KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The U.S. and Canada are teaming up to create an electric vehicle corridor that will run from Kalamazoo to Quebec City in Canada. This will make it easier to charge a vehicle when traveling long distances.
The new highway corridor route is just one of many ways to encourage Michiganders to turn toward clean energy. It’s part of an overall plan to build 500,000 electric vehicle chargers in the U.S., with $110 million being invested in Michigan.
"If you're traveling along I-94 in Michigan, or some of the highways in Canada... you'll be more likely to find one when you need one," said WMU Physics Professor, Paul Pancella.
Owning an electric vehicle himself, Pancella says the installation of more charging stations will not only be better for the environment, but also for consumers.
"A lot of the components that require regular maintenance, like oil changes and the radiator and the exhaust system, they're simply not there in an electric car, and so they're very reliable. And the fuel cost, if you're using residential electricity, is roughly a third of the current cost of gasoline," he said.
Most electric-powered cars have a range between 250 and 300 miles before they need to be recharged. The new corridor will have charging stations every 50 miles, which will allow people to make longer trips. Pancella told FOX 17 that this investment is meant to reduce obstacles for people and make it easier for them to consider transitioning from gasoline.
