Are you interested in helping Michiganders prosper by enabling the growth of good jobs and promoting the state’s reputation as a world-class mobility business location? Come be part of the team as a new program manager for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME). The position will be responsible for managing relationships, projects, and ongoing operations for the OFME.

Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II announced that Volta Charging will expand its presence in Michigan to help build out the state’s broader EV infrastructure to improve transit options for residents and strengthen the state’s EV ecosystems. Volta will add at least eight additional chargers at Metro Detroit Kroger locations to its network, thanks in part to a broader, nationwide collaboration between the company and Kroger to accelerate the delivery of affordable, equitable access to charging.

This commitment from Volta builds on news from April 2022 that the company received a Michigan Mobility Funding Platform grant from the state of Michigan and make-ready rebates from DTE’s Charging Forward program to improve access to EV infrastructure in typically underserved areas of the state.

“Our partnership plays a critical role in ensuring EVs and their charging infrastructure are more accessible and equitable for all,” said Lt. Gov. Gilchrist. “Through this project, and Michigan’s broader efforts to implement a comprehensive EV ecosystems approach, we will lead the nation in developing the future of sustainable transportation.”

Ann Arbor-based P3Mobility has officially signed on as a partner on the University of Michigan-led Smart Intersections Project, which has earned a Federal Highway Administration (FHA) grant to demonstrate the safety potential and scalability of connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) in Ann Arbor. P3Mobility will deploy its proprietary software in the Ann Arbor Connected Environment (AACE), the world’s first large-scale connected vehicle deployment, in partnership with the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

P3Mobility was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in December 2020 to test software that allows vehicles to communicate with road-side infrastructure at the University of Michigan’s Mcity.

“To be involved in this project is a huge success for us and the CAV ecosystem,” said P3Mobility CEO Erin Milligan. “The industry is clearly making AV safety a priority and we are honored to be at the forefront of that effort. In addition to promoting safety, this project highlights how revenue can be generated to help pay for CAV infrastructure. This is an essential element to the ecosystem that is so often overlooked.”

The North American International Auto Show (a.k.a. Detroit Auto Show) has announced a host of new family-friendly attractions for the transformed 2022 event. Fun experiences for the entire family will include Fred Flintstone’s “Flintmobile,” the world’s first electric Monster Truck, an appearance by the “World’s Largest Rubber Duck,” a salute to Detroit’s riverfront, and Michigan’s Great Lakes.

Highlights for the 2022 Auto Show will include a “Dinosaur and Off-Road Vehicle Encounter,” a Jurassic walk-thru experience featuring life-like and life-size dinosaurs; Fred Flintstone’s original car built by George Barris for the Universal Studios 1994 feature motion picture “The Flintstones”; the world’s first battery-powered Monster Truck and Monster Truck Throwdown event; the “Air Mobility Experience” which features five demonstrations and displays of electric aircraft capabilities; the World’s Largest Rubber Duck, paying homage to getting “Jeep Ducked,” and much more.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and OFME recently launched the Michigan Mobility Wallet Challenge to explore the creation of a Mobility Wallet Pilot Program, which aims to increase the interoperability of transit services and offer Michigan residents greater access to personal mobility. Specifically, the program’s goal will be to simplify transit payment processes by allowing riders or third-party stakeholders to load funds, or connect bank accounts, to a single platform that streamlines ride fare payment.

Mobility Wallet Pilot Program proposals must be submitted by Sept. 22 at 5 p.m. ET to be considered.

OFME and MDOT have partnered to launch the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP) aimed at providing vital grant funding to mobility and electrification companies of all sizes looking to deploy their technology in Michigan. Grants are focused on catalyzing and scaling mobility solutions across three key areas of focus:

• Sustainable Futures: Improve environmental sustainability by encouraging EV adoption and the buildout of EV charging infrastructure
• Equitable Futures: Alleviate mobility barriers and increase access to affordable and reliable transportation options
• Multimodal Transportation: Modernize existing transportation systems and keep Michigan at the forefront across all connected and autonomous transportation modes

For Michigan-based entities working to address a mobility/electrification challenge or solution providers looking to find a Michigan-based partner, additional Interest Forms are available to support those seeking and providing solutions through the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform.

More information about eligibility for testing environments and real-world deployments, as well as past grant recipients, is available here. The current rolling application period ends December 31, 2022.

• DriveElectric.gov – Information on all federal EV-related news and opportunities
• DOE Bipartisan Infrastructure Funding Opportunities – The latest notices and RFP opportunities for programs related to clean energy and lower carbon emissions
• H2 Matchmaker – An online resource to help hydrogen suppliers and users identify stakeholders across the supply chain
• MICHauto – Organization that promotes, retains, and grows Michigan’s signature industry as the state’s only automotive and mobility cluster association
• Michigan Mobility Funding Platform – Test site deployments and real-world deployments
• Michigan STEM Forward Internships – A statewide partnership between the MEDC and Ann Arbor SPARK which aims to connect the brightest upcoming talent with innovative and growing companies throughout Michigan
• Bamboo Detroit Mobility Founders Hour – Join a bimonthly, virtual meetup for founders