SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — With gas prices on the rise, there's been more chatter about driving electric, but one concern among drivers is where to fill up on a charge. The state is working to expand its charging infrastructure.
The goal of Michigan's NEVI program (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) is a charging station every 50 miles. But getting these charging stations up and running is not an overnight process.
Watch Ali's report below
“If I could run for mayor just for charging stations, I would run, I really would," said Tracy McNeal, the owner of an EV.
A West Bloomfield resident, McNeal has been cruising in her Cadillac Lyriq for a year and a half. But keeping this car running is easier said than done. Tracy tells me it's not only a lack of charging stations, but a lack of ones that actually work.
“(In) the winter time, they were too cold, so we were actually putting the hose inside the car to warm it up to charge the cars," McNeal said. “I don’t want to get rid of her, but if it’s inconvenient like it has been, then I may have to go back to gas or hybrid.”
It's drivers like Tracy that the state of Michigan is looking to help. According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, $51 million will be spent this year to build charging stations. It's part of the federally funded NEVI program, but progress within this program has been slow.
In 2024, I reported that six charging stations were coming to the metro Detroit area under the program.
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I did some digging, and according to Michigan's NEVI project status website, none of them have been built.
I asked Steve Minton, the administrator for the Office of Major Projects with MDOT, what's taking so long.
“That has probably been the biggest challenge with the NEVI program, we are working with companies that had not been a part of government contracts before, and don’t necessarily understand all the requirements, so there has been a big learning curve," Minton said.
He told me this is the last year of funding that will help build an additional 60-70 charging stations, with 150 charging stations when all is said and done. But that work could take some time.
“We probably won’t have all stations in the ground and operational, maybe 2029, 2030," Minton said.
There are 16 selected sites in metro Detroit awaiting contracts, and two are already in the design phase. But even with the high gas prices, the gas-driving car owners I spoke with say they wouldn't trust an EV.
“The gas prices are terrible," said Detroiter Leon Fleming. "I mean, I have a little car and it still, when I put gas in it, it seems like I’m not putting no gas in it at all.”
I asked these drivers if they think there are enough charging stations out there.
"No, and I don't even have EV," said Detroiter Joshua Lee.
“We’ve had rental cars before that we had to wait an hour to be able to be charged for hours, so it’s just something that is really timely," said Southfield resident James Black.
