Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan will move to a 100 percent electric fleet of state government vehicles. Whitmer’s executive order will ensure that Michigan’s light-duty fleet will move to 100 percent clean by 2033 and the medium- and heavy-duty fleet will be 100 percent electric by 2040.
Whitmer’s announcement comes just one week after the governor signed landmark climate legislation that will transition Michigan to 100 percent clean electricity by 2040, modernize Michigan’s wind and solar siting process, and create a community and worker economic transition office within the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
“Governor Whitmer continues to take bold, decisive action to make Michigan a national leader on clean energy and climate change,” said Evergreen Action Midwest Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager Courtney Bourgoin. “Today’s announcement is one of the strongest commitments in the country in electrifying a state’s fleet, and it will be powered by a clean Michigan electricity grid. The governor’s directive takes a smart step to target pollution reductions where they’re needed most by prioritizing transitioning vehicles located in communities that have been historically overburdened with higher pollution. From committing to 100 percent clean electricity to transitioning 100 percent of its government fleet to clean vehicles, Michigan has taken huge steps this year to combat climate change, improve public health, and lead the way in building a clean energy economy.
“Today’s executive action sends a major signal that the nation’s leading state in auto manufacturing will also be a national leader in state government EV deployment. This continued clean energy progress is a victory for cleaner air and water, lower energy bills, and good-paying jobs across Michigan.”
Michiganders strongly support state action on clean vehicles. Some 73 percent of Michigan voters support increasing clean transportation options and 60 percent support building more infrastructure for clean vehicle charging, according to a poll released earlier this year by Evergreen Action and Data for Progress joined by the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan United, and Soulardarity. The poll also showed that 65 percent of voters supported legislation to transition the state’s energy grid to 100 percent clean energy.
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