Michigan is building a trailblazing electric truck stop with Daimler, DTE

The State of Michigan – which sees 30% of all truck and rail freight between the US and Canada pass through it – is going to build an electric truck stop with Daimler and DTE Energy.

Michigan’s electric truck stop

On Thursday, the State of Michigan announced a new prototype program called the “Mobility Charging Hub,” aiming to help accelerate commercial EV deployment at scale and modernize the truck stop experience. (It will also support passenger EV charging.)

It’s going to be located at Daimler Truck North America’s multi-acre Redford facility near I-96, which runs east-west, and the site already has the necessary power. It’s a busy corridor, seeing more than 10,000 medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks travel daily through the state or across the state’s borders into Canada.

Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at Daimler Truck North America, said, “[W]e are excited to partner with the State of Michigan and DTE in this innovative Mobility Charging Hub. Our 130-acre Detroit manufacturing plant, home to our diesel and electric Detroit Powertrains and powered by more than 3,000 employees, is the ideal location for this project.”

Michigan has $13 million in funding to develop the truck stop and secure partnerships with companies that want to test EV innovation, electric fleet management, and ease of travel. Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) and DTE Energy are already onboard as project partners.

The Mobility Charging Hub was also awarded $8.5 million in federal funding from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant award.

The core infrastructure to support EV charging at the site will be established first, and DTE will operate the EV charging solutions, solar canopies, and battery energy storage systems. DTE will also look to partner with third-party operators for value-added services. Then the state will work to establish the Mobility Charging Hub as a place for innovation testing.

City Dwellers’s Take

This is a forward-thinking project that makes a lot of sense. Fossil-fuel truck stops are going to become obsolete, and electric truck stops will need to meet the needs of commercial EV drivers who stop to charge their vehicles.

And while this project will provide a testing ground for interested parties such as OEMs and energy providers, it also aims to create a highly functional model that can be duplicated quite easily across the country.

When you’re driving long distances, that’s exactly what you need – reliability and efficiency coupled with comfort. Think of it like Tesla superchargers located next to well-designed, comfortable amenities with tasty, fresh food and clean restrooms – but for truck drivers. (And non-commercial drivers, too.)

Read more: This EV charging depot can charge up to 96 electric semi-trucks at once

Photo: Michigan Economic Development Corporation

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