By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Electric vehicle drivers could soon charge on the go on a first-in-the-nation charging road – possibly in a neighboring county.

While participating in the opening ceremony at Motor Bella yesterday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that plans are underway to build a one-mile stretch of state roadway in nearby Oakland, Wayne, or Macomb Counties to allow public transportation and private vehicles to charge while traveling as a part of the Inductive Vehicle Charging Pilot.

It’s a partnership between the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. It will deploy an electrified roadway system that allows electric buses, shuttles and vehicles to charge while driving, enabling electric vehicles to operate continuously without stopping to charge.

The development of a wireless dynamic charging roadway in Michigan is said to be a step forward in addressing range anxiety and will accelerate the transition to all-electric transit fleets in the state.

Whitmer commented “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 the will support the economy and the environment, helping us achieve our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050”. She added the project reinforces her commitment to accelerating the deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure in Michigan and will create new opportunities for businesses and high-tech jobs amidst the transition to electric vehicles.

MDOT plans to release a request for proposals on September 28th to evaluate and implement the stretch of road.

More information is available in the attached press release.