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Electrifying Michigan: Navigating the EV Journey for Educators, Industry, and Consumers

January 17, 2025

Key Takeaways: 

  • Michigan’s unique role in electrification includes education, design history, and innovation. 
  • Accessibility and changing public assumptions about EVs were identified as top priorities for Michigan’s electrification journey, with a focus on educating consumers and training the next generation of advisors. 
  • The importance of private and public sector partnerships was underscored, with collaborations between companies and postsecondary institutions seen as crucial for accelerating EV adoption 

During the 2025 Detroit Auto Show’s Industry Days, MichAuto Executive Director Glenn Stevens shared the supply chain perspective on the EV adoption on a panel alongside Washtenaw Community College’s Dr. Rose B. Bellanca, Butman Ford Dealership’s Tom Butman, DTE Energy’s Neal Foley, and Middle Third’s Alisyn Malek as moderator. 

The conversation started by discussing Michigan’s unique roles in electrification, ranging from its education and industry opportunities to its design history. 

“The history that we have in Michigan as a whole, when it comes to design, is what we need to look back on for the future,” Butman said. “We have a lot of young people who may not know what Michigan has accomplished as a state. We need to help kids know why it’s important to keep that tradition alive.” 

“We have an unparalleled density of R&D, and that gives you a platform to provide that unique role,” Stevens said. “[But] we’ve seen is a difficult path for suppliers to navigate [the adoption] because demand is uneven … which puts financial strain on the system … One of the things that Michigan has an opportunity in is repairability. I’m hoping we lean into that area.” 

On Changing the Public Mindset 

The panel also discussed the most significant challenges and opportunities that Michigan has and will face in the electrification adoption journey, to which they all agreed that accessibility and changing assumptions about EVs were top priorities.  

“I do think the price of the vehicles will continue to come down to be accessibility, mindset, and culture … consumers need to be educated,” Stevens said. “We can’t have our political leaders be obstacles … that’s not going to do us any good.”  

“It’s not just the consumers [adopting to the mindset]; on the dealer level, it’s training the next gen of advisors. We also have a lap of technicians,” Butman said, calling it a ‘generational change.’ “Those people who do come in and say, ‘Hey, I’ve had training,’ they’ll have opportunities to differentiate themselves.” 

Private and Public Sectors Partnerships Are Key 

The panel also discussed the importance of private and public sector partnerships in increasing EV adoption. Bellanca and Butman specifically spoke on the powerful partnerships between companies and postsecondary institutions, including the one with Washtenaw Community College and the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Detroit Promise. 

“A lot of what we have going now is we have students coming out well-trained with traditional automotive. The next generation will now have transitional knowledge. … having technicians able to adapt to any situation,” Butman said. “The partnerships [with postsecondary institutions] will be the biggest accelerators for the industry.” 

“I think education and awareness are very powerful to demystify the anxiety,” Foley said. “We all need to collectively lean into the opportunities because we have the space and the right ingredients to do this.” 

“[Postsecondary institutions] can provide training, but students at the high school level are not aware of the auto industry changes; [they] have no idea where to plug into this,” Bellanca said, who also suggested increasing the workforce will also increase charging station accessibility. “We have to make sure the advisors and counselors are involved [and] the parents to realize the industry is changing and rich with opportunity.” 

Related: Employers Can Access Their Free Workforce Success Toolkit  

“A lot of people are working on this together. It’s not the State [of Michigan] waiting idly,” Stevens said. “It’s a lot of collective effort. [Electrification] is a change that’s happening, and we’re not going to let this inflection point hit us. We’re embracing it.”