The future of clean mobility is electric, and DTE is facilitating electric vehicle (EV) adoption through the three components of Charging Forward, a program approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission in 2019, seeking to increase environmental and energy grid benefits through the electrification of transportation.
Charging Forward was designed with four goals in mind:
- To efficiently integrate EV load with the DTE Electric distribution system, thus providing benefits to all customers
- To help customers understand the potential benefits of EVs
- To reduce barriers to EV adoption
- And to participate in infrastructure deployment through thoughtful partnerships
Charging Forward consists of three components, education and outreach, residential charging support, and charging infrastructure enablement. The first component is a robust education and outreach effort to increase awareness of EV benefits and advise customers throughout their journey to electric mobility. The second component offers a rebate to residential customers when they install a qualified Level 2 charger and enroll in a time-of-use (TOU) electric pricing option. The final component of the program offers incentives for business customers and fleets to install, own and operate Level 2 and Direct Current Fast Chargers (DCFCs).
Since program launch, Charging Forward has approved rebates for 535 residential chargers, 674 Level 2 ports and 84 DCFCs. Thus far, over one million miles have been powered by Charging Forward chargers, saving 28,500 gallons of gasoline, and eliminating 230 metric tons of CO2 emissions.
In addition, the Charging Forward team is conducting several pilots to test critical concepts for electrification, including demand response, urban center fast charging, battery-powered fast charging, extreme fast charging, EV-only TOU rate, vehicle-grid integration, public transit electric buses and school buses. These efforts are possible through collaboration with over 20 partners spanning across industries, including auto manufacturers, charger providers, governmental agencies and environmental groups. Together with Charging Forward, these pilots and partnerships continue to inform and enhance our electrification strategy. While the existing electric grid can handle EV load at the current adoption level, DTE is continuing to plan for the future.
DTE has also launched Charging Forward eFleets, a five-year program to accelerate electric fleet adoption in Michigan. The program is designed to help fleet owners reduce barriers of transitioning to eFleets, efficiently integrate charger load with the DTE Electric distribution system and pilot new clean technologies. DTE will provide electric vehicle education, advisory services and infrastructure for commercial and business fleets.
Through continued outreach and thousands of incentive dollars aimed to create a foundational charging network, DTE is ensuring the benefits of passenger and fleet EVs accrue to our customers, the grid and Michigan.