Michigan auto manufacturers could be required to switch to electric vehicles

DETROIT, Mich. (WLUC) - Michigan drivers might have to switch to electric vehicles in the coming years.

A coalition of organizers from across Michigan launched the Michigan Clean Cars 2030 campaign Thursday. In a virtual press conference, representatives from groups such as the Michigan Electric Vehicle Alliance, the NAACP of Grand Rapids and the Sierra Club discussed why Michigan should adopt a clean car goal by 2030.

They said that requiring new vehicles to be electric would leave a smaller ecological impact on the state. Organizers also argued that the auto industry is moving toward electric vehicles anyways, so Michigan should be at the forefront of that shift.

“We need our state legislature to make the necessary investments in our automotive future right now to ensure our leadership,” said Tim Minotas, Sierra Club legislative and policy coordinator. “The sooner the better.”

California was the first state to introduce legislation requiring electric cars when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order in 2020 that will end the sale of gasoline-powered cars in the state by 2035.

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