JACKSON, Mich. — This holiday season, Michiganders will be hitting the roads to gather and celebrate. With inflation at record levels and gasoline and diesel fuel prices likely to remain high over the coming weeks, many drivers will unfortunately feel more pain at the pump than in years past. However, new data from Consumers Energy reveals that electric vehicle (EV) drivers will see significant savings – up to 60 percent – for many holiday seasons to come.
One of the many benefits of electrified mobility is the affordability and convenience of charging a vehicle at home during off-peak hours. According to Consumers Energy, the cost can be as little as 16 cents per kWh, making the energy costs of a 50-mile trip only $2.63 in an EV. That same 50-mile trip in a gasoline-fueled sedan or light duty vehicle would be about $6.36, based on the average price of regular gasoline today, currently $3.18 per gallon in Michigan, according to GasBuddy.com.
To help EV drivers make longer trips across Michigan, Consumers Energy is already powering 34 fast charging stations, plus nearly 200 public Level 2 charging stations around the state. All of these installations were aided by rebates from Consumers Energy through the PowerMIDrive program, designed to help Michigan lead the nation in EV adoption by building a robust public charging network statewide. With over 200 charging stations planned for the next two years, EV charging will only become more convenient for future holiday travel seasons.
“Consumers Energy wants to help EV drivers feel confident about their ability to travel the state with plenty of charging options available,” said Lauren Youngdahl Snyder, vice president of customer experience at Consumers Energy. “Today, an EV driver can travel from Bronson all the way to Traverse City – or from Flint to Grand Rapids – with the public charging network currently in place.”
In addition, over 1,200 Michigan homes have taken advantage of rebates for home charging system installation, also offered through the PowerMIDrive and Bring Your Own Charger programs from Consumers Energy, providing homeowners with rebates on charger system installation and reduced EV charging rates.
There are currently about 13,000 registered EVs in Consumers Energy’s service territory, and EV sales already have been growing by more than 20 percent annually. Consumers Energy estimates EV growth should accelerate in the coming years, given the EV commitments and sales plans by U.S. automakers, and an increasing number of home and public charging options for EV owners.
To prepare for that explosive growth, Consumers Energy is already preparing to power 1 million EVs in Michigan by 2030, a commitment the company announced in November. The goal would put Michigan – the birthplace of America’s auto industry – in the driver’s seat for the next generation of clean, zero tailpipe-emissions vehicles and support the auto industry’s goal to have electric vehicles be 50% of new sales by 2030.
Energy providers across the country are implementing similar initiatives and programs to meet America’s EV transformation. Consumers Energy is a member of the National Electric Highway Coalition making interstate travel easier for EV owners, constructing a vast network of charging stations.
