
The City of Detroit, in collaboration with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), has landed a substantial $15.2 million federal grant aimed at developing a robust electric vehicle (EV) charging network. According to the city announcement, which came directly from Mayor Mike Duggan, it underscores a significant step for the city's "Detroit Charge Ahead: Clean Commute Program."
This grant is part of a larger pool, totaling $635 million, which was distributed nationally by the Federal Highway Administration for the creation of new EV charging ports and alternative fueling infrastructure. These funds come from the Biden administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With this aid, Detroit's plan to set up over 100 high-speed EV charging stations across 40 locations is now closer to materialization, with installations starting this spring and extending over the next few years.
In a statement obtained by the City of Detroit's official website, Mayor Duggan expressed the city's commitment to the transition towards electric vehicles: "Electric vehicles are the future of the auto industry and Detroit is going to support that shift by making sure we have a network of safe, convenient and easy to find high speed charging stations for people to use." These stations will be highly visible, located along major routes and at key business and residential areas.
The joint City/SEMCOG initiative is strategically geared toward positioning Southeast Michigan as a frontrunner in sustainable transportation. The project aims to curb pollution, boost the uptake of EVs, and expand access to clean transport options, especially for communities residing in high-density housing with links to transit amenities. As for the Detroit Climate Strategy, it aligns with those targets by advocating for a dip in transport-related emissions and fostering a greener city environment.
City-wide initiatives to enhance sustainable mobility have included upgrades to public transport, better infrastructure for walking and cycling, and incentives for the adoption of EVs. The integrated public EV charging network envisioned will certainly improve access to greener transportation, which, as Tim Slusser, Chief of Mobility Innovation for the City of Detroit, told the City of Detroit, is essential for fostering the adoption of zero-emission vehicles, "many of which are built right here in Detroit, by Detroiters."
These efforts are also generating employment prospects, with the EV charging projects sparking workforce development through training programs and creating jobs via partnerships, including one with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union. The synergistic effect of this investment could both revitalize local economies and pioneer a more ecologically conscious mode of transportation.