Council committee advances Detroit Charge Ahead easements to formal review after data questions

The Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole on March 13 voted to send a request to accept easement interests for DC fast-charging stations under the Detroit Charge Ahead initiative to the formal session without a committee recommendation after council members asked staff for more data on demand and siting.

The item, presented by Tim Slusser, Chief of Mobility Innovation for the city, would give the city “access to private properties that will allow us to deploy EV charging infrastructure,” specifically DC fast charging intended to provide an experience closer to fueling a gasoline vehicle, Slusser said. “These types of charging infrastructure would allow an electric vehicle to recharge in somewhere in the range of 15 to 30 minutes,” he said.

Why it matters: Council members and callers pressed staff for evidence the chargers would be used. One caller asked, “what is the thought process behind putting $3,100,000 that we're spending for these Detroit chargers and putting them on private property?” expressing concern about public funds and placement on privately owned sites. The committee’s vote to forward the item without recommendation gives councilmembers time to review additional materials before a formal vote.

During discussion, Slusser described how staff picked sites: by examining vehicle traffic corridors and volumes and working with the Department of Public Works to target high-traffic corridors and businesses willing to host chargers. He said the planned equipment would be city-owned and that the city would not pay hosting businesses or share revenue: “This infrastructure will be wholly owned by the city of Detroit. But it helps to create the right dynamics…”

Council members asked for more local usage and ecosystem data. One committee member said they were not opposed to the concept but would “request that we can send this out without recommendation” and added they would oppose it if it were sent forward with a recommendation to approve. The member asked staff to provide a fuller picture of how existing Level 2 chargers at rec centers are being used and whether the city is auditing those assets to inform decisions about DC fast charging siting and the risk of underutilization.

Slusser told the committee the rec-center chargers are largely Level 2 units that provide about 20 miles of range per hour and are intended for longer “destination” charging, while the DC fast chargers under this easement request are intended for quicker top-ups and longer-distance travel. He said some rec-center installations are still being completed and that long-term usage data are limited. Slusser said staff would provide the additional information requested by the committee “by Tuesday.”

The motion to forward the item to formal session without committee recommendation carried with no objections. The formal session will be where council will consider whether to adopt the easements and related resolutions after reviewing the additional materials promised by staff.