Detroit's Hydrogen Future

Driving Decarbonization with Hydrogen

Hydrogen is emerging as a critical form of vehicle electrification, poised to play a significant role in decarbonizing Detroit's transportation system and our planet. The journey in the transportation sector appears poised to begin with heavy-duty applications such as long-haul trucking, where hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) offer distinct advantages: exceptional range, impressive hauling capacity, and swift refueling times.

On August 13, 2024, the City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation published a white paper on leveraging hydrogen for decarbonizing transportation, fostering partnerships, and boosting economic growth in the transportation sector. Read here for the full report.

Why Detroit?

Detroit stands uniquely positioned within the Midwest as a vital gateway to the U.S. economy and major economic regions. With over a century of automotive history and leadership, Detroit boasts the highest density of engineering talent and transportation innovation in the country. Under the leadership of Mayor Duggan, Detroit became the first city in the nation to appoint a Chief of Mobility Innovation and establish the Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI). As part of one of the DOE's Hydrogen Hub awards, the Midwest Hydrogen Hub (MachH2) team, Detroit will deploy a "Truck Stop of the Future," setting the stage for a local hydrogen-powered clean transportation future.

Detroit's Hydrogen Vision

The City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation is committed to partnering with industry leaders to create a hub of hydrogen-related activities that stimulate local demand and prepare our economy for the forthcoming MachH2 investment. We are building partnerships to support workforce and talent development, local use cases, and overall demand for hydrogen as a transportation fuel, alongside fostering research, development, and innovation.

 Local Use Cases Identified in Detroit

• Long-Haul Trucking
• Regional Transit
• Warehousing and Logistics
• Ports and Rail
• Aerial Mobility
• Grid Resilience
• Other Heavy-Duty Applications

The Innovation Ecosystem

Detroit is the go-to destination for companies developing clean transportation and mobility solutions. Key examples of our thriving innovation ecosystem include:

• Michigan Central
• Newlab @ Michigan Central
• Plug and Play Detroit
• Techstars Detroit
• University of Michigan Center for Innovation
• Black Tech Saturdays
• Mobility Networking Events
• United States Patent and Trademark Regional Office

Connect with Detroit

The City of Detroit's Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI), seeks to connect and partner with companies building solutions for the hydrogen economy. Our goal is to foster hydrogen-related development and innovations that lead to enhanced solutions for clean transportation and energy.

What Your Company Can Bring:

• Technology and Innovation
• Investment
• Job Creation

 What Detroit Can Offer:

• Support for Permitting
• Assistance with Site Selection
• Support for Developing Local Partnerships
• Feedback and Input on Developing Hydrogen Solutions for Government Customers
• Partnerships for Grant Opportunities
• Opportunities to Deploy and Test Innovations

Contact