200 electric vehicle charging stations to be built across Michigan
LANSING, Mich : You’ve probably seen electric vehicle charging stations while out in Michigan, and Consumers Energy plans to bring 200 more stations to help charge the next generation of transportation.
Consumers Energy doesn’t make electric vehicles. “That’s up to GM and Ford and others,” said Brian Wheeler of Consumers Energy.
But that isn’t stopping them from promoting more eco-friendly methods of transportation.
Consumers is planning to build 200 fast charging stations across Michigan.
“Plug in your vehicle, charge it for about half an hour, then you can go for hundreds more miles,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler says he hopes these extra charging stations will help combat what he calls “range anxiety.”
“It’s kind of this idea of ‘can I get from point A to point B and make sure I can charge my vehicle.’”
Consumers Energy has 24 fast charging stations already.
Stations in Ionia and Jackson have been serving Mid-Michigan already, but the new round of stations will further increase the amount of charging stations in the area.
“Electric vehicles are still a small part of the car market, but the sales are growing fast. GM wants to sell one million electric vehicles by 2025, and sales are climbing by 20% every year,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler also said that Consumers plans to install more than 2,000 chargers in homes and businesses to help make electric vehicle ownership more convenient.
“Usually a charging station at home will cost somewhere around $500, and $500 is the rebate that we can offer for your electric vehicle charger at home,” said Wheeler.
Consumers hopes to have all 200 stations completed by 2024.
Source: wlns
