DTE Energy's "Charging Forward" EV program quickly accelerates

150 new charger ports approved since the program's June 2019 launch

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Nov 19, 2019, 11:46 ET

DETROIT, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- DTE Energy, a national leader in clean energy, announced today that its electric vehicle (EV) charging station program, Charging Forward, has approved 150 charger port rebates since the program launched earlier this summer.

DTE launched the Charging Forward program to increase EV awareness while offering residential Level 2 charger rebates, and public Level 2 and DC Fast Charging (DCFC) infrastructure enablement incentives to help create a charging network across Michigan. A Level 2 charger provides about 10 to 20 miles of range for an hour of charging, while a DCFC provides about 150 to 210 miles of range an hour, depending on the vehicle model and charger power level.

"DTE is pleased by the level of interest in Charging Forward from both residential and business customers," said Camilo Serna, vice president of Regulatory Affairs at DTE Energy. "Supporting the deployment of charging infrastructure will help facilitate EV adoption and bring about the benefits of transportation electrification to all of Michigan's residents."

Approved Charging Forward rebates as of Nov. 1 include:

14 $20,000 rebates for DC Fast Chargers along highways in Michigan, further expanding the EV Fast Charging network
75 $2,500 rebates for Level 2 chargers in public spaces, workplaces, and multi-unit dwellings
61 $500 rebates for residential EV owners who installed Level 2 chargers and enrolled in a year-round time-of-use electric rate

One of the first commercial locations to leverage Charging Forward is Meadowbrook Medical in Novi. "We decided to install the EV chargers as a direct result of the DTE Charging Forward program," said Jeff Gosselin, property manager at Meadowbrook Medical. "We had been considering installing EV chargers in the future, but the rebate offered by DTE made the decision to do it now a no-brainer."

DTE also provides a directory of residential and commercial electricians on its website to assist customers with the installation process. Oak Electric, which is one of the listed electricians, has installed EV chargers at its own facility, as well as locations for several Charging Forward applicants.

"In most commercial or industrial buildings, the installations have been smooth, and we have not had to upgrade the electrical service," said owner Gary Pipia. "In most cases, the DTE incentive has covered most – if not all – of the installation costs," he added, noting that DTE listed electrical contractors can help business owners enroll in the program and provide the needed plans and paperwork.

Charging Forward brings the benefits of transportation electrification to Michigan residents and businesses with outreach and incentives to support charging infrastructure growth. The program also encourages DTE residential customers to charge their EVs during off-peak hours, which helps smooth the demand on the electric grid and may reduce electric generation costs, which benefits all DTE customers, not just those who participate in the program.

In addition to Charging Forward, DTE brings more electric transportation to Michigan by forming strategic partnerships and securing available subsidies. DTE helped secure nearly $14M in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low-No Grant funding to deploy eight electric transit buses and charging infrastructure for Blue Water Transit, DDOT and SMART, and a Volkswagen Settlement Award of $1.5 million for four electric school buses in Ann Arbor and two in Roseville.

To apply for the incentives or learn more about the Charging Forward program visit www.dteenergy.com/chargingforward (for residential customers) or www.dteenergy.com/chargingforwardbiz (for business customers).

About DTE Energy
DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.2 million customers in Southeast Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects; renewable natural gas; natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage; and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE utility operations will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80 percent by 2040 to produce cleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE Electric aspires to achieve net zero carbon by 2050. DTE is committed to serving with its energy through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com.