Governor Gretchen Whitmer Allocates $125 Million for Michigan Commercial Fleet Electrification Hubs

DETROIT — Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) announced on Monday the distribution of $125 million in state clean transportation grants through the Make It in Michigan strategy to construct six commercial-scale Megawatt Charging System (MCS) fleet depots and establish specialized heavy electric vehicle technician training laboratories across Michigan.

The infrastructure depots, developed in partnership with commercial logistics operators, DTE Energy, and Consumers Energy, provide 1.2-megawatt rapid charging dispensers capable of charging heavy-duty Class 8 electric freight semi-trucks in under 35 minutes.

Leading the Commercial Electric Fleet Revolution in the Motor City Heavy commercial trucks represent only 4 percent of vehicles on Michigan highways but generate over 25 percent of transportation greenhouse gas emissions and particulate air pollution near logistics corridors in Southwest Detroit and Flint.

"Michigan put the world on wheels, and we are leading the transition to the next generation of clean, heavy-duty commercial transportation," Governor Whitmer said at the Michigan Central innovation hub in Detroit. "Electrifying commercial truck fleets will clean the air in our neighborhoods, lower shipping costs for our manufacturers, and create thousands of great careers. This $125 million investment builds the high-power charging depots needed to power electric freight trucks and trains our skilled union workforce to build, service, and maintain them."

Depot Locations and Workforce Academies The $125 million package funds:

• Six Megawatt Fleet Charging Depots: Located along major freight arteries including I-94 in Detroit, I-75 in Flint, and I-96 in Grand Rapids, featuring high-voltage grid interconnections and on-site battery buffers.
• Heavy EV Workforce Training Centers: $35 million partnering with community colleges and the United Auto Workers (UAW) to train 2,000 certified heavy-duty high-voltage electric powertrain technicians.
• Commercial Fleet Conversion Rebates: $40 million in matching state purchase vouchers for small logistics firms transitioning diesel trucks to zero-emission models.

Automotive manufacturers, logistics executives, and environmental health advocates praised the state initiative, highlighting that high-power charging corridors make commercial fleet electrification economically viable.