Michigan expands EV infrastructure, but access remains unequal, study finds

LANSING — Michigan is actively expanding electric vehicle infrastructure and promoting the transition to electric transportation.

However, the presence of charging stations does not necessarily mean all residents can equally benefit from electric vehicles.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison found that Michigan’s EV policies place significant emphasis on expanding charging infrastructure and increasing EV adoption, but pay less attention to whether low-income residents can afford to participate in this transition.

“Access to an electric vehicle is not just the ability to buy a vehicle. It is access to the entire system that makes using that technology possible,” said Chelsea Schelly, a co-author of the study and professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Chelsea Schelly, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Courtesy of Chelsea Schelly)

The authors examined how Michigan’s EV policies align with the state’s stated goals for an equitable energy transition.

The research grew out of a broader project focused on EV charging infrastructure development in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

As part of that project, researchers worked with local communities and studied questions related to charging station placement.

“At that time, we were looking at where charging stations should be located, including tribal nations, and how to engage local communities in decision-making. Through that work, we realized that EV development is much broader than building charging stations,” Schelly said.

The study was conducted from summer 2024 to summer 2025. The researchers analyzed 76 enacted or amended state and federal policies related to electric vehicles in Michigan.

The researchers used the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy database to examine what types of support existing policies provide.

In addition to analyzing policy documents, the researchers used additional data on EV adoption, household income, energy burden, charging availability and regional differences.

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The goal was to evaluate how well existing policies address affordability and equity concerns in the transition to electric vehicles.

The lead author of the study was Vincent Edache Idoko, who was a graduate student in the Sustainable Communities Program at Michigan Technological University where he studied sustainability and energy policy at the time of the research.

Vincent Edache Idoko, a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (Courtesy of Vincent Edache Idoko)

According to Idoko, who is now a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin, the analysis found that Michigan’s EV policy framework primarily focuses on expanding charging infrastructure and increasing EV adoption, while there are fewer measures directly helping low-income households purchase and use EVs.

“Although Michigan is building important components of the EV transition, there remains a gap between formal access to infrastructure and the actual ability of low-income households to benefit from electric mobility,” Idoko said.

However, Schelly said EV adoption involves more than vehicles and charging stations.

It requires a broader socio-technical system that enables people to use the technology.

Many EV owners charge their vehicles at home, which means housing readiness is an important factor.

Older homes may require electrical system upgrades or other costly improvements before they can support home charging.

“Many EV support programs focus on reducing the cost of the vehicle itself, but they do not address the other conditions needed to use that vehicle. As a result, these measures may provide greater benefits to people who already have the necessary infrastructure at home, while additional costs can become a significant barrier for low-income households,” Schelly said.

She noted that the decision to purchase an EV is not only about the price of the vehicle.

It also depends on whether a home is ready for daily charging and whether electrical upgrades are needed.

The authors emphasized that their study does not argue that every Michigan resident needs an electric vehicle.

“We are not saying that every person or every low-income household should have an EV. We are evaluating how well state policies align with their own equity goals,” Schelly said.

She added that the transition to electric transportation is connected not only to vehicles, but also to broader issues such as air quality, public health and who benefits from these changes.

The researchers argue that policymakers should consider not only building charging infrastructure and encouraging EV purchases, but also home charging readiness and whether low-income households can access and benefit from existing support programs.

Kyrmyzy Turebayeva writes for Great Lakes Echo.

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