prepare for medium- and heavy-duty electrification. Current funding opportunities present a unique opportunity to plan for transportation needs beyond light-duty vehicles. Michigan should sign on in support of the NESCAUM medium- and heavy-duty MOU, and adopt key policies laid out in the recently released action plan which would allow Michigan to set and meet electrification goals across all vehicle types.
- Continue elevated regional coordination. Michigan’s efforts to align with other Midwest states through the Regional Electric Vehicle Midwest Coalition (REV Midwest) will advance a more reliable charging network for medium and heavy-duty vehicles throughout the partner states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
With over a decade of experience developing and deploying cutting-edge tools and resources to support the mass adoption of electric vehicles, the EC is a trusted partner supporting states, local governments, and communities across the country with the policies and projects to drive our electric transportation future. The EC is ready to build on its work in Michigan to support the efficient, effective, and equitable deployment of charging infrastructure through the NEVI state plan.
# # #
About the Electrification Coalition: The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that advances policies and actions to facilitate the widespread deployment of electric vehicles in order to overcome the economic, public health and national security challenges that stem from America’s dependence on oil. For more information, visit electrificationcoalition.org.