A photo of a Consumers Energy hard hat. (Isaac Ritchey, MLive.com)Isaac Ritchey | MLive.com
FLINT, MI – Five Michigan-based companies are receiving electric vehicles from Consumers Energy, furthering the push for EVs in the state.
Consumers Energy is providing electric vehicles to five organizations in West Michigan and the Great Lakes Bay region, a Tuesday, Nov. 14, news release said.
“Consumers Energy is working to ensure electric vehicles meet needs for people, businesses and, in this case, groups that serve thousands of people across our state,” said Lauren Snyder, Consumers Energy’s vice president of customer experience, in the news release. “We’re excited to help these organizations put wheels on the road, stretching their dollars and serving communities with clean energy-powered transportation.”
Consumers Energy is providing the following companies with EVs. They should be receiving their vehicles by the middle of next year:
The organizations are receiving EVs in partnership with PowerMIFleet (“Power My Fleet”), a Consumers Energy program providing expertise and financial rebates to businesses considering electric vehicles.
PowerMIFleet sets aside funds to promote equitable access to clean transportation, supporting nonprofits and customer fleets that serve disadvantaged communities. Consumers Energy is also helping 11 Michigan school districts to add electric buses.
This summer, Consumers Energy also kicked off an effort to promote EV charging for community and multifamily locations, meeting the needs of drivers who don’t have their own house or driveway.
“Electric vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s your personal car, a business fleet vehicle or a van that carries seniors to medical appointments. That means we have to find creative approaches to meet those varied needs,” Snyder said. “We are developing solutions for everyone we serve as we work to power up to 1 million EVs by the end of the decade.”
Consumers Energy has provided incentives for over 4,000 EV chargers for homes, businesses and along roads across the Lower Peninsula. Those include 40 fast chargers that can power an EV battery in a half hour.
Electric vehicle sales continue to accelerate in Michigan. Consumers Energy is powering over 30,000 EVs across Michigan, more than triple the number from the end of 2020, according to the news release.