Peters, Stabenow Welcome $52.2 Million in Federal Support to Drive and Advance Mobility Innovation in Michigan

DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI) today welcomed the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration announcement it is awarding $52.2 million in federal support to the Global Epicenter of Mobility to drive and advance mobility innovation across Michigan’s automotive sector. Peters and Stabenow secured this funding through the American Rescue Plan they helped enact last year.

“Michigan has an opportunity to continue leading the way in innovation and the future of mobility,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. “I was proud to pass the American Rescue Plan that made this funding possible and advocate for Detroit Regional Partnership to receive these critical federal resources. It will go a long way toward strengthening Michigan’s leadership in developing and building electric and autonomous vehicles and the transportation systems of tomorrow in bold new innovative ways. This investment is a big deal — it will not only support good-paying jobs but invest in our communities by creating new economic opportunities in Metro Detroit and beyond and help bolster our supply chains.”

“Our workers and manufacturers are the best in the world which is why Michigan is so well-positioned to be the global epicenter for mobility,” said Senator Stabenow. “Thanks to the American Rescue Plan we are making a major investment in the region that will support electric and autonomous vehicle innovation and help our businesses create new jobs.”

The grant is designed to accelerate economic growth and focus on the transition to next-generation electric, autonomous and fully connected vehicles. Led by the Detroit Regional Partnership Foundation, the Global Epicenter of Mobility Coalition will transform Metro Detroit’s legacy automotive industry into a highly-competitive advanced mobility cluster and build on the region’s mobility assets. The projects supported by this award include establishing the new Supply Chain Transformation Center that will support existing auto manufacturers during this transition, as well as a Mobility Accelerator Innovation Network to identify and foster start-ups in the mobility space. The grant will also support workforce development, job creation and domestic manufacturing.

The Global Epicenter of Mobility Coalition is one of only 21 winners nationwide to be awarded federal support through the American Rescue Plan Build Back Better Regional Challenge program, which is focused on projects that will enable robust economic transformation and boost economic competitiveness.

For more information on the American Rescue Plan Build Back Better Regional Challenge program, click here: https://eda.gov/arpa/build-back-better/.

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