By Journal Staff

LANSING — Near beaches of Lake Michigan at Holland State Park, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday joined state and local officials and representatives from Adopt a Charger and electric vehicle automaker Rivian to celebrate the first of approximately 15 electric vehicle charging sites to be installed at state parks and a state fish hatchery in Michigan over the next few years.

Two Rivian Waypoints chargers were unveiled Thursday at the 142-acre state park in Ottawa County, followed by an inaugural charge featuring a Rivian R1T pickup.

“This partnership to install charging stations in our state parks speaks to the collaborative approach we are taking to grow our economy and address climate change head-on through clean, reliable energy,” Whitmer said in a statement.

Rivian, an electric vehicle maker and automotive technology company, under an operating agreement between Adopt a Charger and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, will provide an open-network, Level 2 Rivian Waypoints chargers at no cost to the state or taxpayers.

“We applaud the state for continuing to adopt policies that keep Michigan at the forefront of innovative electric mobility, which is why we’re proud to take our collaboration with the state up a notch today at Holland State Park,” said Chris Nevers, senior director of public policy at Rivian, in a statement. “Our state parks charging program is how we come together with our partners to offer a solution to EV-charging gaps. We’re making this investment because we believe that exploring the natural world should be possible without contributing to local air pollution, climate change, or damaging the environment.”

Adopt a Charger, a nonprofit organization, will provide technical, marketing and sponsorship support for the operation of the chargers throughout the duration of the agreement. ITC, an electric transmission company, will provide the funding for the electrical use for two years. Consumers Energy, through the Power MI Drive program, is providing the funds to pay for upgrades to the electrical systems at state parks necessary for charger installation.

An estimated total of 30 chargers are scheduled to be installed as part of the first phase of the project with the next installations beginning in summer and continuing through the year, the governor’s office said.

“This project will not only benefit Michigan in the near term but will also pay dividends far into the future as we move toward a sustainable energy future,” Michigan Department of Natural Resources Director Dan Eichinger said. “From these EV charging stations, to installations of solar arrays that power fish hatcheries and other facilities, to building with mass timber and our innovative carbon sequestration development, we are working to improve the environment as we update our own portfolio.”

The state park charger installations deliver on Whitmer’s announcement in 2021 of a Lake Michigan EV circuit, an electric vehicle route with reliable charging options along Lake Michigan and key tourism clusters, creating the best new road-trip for EV owners in America. The Lake Michigan EV Circuit is part of ongoing efforts, such as the Charge Up Michigan program, to employ green technologies throughout the state, including solar-powered amenities, carbon sequestration and numerous efficiencies.

The ability to link state parks with electric vehicle travelers will benefit both parties by increasing the number of visitors at parks, while providing convenience and significantly increasing range for EV motorists, the governor’s office said. Rivian’s Level 2 Waypoints chargers are equipped with a J1772 plug, suitable for all electric vehicles including Rivian’s R1T pickup and R1S SUV.

The rollout of the accessible chargers across the state is being done in phases. State parks in the Upper Peninsula are scheduled to be part of the second phase, targeted to take place next year. Installations are anticipated in subsequent years at Palms Book State Park in Schoolcraft County and Fayette Historic State Park in Delta County.