itselectric Accelerating Detroit's Sustainable Mobility Future with Strategic Alliances: Partners with Michigan Central, Newlab, DTE Energy, ChargerHelp!, and Grounded RV

DETROIT, Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- itselectric, a Brooklyn-born electric vehicle (EV) curbside charging company, has announced three key initiatives within the city of Detroit. These strategic partnerships underscore how the mobility transition to electrification is ushering growth, innovation, and revitalization in the Motor City.

"The country needs 1.2 million more public EV chargers by 2030, particularly in dense urban neighborhoods. Today, the biggest barrier to deployment is the cost and complexity of connecting an EV charger directly to the utility's main in the roadway. Our charging network fully avoids this barrier, enabling affordable and scalable public charging infrastructure that benefits cities, drivers, and communities," said Nathan King, CEO and Co-Founder of itselectric.

Detroit Launch with Partner Properties:
itselectric is thrilled to launch in Detroit and positively impact its neighborhoods by bringing EV charging to the city through itselectric's innovative model of providing and installing public EV chargers at no cost to building owners or the City of Detroit. itselectric's first Detroit properties to receive these chargers will be IBEW Local 58 Headquarters (1358 Abbott St.), Dutch Girl Donuts (19000 Woodward Ave.), The Schvitz (8295 Oakland Ave), Lager House (1234 Michigan Ave.), and St. Peter's Episcopal Church (1950 Trumbull). Chargers will be rolled out for public use beginning in February of 2024.

itselectric provides small-footprint, design-centered, Level-2 charging posts and is the only curbside charging network that offers revenue sharing to property owners. Once a property is deemed eligible, at no cost to the property owner, itselectric installs and maintains a low-profile charger and shares proceeds with the property owners. With this business model, itselectric helps cities meet their carbon reduction targets and reduces governments' capital expenditures by completely avoiding the utility infrastructure upgrades normally needed to support public charging. Building owners and drivers who would like to see a charger on their block can express interest by joining itselectric's waitlist [https://www.itselectric.us/join].

This work is being funded in part through grants provided by DTE Energy as an Emerging Tech Fund grant partner and the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME) Michigan Mobility Funding Platform (MMFP). itselectric's work began in the Detroit Smart Parking Lab (DSPL) and is now the DSPL's first graduate bringing their technology into real-world public deployments within the city. The DSPL is a unique partnership between Bedrock, Bosch, Ford, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) designed to support technology startups as they test and demonstrate solutions for last-mile mobility, sustainable parking, and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure enhancement.

"DTE is proud to partner with itselectric and is committed to enabling the growth of electric vehicles in Detroit and across Michigan through our energy," said Tony Tomczak, Vice President, Electric Sales & Marketing, DTE Energy. "This grant through our Emerging Tech Fund, helps fund up to 25 chargers installed at no cost to local property owners, and will strengthen Detroit's network of public EV chargers while making it even easier for EV drivers to live, work and enjoy the city."

"Startups like itselectric truly validate the mission of the DSPL, and we are honored to be a pivotal part of their journey into a real-world deployment within the city," said Minelli DeLima, Business Leader – Parking & Mobility Solutions at Bosch.

"itselectric's contributions to Michigan's mobility ecosystem are a shining example of how the state's aggressive approach to supporting innovative startups is positively impacting the accessibility of EV charging," said Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer of the State of Michigan. "By graduating from the testing phase to the deployment phase with this round of charging installations, the company is demonstrating how innovation hubs such as the DSPL are fostering innovation and encouraging public-private collaboration to deliver EV charging solutions to Michigan residents, property owners, and businesses."

Grounded RV and Michigan Central Partnership:
itselectric also announced its partnership with Grounded RV [https://www.groundedrvs.com], Newlab and Michigan Central [michigancentral.com], Detroit's leading innovation district and tech hub. Grounded is leading the electric revolution of the outdoor recreation industry, beginning with recreational vehicles. With ranges of up to 250 miles, users can get closer to nature without harming it. Grounded G1 and G2 electric camper vans are available for rent at Michigan Central, and charging will be provided through Michigan Central and Newlab's 15th Street EV charging enclave. The vehicles can be rented via RVshare [https://rvshare.com/rvs/details/1693564]. This community-focused and high-visibility location demonstrates the ease with which urban charging solutions can easily be deployed through innovation. The partnership is aligned with Michigan Central's efforts to support electrification innovation through initiatives that prioritize equity, skills development, and real solutions to challenges in our communities.

"The EV chargers provided by itselectric and Michigan Central have unlocked the first-ever e-RV rental experience by making vehicle charging a completely seamless experience, from installation to turnkey rentals," said Sam Shapiro, Founder of Grounded EV.

ChargerHelp! Partnership:
ChargerHelp! – a leader in operations, maintenance and workforce development for the EV industry – has kicked off their Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Technician (EVSE) Training Program in partnership with Michigan Central. Detroiters will learn how to become operations and maintenance technicians for EV charging stations and will sit for the SAE International EVSE Technicians Certification Test. Participants be in an immersive training program designed to accommodate the schedules of working adults. This graduating workforce will then directly support itselectric's expansive deployments throughout the city.

"This initiative is not just about advancing technology but about empowering communities. By providing specialized training in the rapidly growing field of EV infrastructure, we aim to foster a new generation of skilled technicians. Our program is designed to be accessible and inclusive, ensuring that the benefits of the EV revolution are shared widely and with equity. We are committed to building a future where everyone has access to clean energy and the skills to maintain it," said Kameale C. Terry, CEO of Chargerhelp!

To learn more about itselectric, please visit https://www.itselectric.us.

To learn more about Grounded EV, please visit https://www.groundedrvs.com.

To learn more about Michigan Central and the EVSE training program, please visit https://michigancentral.com/chargerhelp.

To learn more about Newlab, please visit https://www.newlab.com.

To learn more about DTE Energy's Emerging Tech Fund, please visit https://empoweringmichigan.com/dtes-emerging-tech-fund.

To learn more about OFME, please visit https://www.michiganbusiness.org/ofme.

To learn more about Chargerhelp!, please visit https://www.chargerhelp.com.

SOURCE itselectric