DETROIT (WWJ) – With a goal of seeing half of all vehicle sales in the U.S. being electric vehicles by the end of this decade, officials are searching for ways to support EV drivers.

That’s why U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg paid a visit to Detroit on Tuesday, announcing plans for the first-ever international “electric vehicle corridor.”

Buttigieg, joined by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Canadian Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra, announced the first Binational Electric Vehicle Corridor between the U.S. and Canada.

The corridor will stretch 860 miles from Kalamazoo to Quebec City, Quebec – passing through Detroit – and feature charging stations available every 50 miles.

The corridor is supported by $7.5 billion in federal funding, aimed at creating a national network of 500,000 public EV charging stations. Michigan is expected to receive at least $100 million of that funding support, officials announced Tuesday.

Whitmer said the corridor “will allow seamless international travel between Michigan and Canada,” featuring “abundant charging options.”

Buttigieg said Thursday along the Detroit Riverwalk the transition to EVs “won’t be overnight, but it’s happening quickly.”

“What I want people to know is that electric vehicles offer an opportunity to capture savings – from fuel savings, directly – but also maintenance savings, so that the cost of ownership is increasingly lower than it is for traditional gas cars,” Buttigieg said. “We’re not just urging people to do it because we think it’s good for the climate – although it is – we’re inviting people to capture those savings.

Tuesday’s announcement comes as Whitmer continues to invest in EVs in Michigan, having announced a number of EV and EV battery plants in the state over the last two years.