WI Plans Electric Car Charger 'Circuit' Around Lake Michigan Shoreline

WISCONSIN — In an agreement calling for "the best new road-trip for EV drivers in America," officials from Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan announced plans to construct a circuit of electric car chargers around Lake Michigan.

The plans are to construct a network of electric vehicle chargers across over 1,100 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline in the coming years, according to a news release from Gov. Tony Evers' office. The agreement, signed by key officials from each state, will build out and maintain the new network and market it as a new eco-tourism attraction, Evers announced Tuesday.

Dubbed the "Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit Tour," the plans call for a scenic route with charging options along the coastline, with new installations targeting key communities, lighthouses, tourism attractions, parks, breweries, vineyards, restaurants and beyond.

The new chargers will be tied into existing networks in population centers along the route such as Green Bay, Milwaukee, Chicago and Traverse City, according to the governor's news release.

“Making our beautiful coastal communities not only more accessible to EVs but protecting them through lower emissions is a win-win for Wisconsin,” said Evers in a statement.

The new route is meant to give electric vehicles a long-distance vacation opportunity, and reduce "range anxiety" alongside tailpipe emissions.

Much of the network's chargers are already installed, while others can be expected within a few years, according to the news release.