Great Lakes Wire

Rich Studley, former President and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, expressed concerns over Michigan's electric vehicle (EV) registration targets. He described them as "unrealistic" and said they impose unnecessary costs on drivers. This statement was made on the social media platform X.

"Government mandates aren't free," said Studley. "Most Michigan motorists don't need or want an expensive, limited range and difficult to recharge electric vehicle. Gov Whitmer's goal of 2 Million EV registrations in Michigan by 2030 isn't ambitious, it's absurd."

Michigan has set ambitious goals for EV adoption, aiming to have 2 million EVs on the road by 2030. The state is implementing policies to accelerate this transition, including plans for 100,000 public charging stations and adjustments to EV registration fees to support infrastructure development, as reported by the Ecology Center.

According to Bridge Michigan, as of June 2025, there are approximately 85,666 fully electric vehicles and 18,141 plug-in hybrids registered in Michigan. This represents a more than fourfold increase in EV registrations since 2022 but remains significantly short of the state's target of 2 million by 2030.

MICHauto reports that Michigan’s EV registrations have increased by 318% since 2019. However, the state still trails behind other Midwest states like Illinois and Minnesota in terms of per capita EV adoption and charging station density. This highlights regional disparities in EV growth.

Studley served as president and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce from 2010 until his recent retirement. He joined the organization in 1981 and led its advocacy efforts on business, tax, and regulatory policy issues, according to an interview by Charter Library.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1959 as a statewide business advocacy group representing diverse industries with a mission to advance free enterprise and economic prosperity, according to its official website.