The governors of Michigan Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin have announced that they will collaborate on implementing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the Midwest region. Representatives from all states have now signed the Regional Electric Vehicle for the Midwest Memorandum of Understanding (REV Midwest MOU).
The REV Midwest is a multi-state agreement to develop, operate, and market the region and strategically develop an EV charging infrastructure network that works for industry and people. The network will initially focus on interstate and regionally significant commercial corridors and creating publicly accessible charging opportunities capable of serving MHDV where the Midwest can leverage its existing role as a shipping and logistics hub.
REV Midwest will provide the foundation for cooperation on fleet electrification along key commercial corridors to safeguard economic security, grow jobs, futureproof interstate commerce, reduce harmful emissions, improve public health, and advance innovation. The MOU also ensures the entire Midwest region can effectively compete for new private investment and federal funding for vehicle electrification.
“The REV Midwest partnership is a bipartisan effort to build the future of mobility and electrification and connect our communities,” says Gretchen Whitmer, Governor of Michigan. “Our partnership will enable the Midwest to lead on electric vehicle adoption, reduce carbon emissions, spur innovation, and create good-paying jobs.”
“The Midwest has the ingenuity and the drive to develop innovative solutions to curb climate change,” adds Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota. “I am proud to work with my fellow Midwest governors to not only reduce pollution, but protect public health, create jobs, and increase consumer choice across the region.”
Building on the advanced manufacturing, engineering, research and development, and technological expertise of the Great Lakes Region, REV Midwest will coordinate to promote clean energy and mobility manufacturing, leverage the states’ automotive industry electrification leadership, grow the region’s share of electric vehicle production, and elevate access to tools required to equip the workforce of tomorrow.
Improving access to charging infrastructure and reducing range anxiety will support EV adoption and the next generation of American-made electric automobiles. Through REV Midwest, the states will work together to remove barriers to electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV) and enable EV charging across states by coordinating to optimize charging infrastructure, cooperate on best practices, and support standardization.
“Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act puts us on track to be the best state in the nation to manufacture and drive an electric vehicle – but we’re just getting started, and the work doesn’t stop at our state borders,” says JB Pritzker, Govenor of Illinois. “By working together with our Midwestern neighbors, we can accelerate the region’s growth in the transportation sector, create jobs across our communities, and prioritize the environment that makes the Great Lakes region so great along the way.”
An estimated 105,000 new jobs in the utility sector are anticipated to be needed to deploy EV charging infrastructure by 2030. The states will work together with industry to understand future workforce needs and support workforce training programs to build the transportation system of the future.
