A new report finds that only about 5% of rural Michiganders would be willing to pick an electric vehicle as their next car.

And while the report found some of their reasoning was grounded in misinformation, they also found genuine gaps that the state would need to address before EVs are a completely viable solution for rural residents. Read on for the full details.

Plus: Would you support stricter restrictions for kids’ social media use?

Whitmer proposes tax cuts for next state budget (WILX): Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has unveiled the “Saving Michiganders Money Plan,” which would cut taxes and lower costs for seniors, families and workers through measures like ending taxes on Social Security, tips and overtime, and more. The state’s budget director will present the plan to the legislature on Wednesday.

Anti-abortion group argues First Amendment violations in lawsuit (IPR): A federal lawsuit filed by Right to Life of Michigan and a pregnancy resource center seeks to roll back parts of Michigan’s civil rights law, arguing the changes violate free speech and religious rights. The suit argues Michigan law forces religious and pro-life groups to employ people who don’t share their beliefs.

MI lawmakers ask federal agency to stop funding beagle testing (Michigan Advance): A group of Michigan lawmakers is urging the National Institutes of Health to stop funding Wayne State University research that implants medical devices in beagles and forces them to run until they die, calling the experiments cruel, unnecessary, and unproven in benefiting humans.

About 70% of rural respondents did not have access to a fast charger within 5 miles at places where they would realistically stop, according to the study. (MDOT)

By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov, Capital News Service

Only about 5% of rural Michigan residents say they would choose an electric vehicle as their next car, according to a University of Michigan survey of more than 1,000 residents in rural ZIP codes statewide.

The findings come as Michigan works to expand electric vehicle use under its climate and clean energy goals, while rural communities continue to face challenges related to cost, charging access and long driving distances.

Researchers say some of those barriers are real, but others stem from misinformation.

That misinformation is especially common about home charging.

“There are so many people I talk to who say the same thing, like, ‘Oh, I can’t charge overnight,’” said Sabina Tomkins, an assistant professor of information at U-M and one of the study’s authors.

“I don’t really know where that information comes from. I think a lot of the time people just have this belief without checking it,” Tomkins said.

Survey data suggests those concerns are often overstated.

The study found that about 42% of respondents believed they could not charge a battery-equipped electric vehicle overnight at home.

However, researchers estimated that about 75% of those surveyed could meet their daily driving needs with a Level 2 home charger, even during winter.

Many respondents said they drive “too much in a day” for an electric vehicle, but a review of the data suggested otherwise.

While home charging may be more feasible than many people believe, access to public charging stations remains a major barrier.

Michigan State Senator and US Senate candidate Mallory McMorrow says Big Tech is failing kids.

This week, she released an agenda that includes bans on targeted ads, stronger data privacy protections, and limits on addictive app design, should she be elected to the US Senate.

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with a feature story from Capital News Service. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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