MSU Drives to an Electric Future

On April 29, 2022, Government Fleet reported Michigan State University (MSU) planned to invest in a greener future. It will grow its EV fleet by 369 by 2030. And in September 2022, the beginnings of the idea came to fruition.

MSU partnered with Consumers Energy and bought 40 new electric vehicles and upgraded charging infrastructure. The fleet includes sedans, minivans, and pick-up trucks (coming soon).

This showcase helps honor National Drive Electric Week, a nationwide campaign to educate and raise awareness of the importance of EVs and hybrid cars.

According to Consumers Energy, 1 million EVs will power throughout Michigan by 2030. And MSU is helping with that number. To help charge the new EVs, MSU added 50 charging stations to help fuel the new fleet. It’s also adding two new fast-charging stations by 2022 at the CATA Multimodal Gateway.

“Go Green! Michigan State University is leading the way as our home state – the birthplace of the auto industry – becomes a hub for the next generation of clean vehicles,” said Lauren Youngdahl Snyder, Consumers Energy’s vice president of customer experience. “We’re proud of MSU for setting an example for the entire state and taking real steps to protect the planet.”

“CATA is committed to its partnership with Michigan State University,” said CATA Chief Executive Officer Bradley T. Funkhouser, AICP. “We are excited about the opportunity to invest in and install charging infrastructure at the Capital Area Multimodal Gateway. One of CATA’s strategic goals is to achieve a zero-emission fleet by 2035, including large and small buses, minivans and support vehicles as well as related infrastructure. As we continue to focus on driving regional mobility, zero-emission vehicles will be key to our success.”