Photo: NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory via CC BY-SA 2.0
Michigan’s government is putting together plans for an EV-friendly driving route along the shore of Lake Michigan — a move that could boost the state’s auto and tourism industries and benefit the environment while making leisure travel more convenient for electric-vehicle owners.
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According to a report by The Detroit News, the first step in building the Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit is a feasibility study that will launch sometime this year. The state already has $1.25 million in funding ready to go, and $5 million more could be available through outside partnerships.
The state’s ultimate goal is to install DC fast charging or Level 2 charging infrastructure at key points all along the coast, connecting towns and cities, parks and outdoor destinations, businesses, and tourist attractions in a seamlessly drivable EV route.
Per the News, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the new driving circuit would “entice residents and travelers to explore our incredible coastal communities and amenities while using clean energy, cutting pollution, and helping to protect our air and water.”
Photo: GMC
As it stands now, EV drivers traveling along the Lake Michigan coast don’t have an abundance of charging options. Most of the available stations are clustered around cities like Holland, Muskegon, and Benton Harbor. Many are part of the Tesla network and require an adapter for use by non-Tesla EVs.
The new Lake Michigan EV route fits in well with another state initiative announced at the same time. Michigan is planning to launch academies that will train workers to fill new jobs created by the electrification of the auto industry.
Over the next several years, EVs are likely to take on a more central role in Michigan’s economy. For example, General Motors is turning its Factory ZERO in Detroit-Hamtramck into an all-EV production facility. It’s part of a multibillion-dollar company initiative to switch to 100 percent renewable energy, eliminate all carbon emissions, and introduce dozens of new electric vehicles in the U.S. and around the world.
A longtime editor/writer and recently transplanted Hoosier, Caleb Cook lives in Xenia, Ohio. His favorite activities are reading and listening to music, although he occasionally emerges from the heap of books and vinyl records in his basement to stand blinking in the sunlight. Once fully acclimated to the outside world again, he can be observed hanging out with his wife, attempting a new recipe in the kitchen, attending movies, walking the dog, or wandering into a local brewery to inquire about what’s on tap. See more articles by Caleb.