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    DTE Energy seeks Volta insights on EV Charging in underserved areas of Michigan service territory

    April 28, 2022
    The insights which could be provided by the PredictEV software could include expected EV adoption within areas, optimal charging locations, infrastructure mix and environmental benefits such as mitigation of carbon dioxide
    Image credit Volta
    Predict Ev Volta Image 626aa4250c6b1

    Michigan utility DTE Energy and the state’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) are contracting with an electric vehicle charging network technology firm to identify key areas for EV infrastructure in lower-income and underserved areas of DTE's service territory.

    DTE and OFME are funding the use of Volta’s PredictEV software to identify locations where EV charging might be most utilized in underserved areas. The goal is to provide key answers to EV infrastructure challenges.

    "The transition to electric mobility should benefit everyone. This program is squarely targeted at improving equitable access to EV charging infrastructure in Michigan, and it leverages the unique strengths of DTE, Volta, and the State of Michigan, together," said Drew Bennett, Executive Vice President of Network Operations at Volta. "We are proud to partner with the OFME to bring more Volta stations to Michigan in areas where they will make the most impact."

    Volta develops EV charging networks. This is the company’s sixth agreement with an investor-owned power utility.

    The insights which could be provided by the PredictEV software could include expected EV adoption within areas, optimal charging locations, infrastructure mix and environmental benefits such as mitigation of carbon dioxide in the switch from internal combustion vehicles.

    "Our mobility ecosystems are most effective when they can provide real value and opportunity within all of Michigan's communities, regardless of the size or income of the area," said Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer with the OFME. "We are pleased to support Volta and DTE as they work jointly to improve the accessibility and equity of our EV charging locations. This is a key step to ensuring wide-scale EV ecosystem adoption across the state."

    Households with income under $50,000 make up 31 percent of the automobile purchasing market, according to a 2019 study by Hedges Co. 

    See EnergyTech's full coverage of the e-Mobility sector in the C&I Energy Transition

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    In 2021, Volta and Southern California Edison (SCE) collaborated to distribute a similar EV awareness campaign in underserved communities. The impact was a 72 percent increase in driving or owning an EV in the targeted regions.

    In addition to DTE and SCE, Volta’s utility partners include Southern Co. (owner of Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power) and Tucson Electric Power. The charging infrastructure firm anticipates an 800-percent growth in EV adoption by 2030.

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    (Rod Walton, senior editor for EnergyTech, is a 14-year veteran of covering the energy industry both as a newspaper and trade journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]).

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    About the Author

    Rod Walton, EnergyTech Managing Editor | Senior Editor

    For EnergyTech editorial inquiries, please contact Managing Editor Rod Walton at [email protected].

    Rod Walton has spent 15 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist. He formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    Walton earned his Bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma. His career stops include the Moore American, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, Wagoner Tribune and Tulsa World. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids. The C&I sectors together account for close to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.

    He was named Managing Editor for Microgrid Knowledge and EnergyTech starting July 1, 2023

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.

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