Press Release: Wisconsin DOA and WisDOT Join City of Racine for Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit Tour Announcement

STATE OF WISCONSIN

DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Tony Evers, Governor

Kathy Blumenfeld, Secretary-designee

Wisconsin DOA and WisDOT Join City of Racine for Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle Circuit Tour Announcement

City of Racine, Wis. – Today, Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld, joined by Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Craig Thompson and City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason, unveiled a stop on the recently announced Lake Michigan Electric Vehicle (EV) Circuit Tour, a multi-state collaborative effort from Governor Evers, and the Governors of Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois, to build America’s next iconic road trip specifically for electric vehicles. 

The announcement in Racine, held at a solar EV charging station at Racine City Hall, signaled Wisconsin’s commitment to the multi-state effort.

(L-R: WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson, Wisconsin Tourism specialist David Spiegelberg, Katelynn Samuelsen, OSCE, DOA Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld, Senate Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, City of Racine Mayor Cory Mason, Governor Evers' Milwaukee office deputy director Vanessa Llanas, RENEW Wisconsin government affairs director Jim Boullion)  

“We’re so proud to be collaborating across state lines to enhance tourism around Lake Michigan,” said DOA Secretary-designee Kathy Blumenfeld. “This effort connects with Wisconsin’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan, and Governor Evers’ commitment to expand EV infrastructure in the state and make EV vehicles more accessible for visitors and residents alike.”   

“More and more travelers are choosing electric vehicles, and for our tourism economy to thrive, we need to deliver forward-looking transportation infrastructure,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said. “These stations are an opportunity for more travelers to recharge and enjoy all the Great Lakes have to offer.”

"The City of Racine is excited to host the announcement of this multi-state agreement to expand EV infrastructure while promoting Great Lakes tourism,” said Racine Mayor Cory Mason. “With the largest fleet of EV city buses in the state, the City of Racine shares Governor Evers commitment to sustainability. Investing in electric vehicles and their infrastructure play an important role in lowering our carbon footprint and protecting the climate." 

The Evers Administration aims to expand an existing network of charging locations to cover the more than 350 miles of Wisconsin coastline on Lake Michigan. The goal is to build enough chargers at locations along the route to support roundtrip EV travel based on the number of annual tourists using the network.

In April, the Evers Administration announced the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan, with recommendations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve reliability and affordability of clean energy, reduce fossil fuel pollution, and strengthen the clean energy workforce.  

"Electric vehicles are already less expensive to operate than gas powered vehicles, and as American manufacturers put more EV models on the road, there will be a vehicle that fits the needs of everyone; from low cost and practical, to high end and fun to drive, and everything in between,” said Jim Boullion of RENEW Wisconsin. “However, building the electric vehicles is just one step.  We need to work with other states on projects like this Lake Michigan EV Circuit Tour to let people know that long distance EV travel is possible, practical and fun!”

Additional details about the Lake Michigan EV Circuit Tour are available here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WIGOV/bulletins/325c3ad