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State of Michigan partners on electric vehicle ride-and-drives

As part of National Drive Electric Week, the State of Michigan has partnered with the Michigan Clean Cities Coalition, Michigan Electric Auto Association chapters, and Meijer to coordinate two electric vehicle (EV) Ride and Drive events in East Lansing and Ann Arbor.

Electric vehicles at ride-and-drive event at Meijer in East Lansing on 09-23-22

Electric vehicles at ride-and-drive event at Meijer in East Lansing on Sept. 23, 2022.

 

EVs of different makes and models were showcased and available to test drive in East Lansing and Ann Arbor. EV owners were on-site to answer questions and share insight on the EV experience.

“The events were designed to raise awareness of the multitude of benefits of electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more,” said Jessica Crawford, community programs coordinator in the Energy Services Unit in the Materials Management Division at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. “They also presented a unique opportunity to get the run-down on public charging, since both locations have DC fast chargers, that are funded, in part, through Charge Up Michigan.”

Michigan now has roughly 2,000 electric vehicle charger ports online or in development (not including Tesla chargers), including nearly 300 direct current fast chargers, 63 percent of which were supported through the Charge Up Michigan program. There are approximately 1,700 Level 2 chargers in the state. 

“With the State's recently approved EV Infrastructure Deployment Plan, we plan to continue to support the build out of the EV fast charger network in order to have enough infrastructure to support 2 million EVs (a goal stated in the MI Healthy Climate Plan),” Crawford added.

Two more ride and drive EV events will take place on Saturday, Oct. 1:

8 a.m. to  2 p.m.
Muskegon Farmer’s Market, 242 West Western Avenue, Muskegon, Michigan 49440

9 a.m. to 12 noon
Schoolcraft College, 18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, Michigan 48152

For more information, see the National Drive Electric Week website

 

 

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