MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. (WWJ) -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is touting new plans to advance electrification in Michigan, including expanded infrastructure for electric vehicles along Lake Michigan, creating “the best new road trip” for EV owners in the country.
The Whitmer administration launched two new initiatives Wednesday at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Mackinac Policy Conference, focusing on EV infrastructure and the state’s workforce landscape.
Her administration rolled out the new plans to “continue advancing Michigan’s electric vehicle and mobility landscape by building out critical charging infrastructure in the state and ensuring the strong pipeline of talent needed for automotive mobility and electrification career pathways.”
The Lake Michigan EV Circuit and the Michigan Revolution for the Electrification of Vehicles (MiREV) are building on Whitmer’s MI New Economy plan, rolled out Tuesday, that focuses on growing the middle class, supporting small businesses and investing in the state’s communities.
“I am laser focused on growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs and building the future of mobility and electrification right here in Michigan,” Whitmer said. “Today’s announcements build on our rich Pure Michigan tradition of exploration and bring together communities and small businesses to ensure that we honor our past as the place that put the world on wheels and continue to invest in our workforce as we lead the transition to electric vehicles.”
Related
The Lake Michigan EV Circuit would “tie together key coastal and rural communities, state and national parks and tourism attractions into a wider EV infrastructure network,” the Whitmer administration says.
The plan calls for installing EV infrastructure along sites where chargers are needed to fill the route’s demands of high summer utilization and challenging winter weather battery performance constraints.
The charging sites along Lake Michigan, a popular summer tourist destination, will include either DC fast charging or level 2 chargers, depending on the electrical infrastructure at the particular host site.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s Charge Up MI program will provide $1.25 million in grants to install the charging infrastructure. The funding will initially be limited to site hosts that meet the geographical and user-experience designs of the Lake Michigan EV Circuit’s route.
Wednesday’s announcement is part of a plan to make Michigan -- “the place the put the world on wheels,” in the governor’s words -- a leader in EV production.
Another focus of that plan is bulking up the state’s mobility and EV workforce by “making sure Michigan workers can access the training and education they need to stay competitive in this new economy.
The MiREV Academy/Academies “will help position Michigan at the center of that growth by proactively preparing the talent needed for automotive mobility and electrification current, emerging, future jobs and career pathways.”
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is looking to partner with several organizations for the efforts, for a total investment of up to $5 million through a competitive request-for-proposals process, the state says.
“By using an employer-led collaborative approach, we can effectively respond to the specific knowledge and skill demands of the automotive mobility and electrification industry,” said Susan Corbin, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). “MiREV will deliver a measurable return on investment for both employers and learners.”
Related
Part of that process will include determining projected job openings, identifying competencies, credentials and other hiring requirements, reskilling and upskilling incumbent workers, identifying training opportunities for job seekers interested in industry and conducting career awareness and promotion of EV-related industries and its occupations with Michigan’s future workforce.
“The outcomes of this RFP will ensure employers are able to address their most critical workforce needs while job seekers have access to better employment outcomes and career pathway opportunities in the mobility and electrification industry,” said Stephanie Beckhorn, Director of LEO’s Office of Employment and Training. “As this industry continues to expand, investments like MiREV will support the growth opportunities for companies, investors and workers.”
LEO’s Office of Employment and Training, along with the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, on Wednesday released a Request for Proposals that “seeks to identify one or more conveners who can lead this statewide initiative.”
Applications will be due by November 8. For details on eligibility and to access the RFP visit Michigan.gov/MICA.
Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 for continued coverage of the Mackinac Policy Conference. >>> LISTEN LIVE