Consumers Energy launches PowerMIDrive program to boost Michigan’s EV infrastructure
With the backing of Michigan’s state government, automakers and legislators, Consumers Energy has launched a new program that, over the next few years, aims to increase electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and provide incentivizing rebates to the public.
The program is called PowerMIDrive and its goal is to prepare the state for increased electric vehicle use. As Michigan’s largest energy provider, Consumers is in a key position to help customers transition to electric vehicles while also strengthening the electric grid as the EV market grows. The Edison Electric Institute predicts more than 18 million electric vehicles will be traveling on U.S. roads by 2030.
Consumers intends to offer rebates for residential electric vehicle owners of between $400 and $500 to encourage the installation of 240-volt chargers at their homes. The company also wants to see more charging provided for the general public, and will include 200 rebates of up to $5,000 each for Level 2 vehicle chargers in public places and workplaces. An additional 24 rebates will be given for DC fast chargers places along highways and travel routes. Up to $70,000 will be provided to guarantee those chargers build a successful network.
“Electric vehicles are ready for the fast lane, and Consumers Energy wants to support the charging technology for the good of Michigan and our planet,” Patti Poppe, president and CEO of Consumers Energy, said. “Emission-free vehicles powered by emission-free energy is the aspiration. The PowerMIDrive program aims to increase our charging infrastructure while allowing customers to charge when and where they need to!”
Consumers said the PowerMIDrive program is expected to reward EV drivers for charging their vehicles during off-peak hours, which will help manage the demand placed on the grid and control electric rates for all customers.
Electric vehicle use has been steadily climbing over the last decade throughout the United States. Whereas in 2011, a study conducted by HybridCars.com and Baum & Associates found that the plug-in vehicle market share was only 0.14 percent, some analysts, like those at EV-volumes.com, put the share as high as 2.1 percent in 2018, and the pace of adoption is kicking up.
California has, to date, dominated in this market, but Michigan and Consumers see great potential for the state once known as the automobile capital of the world.
“The PowerMIDrive program complements Ford’s ongoing work to build an electrified vehicle portfolio with iconic models our customers know and love,” Matthew Godlewski, director of Ford’s Government and Stakeholder Relations, said. “Ford is investing more than $11 billion to get electrified vehicles on the road even faster. We’re committed to providing our customers with a variety of plug-in hybrid and fully electrified vehicles, which is why we applaud Consumers Energy and our government partners for their efforts to make charging stations more accessible and more affordable.”
Notably, Poppe made the program announcement during the Mackinac Policy Conference, backed by such figures as U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI), Michigan Public Service Commissioner Norm Saari, and Liesl Clark, a director at the Michigan Department of Environment, along with Ford and General Motors.
“Investing in a strong, reliable charging infrastructure will ensure more Michigan families choose electric,” Stabenow said. “I am leading the bipartisan effort to make it easier for consumers to buy EVs, which will help create jobs and cement Michigan’s status as an advanced manufacturing hub.”
The three-year, $10 million rebate program has already been approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) and will launch June 5. The MPSC hopes that the program will not only speed development, but help educate the public about the potential of electric vehicles.
“Effective public policy is developed when you bring diverse groups together in a planning process and come out of the discussions with agreements that transform how electrification will be the future of transportation,” Saari said.
Additionally, past purchasers of residential Level 2 charging stations may get grandfathered into the new program as well. Consumers has indicated that those who have purchased such a station in the 12 months prior to the program’s launch may be eligible for rebates if they fit designated networks and meet data sharing requirements.
All in all, the program fits neatly into Consumers stated goal to eliminate coal use by 2040 and to reduce carbon emissions by more than 90 percent.
