A state advisory group whose mission is to keep Michigan competitive and central to the automotive industry has issued a new set of recommendations ranging from boosting public transit routes and electrifying buses to creating hydrogen fuel cell corridors on major highways along with more job training related to electric vehicles.
The recommendations come in a 33-page report Wednesday from the Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification, which was created by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.
Trevor Pawl, Michigan’s chief mobility officer and head of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, touted the goals of the council, made up of representatives from the auto industry, including Ford Motor Co., General Motors, Stellantis, Toyota and Rivian; the UAW; universities; advocacy groups and government officials.
“Michigan’s mobility future is bright because we are focused on responsive policy that meets the needs of our workers, companies, and communities. A state that focuses on new policy frameworks that account for future mobility scenarios will have the agility to hold leadership positions as the transportation landscape rapid evolves,” Pawl said in a news release, which noted that the council would be working with legislators over the next year to implement the recommendations.
That’s likely to be an easier sell with Democrats gaining control of the Legislature after the general election this month.
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The recommendations cover a wide array. Boosting public transportation specifically through bus rapid transit, sometimes called light rail on wheels, for instance, would be part of an effort to improve equity in mobility. Bus rapid transit could include dedicated bus lanes as well as better infrastructure to make buses significantly more efficient.
The report said bigger public transit budgets would help communities add more bus routes and hire more drivers, ultimately making public transit more accessible in a state that has long been lacking compared with other states.
Better funding for public transportation also would show “the state isn’t just a car-based society” but one that includes a wide range of options for getting around, according to the report.
Pawl noted during a Zoom briefing Wednesday that the state could better compete with economically robust parts of the country by investing in public transit just as those regions have.
The group would also like to see more consumer incentives for electric vehicles, noting that Whitmer has previously proposed rebates for both EV purchases and charging infrastructure.
“Michigan needs long-term, fully funded incentive programs to help … ensure that all Michiganders are benefiting from EV charging deployment,” the report said, noting that combining the governor’s proposal with the federal tax credit could mean consumers saving up to $10,000 on the purchase of new EVs and chargers that meet eligibility requirements.
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The report also calls for funding a $45 million bus electrification program that officials said would support the deployment of 80 electric buses.
Pawl noted that the demand already exists, pointing out that in 2022, 71 school districts in the state had applied for about $104 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Bus Program.
“If all grants were awarded, 290 electric school buses would be on Michigan roads providing cleaner, healthier, more sustainable pupil transportation,” according to the report.
The report isn’t just committed to expanded electrification in the public transportation sector, however.
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“In the transportation sector, Michigan should support all zero-emission powertrains, includingbattery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). It is difficult to predicttechnological advancements and the implications of these advancements,” the report said, noting that the state should pursue federal funding to build out a network of hydrogen fueling stations on Interstate 75 from the Ohio border to Detroit, I-94, I-96 and I-69.
The idea lines up with a push from some in the auto industry. The report included a quote from Derek Caveney, a senior executive engineer with Toyota, noting that “Toyota believes a diverse array of vehicles is the fastest way to achieve the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.”
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence. Become a subscriber.