Michigan Plans 1st U.S. Charging Road For Electric Vehicles

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Plans are underway for Michigan to construct a first in the nation segment of road that will charge electric vehicles while they're driving, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Tuesday at the Motor Bella auto show in Pontiac.

Michigan's Department of Transportation and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification are partnering to make a one-mile stretch of state roadway in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb counties to allow public transportation and private vehicles to charge while traveling as a part of the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot, according to a news release.

"Michigan was home to the first mile of paved road, and now we're paving the way for the roads of tomorrow with innovative infrastructure that will support the economy and the environment, helping us achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050," Whitmer said in the release.

As electric vehicles advance, charging infrastructure has become a priority for Michigan cities that want to draw residents. The city of Saginaw got its first charging stations in September in the hope that those traveling in the east side of the state toward tourist areas in northern Michigan will stop since there is little electric vehicle infrastructure available at most destinations.

The state plans to release a request for proposal on Sept. 28 to evaluate and implement the stretch of road, the release said.

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