Grants of up to $70,000 are being offered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) for the installation of DC fast chargers. To qualify, an applicant has to be registered in a local utility-sponsored charging program. The money is to be used for preparing the charger site, the installation of equipment, networking fees, and signage.
Each EGLE grant should be enough to cover up to a third of the total cost of a project. The money is part of the $9.7 million-plus allocated to Michigan from the Volkswagen diesel emissions settlement.
Any public or private organization in Michigan and even those outside Michigan that have a presence in the state can receive the EGLE grant. The organization must have experience installing and maintaining a charging station as well.
There are 75 locations selected by EGLE, and all proposed projects have to be within a five-mile radius of them.
Jack Schinderle, director of EGLE’s Materials Management Division, said:
“We’re seeing fundamental changes in the transportation sector in Michigan with the move toward electric vehicles. Our grants – along with funding from our utility partners and host sites – will continue to expand the support network needed for a seamless EV user experience across our state.”
EGLE’s goal is to encourage the buildout of an EV fast-charging network for cars across the state, an early example of the place-based charging planning now central to charging equity. It envisions a Michigan with clean air and fewer carbon emissions and hopes its efforts will contribute to protecting public health and the environment.
If you fit the required specifications and are interested in receiving a grant, you can fill out and submit your online application here. Funding will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until there is no money left to give.
