Investor-owned utility Consumers Energy says it will power 1,500 new fast charging locations for electric vehicles by the end of the decade, representing a major expansion in public charging for Michigan.
The forecast is part of Consumers Energy’s Transportation Electrification Plan that it is filing with state regulators.
“Despite some of the naysayers in the news lately, the trends in EV growth are unmistakable. EV numbers in Michigan have tripled since the end of 2020, and we’re seeing strong signs growth will continue,” says Lauren Snyder, Consumers Energy’s vice president of customer experience.
Consumers Energy has provided over 135 rebates for locations for public fast chargers that can fully power an EV’s battery in less than half an hour. The energy provider expects over 1,500 locations, each with four or more fast chargers, will be built over the rest of this decade as EV numbers climb.
To support that growth, Snyder said Consumers Energy will start offering rebates next year for the next generation of fast chargers – ones that are powered by on-site batteries. Those will allow chargers to be installed more quickly, and they will draw power from the electric grid overnight, the lowest-cost time, to charge vehicles during the day when people are on the road.
Consumers Energy has actively provided solutions that support Michigan’s EV transformation, including rebates for home and public charging through its PowerMIDrive program and a companion program, PowerMIFleet, that helps businesses electrify their fleets.