'May be controversial' but Monroe summit seeks fact-based discussion of EVs
MONROE — An Electric Vehicle Summit is coming to Monroe County Community College, representing a culmination of the work the school has done since receiving an EV-focused grant in 2023.
The summit, organized by Monroe County Community College (MCCC) and the Center for Automotive Research, will be hosted from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, June 27 at the college’s Career Technology Center. The summit is designed to encourage community members to partake in discussions about electric vehicle resources, to promote awareness about electric vehicles, and explore the necessary resources required for their use and accessibility, according to a release from the college.
"The goals of the summit are to promote awareness and convene discussion on the necessary resources for electrification," industry analyst for Center for Automotive Research Lisa Krusemark said in a release.
According to the MCCC website, the college received a $45,000 Electrical Vehicle Infrastructure Planning Grant from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments in 2023, meant to be used to provide programmatic and advocacy support for electric vehicle planning and infrastructure.
MCCC will host numerous sessions featuring local community leaders, electric vehicle industry representatives and public utilities representatives. The summit will also include a presentation about recent surveys on community electric vehicle use, conducted by MCCC and City of Luna Pier.
The community affair will offer an education and training pathway session for electric vehicle technicians, according to a release from MCCC.
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Joe Verkennes, MCCC's Director of Marketing and Communications, told the Monroe Evening News that this is the college’s first Electric Vehicle Summit. Unlike previous electric car shows hosted by the college, it will be more information-based.
“As a college, we're a forum for all kinds of different things that go on that may be controversial in nature,” Verkennes told the Monroe News. “But the college is out here to provide the correct information, an educational opportunity for the community where people can come together and discuss these."
The summit will facilitate discussions key to understanding the pros and cons of electric vehicle adoption, and it will allow the college to explore why people may be hesitant to adopt such technology.
Those interested in attending the summit can register at monroeccc.edu/EVSummit. Remote participation options are also available.
— This story was created by reporter Karly Graham, kgraham@petoskeynews.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: MCCC to host first Electric Vehicle Summit Thursday
