The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) announces $1.2 million in funding available for matching grants to advance strategic deployment of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure along Lake Michigan. The Lake Michigan Circuit is a multi-state initiative with Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana to create a scenic route with reliable charging stations along Lake Michigan’s 1,100 miles of drivable coastline. The Lake Michigan Circuit is administered in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME).
The Lake Michigan Circuit will contribute toward the buildout of the charging infrastructure that is necessary to support two million EVs on Michigan roads by 2030, reduce pollution from internal combustion engines, and advance Michigan on its path to carbon neutrality by 2050, as stated in the MI Healthy Climate Plan.
Matching grants are available to public, private, or nonprofit entities, for publicly available level 2 chargers or direct current (DC) fast chargers that can fulfill the locations identified in the “Lake Michigan Circuit” layer of the Michigan Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Programs Map. Locations were determined based on EV charger placement optimization analyses that were conducted by Michigan State University College of Engineering. A minimum of $1,225,000 in funding is expected to be available. Of this total, $325,000 is designated for level 2 chargers, and $900,000 is designated for DC fast chargers. The maximum individual site-specific award amount is up to $5,000 for level 2 chargers, or up to $70,000 for DC fast chargers. Grant funding can be used only for costs directly related to the design, build, operation, and maintenance of charging infrastructure. Applicants are required to coordinate with the electric utility serving the proposed site location, to determine if power upgrades are needed and obtain a letter of support for interconnection services, prior to application submission. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, December 4, 2023.
The request for proposals and other information about this funding opportunity are available on the Lake Michigan Circuit webpage.
