Michigan, Daimler Trucks North America partner to build 'truck stop of the future'

LANSING, Mich. — A prototype “truck stop of the future” is being planned for Michigan.

According to a news release, the Mobility Charging Hub “will help to enable companies to transition their fleets to electric commercial vehicles (EVs) and future-proof their businesses by testing new technologies, digital services and business models designed to accelerate deployment of commercial EVs at scale and modernize the truck stop experience.”

The program will also serve the dual purpose of supporting passenger vehicle charging, officials said.

Located at Daimler Trucks North America’s (DTNA) multi-acre Redford, Michigan, facility near Interstate 96, the site is already equipped with the necessary power, according to the news release.

“This location sees more than 10,000 medium-and heavy-duty commercial trucks travel daily across the state, or across the state’s borders into Canada,” the news release noted. “Furthermore, Michigan accounts for 30% of all truck and rail freight between the United States and Canada, making Redford an ideal first location to concentrate on for this activation. In addition, DTNA’s existing workforce training programs for EVs can be expanded in the future to provide training programs related to agnostic EV charging infrastructure with the establishment of the Mobility Charging Hub.”

Michigan’s Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II said that freight trucks “play a pivotal role in driving commerce, delivering goods, and connecting businesses throughout the nation, which is why we’re taking a future-forward approach to prepare this industry for the future and encourage other innovators and companies to consider how they, too, can make it in Michigan.”

“Over the past five years, our administration has made progress on rebuilding Michigan highways, freeways and bridges, and now we’re taking that one step further with this ‘truck stop of the future’ to rebuild our transportation infrastructure to support the nation’s economy of tomorrow,” Gilchrist added.

The news release notes that “Michigan will have access to $13 million in funding to support the Mobility Charging Hub development and secure partnerships with companies aiming to test and implement solutions related to EV innovation, fleet management and overall ease of travel.”

Initial project partners are DTNA and DTE Energy.

With $8.5 million in federal funding support from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity grant award to Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification will also establish a grant program through the Mobility Charging Hub that will help fund future activations onsite, the news release notes.

Through the Mobility Charging Hub, Michigan officials say they “hope to develop the partnerships, integrations and business models necessary for accelerating the transition to EVs at scale, while informing a playbook replicable across truck stop locations nationwide.”

“Michigan’s ability to retain its global position as the automotive capital of the world depends in part on our ability to attract and retain industry, as well as move goods domestically and across our nearby active international borders,” said Kathryn Snorrason, interim chief mobility officer of the State of Michigan. “This new innovation hub will help preserve Michigan’s position in the automotive sector while allowing us to address emerging fleet management technologies.”

Rakesh Aneja, head of eMobility at DTNA, said that her company is “driven by our vision of leading sustainable transformation at the speed of right. After introducing Electric Island, a first-of-its-kind heavy-duty electric truck charging site in Portland, Oregon, and investing in Greenlane this year, a joint venture for public charging infrastructure, we 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.”

The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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