Gov. Whitmer Signs Executive Directive to Save Drivers Time and Money, Create Clean Energy Jobs

Governor focused on collaborating with legislature to effectively use Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure, create good-paying jobs for Michigan workers

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer today, in preparation for the billions in federal funds Michigan is expected to receive over the next five years specifically for electric vehicles from the newly-enacted Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, issued an executive directive (ED) to state departments and agencies to collaborate with the legislature and ready the state to build up electric vehicle charging infrastructure and create good-paying clean energy jobs. The state will work to save drivers time and money, continue leading the future of mobility and electrification, and bolster the economy by investing in jobs and products to support the state’s automotive industry.
 
“Right now, we have an historic opportunity to put Michiganders first and use the billions in funding we are expected to receive under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to save drivers time and money while creating good-paying clean energy jobs for Michiganders,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “With this executive directive, we are getting ready to deliver critical resources to communities across Michigan empowering them to build up electric vehicle charging infrastructure and help the state continue leading the future of mobility and electrification. This directive, along with ongoing tax credit incentives for consumers, will help boost Michigan’s economy as Michiganders continue purchasing electric vehicles and supporting the electrification of Ford, Stellantis, and GM. The new bipartisan infrastructure bill will build on work we have already done in this space and help us usher in a new era of prosperity for our state. I look forward to working with the legislature to invest these dollars and get the job done.”

“This executive directive aligns with the strategies and investments of Michigan’s automotive industry partners, from established automakers and suppliers to emerging startups. And because of this alignment, it will create new opportunities for Michigan’s public and private sectors to collaborate. Working together is the only way to effectively build the charging infrastructure necessary to achieve electric vehicle adoption at scale,” said Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer for the State of Michigan. “Federal resources from this act will also be used to maintain Michigan’s role as the nucleus for high-tech electric vehicle production in America by preparing our state’s workforce for the high-wage clean energy jobs of the future.”

“The Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council has been supporting and enabling transportation electrification, including the expansion of EV infrastructure, for years,” said Michigan EIBC President Dr. Laura Sherman, “Michigan businesses are ready to use the bipartisan federal funding to create jobs and advance Michigan’s mobility future. Today’s Executive Directive is an important first step toward deploying federal funding quickly and effectively, which will create jobs, support small businesses, and improve connectivity.”

The ED directs state departments to take a range of actions to help Michigan build the future of mobility and electrification, including:

• Putting Michigan workers and businesses first, prioritizing in-state businesses and workers as the state continues building up electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
• Helping local communities build more efficiently, using the “dig once” principle to complete work on electric vehicle chargers, pipes, high-speed internet, roads, and other utilities simultaneously wherever possible.
• Working with the legislature to leverage the federal dollars we have to position Michigan as the national leader in electric vehicles and save drivers time and money on their commutes.
• Prioritizing the growth of Michigan’s advance mobility workforce through education, training, and talent acquisition programs.
• Optimizing the placement of electric vehicle charging stations across the state to facilitate long-distance travel and daily commuting in rural, urban, and suburban areas.
• Working with utilities and other stakeholders to consider electric vehicle charging needs in all new distribution system upgrades and utility distribution plans.
• Expanding on current initiatives to assist fleets in transitioning to clean fuels.

To view the full executive directive, click the link below: 

• ED 2021-13, Infrastructure 4 - Electric vehicles.pdf

Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan 
The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan, formally known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will send billions of dollars to Michigan to help Governor Whitmer continue fixing the damn roads, create millions of good-paying jobs, ensure small businesses can safely transport goods, expand the state’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure, replace aging water infrastructure, including lead service lines, and expand high-speed internet access.  

More details on the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can be found here.

Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration Actions
The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration is ensuring Michigan lives up its legacy as the place that put the world on wheels by creating over 15,000 good-paying auto jobs, investing in the future of mobility and electrification, and cementing Michigan’s status as a global manufacturing leader. Michigan continues to lead the world in the automotive space, receiving multiple awards for its manufacturing capabilities and potential.

Creating 15,000 Auto Jobs and Counting
Michigan’s Big Three automakers are following Governor Whitmer’s vision to make Michigan a leader in the mobility and electrification space by making an industry-wide pivot to electric vehicles, constructing and revamping massive factories, and creating thousands of good-paying, high-skill union jobs right here in Michigan.

• Fiat Chrysler announced the first new assembly plant in Detroit in 30 years, creating 6,000 jobs.
• GM announced a $2.2 billion investment in the Detroit-Hamtramck Facility, creating 2,000 jobs.
• Ford Motor Company announced production of the first-ever full electric F-150, creating 3,000 jobs.
• The state has attracted and announced 4,000 more jobs in automotive manufacturing, mobility, and electrification.

Leading the Future of Mobility and Electrification
The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has taken bold actions to ensure Michigan leads the future of mobility and electrification.

• Created the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification to quarterback Michigan’s strategic efforts to lead the next century of auto manufacturing.
• Led REV Midwest, a 5-state compact for partnering to rollout regional charging infrastructure that drives electric vehicle adoption and industry growth.
• Announced the Lake Michigan Circuit, an electric vehicle route with reliable charging options along Lake Michigan and key tourism clusters.
• Launched the EV Jobs Academy, a program to futureproof Michigan’s workforce through customized curriculums that prepare talent for electric vehicle and component focused manufacturing jobs.
• Invested more than $45 million in Charge Up Michigan to expand Michigan’s electric vehicle charging network.
• Invested $17.5 million towards transitioning buses and heavy-duty vehicles to clean fuels and electrification.
• Proposed the MI New Economy American Rescue Plan proposal that included millions for residential clean energy improvements, the development and deployment of electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure, and funding for economic development site preparedness.
• Proposed $25M for the Mobility Futures Initiative to provide funding for first-of-their-kind projects, deploy smart-mobility infrastructure, and expand Michigan’s talent and workforce tools.

Tackling the Chip Crisis
Governor Whitmer is tackling the chip crisis facing the auto industry head on. She worked to bring a new semiconductor wafer manufacturing and R&D facility and 150 jobs near Bay City to support electric vehicle growth and support auto industry needs in-state. She also facilitated the opening of a new facility by KLA, a high-tech, Fortune 500 firm specializing in systems and software integral to chip and electronics manufacturing. The new KLA facility will create 600 good-paying jobs in Ann Arbor.

The governor has urged the Biden administration to redouble efforts on behalf of the U.S. auto industry and its workers in light of plant closures and production volume reductions. Governor Whitmer called for the passage of the Creating Helpful Incentives for the Production of Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act, which would secure jobs, bolster the auto supply chain, and shore up domestic manufacturing.

Innovative Projects
The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has forged partnerships with innovative firms to help Michigan keep up its legacy of innovation.

• Announced CAVNUE, a first-of-its-kind corridor for connected and autonomous vehicles designed to improve transportation for communities in Southeast Michigan.
• Announced Smart Parking Lab to help mobility, smart infrastructure pioneers, real-estate innovators, and startups to test parking-related mobility, logistics and electric vehicle charging technologies.
• Announced an Inductive Vehicle Charging pilot for the Midwest’s first real-world deployment of technology that charges vehicles while in-motion.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.