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Detroit staked its claim as a center of mobility innovation yesterday with the opening of a hulking new tech incubator in Corktown.

Why it matters: The historic Book Depository's resurrection from a fire-damaged, vacant shell to a cutting-edge innovation hub represents the city's post-bankruptcy ambitions to become a global leader in mobility and electric vehicle adoption.

Driving the news: Five years after Ford Motor acquired the near-derelict building originally designed by Albert Kahn from the Moroun family, it reopened with dozens of companies already at work.

The 270,000-square-foot former post office branch is now the local headquarters for Newlab, which provides a WeWork-esque office environment for inventors, artists and problem solvers.

The redesign features high ceilings and large windows throughout, with an extended skylight maximizing natural light into an atrium near the entrance.

What's next: The Book Depository is the first completed building at the 30-acre mobility campus anchored by the Michigan Central Station train depot.

Tours for the public are expected to start soon.

The renovated Book Depository building at its reopening in April 2023.

The renovated Book Depository building yesterday during its reopening event. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

What they're saying: "The best and the brightest are coming here to invent things to help us with the future that we need," Ford executive chair Bill Ford told a standing-room-only audience gathered for the launch event.

Between the lines: The incubator strives to produce tech-solving, real-world problems — especially transportation-based solutions for cities and neighborhoods.

📸 Here's a snapshot of the companies now working inside the Book Depository:

Elevator pitch: "Google Maps for drones," CEO Michael Healander tells Axios.

The 50-plus-employee company is developing a traffic management system for unmanned aircraft.

Real-world application: Airspace is working with Beaumont Health to use drones to carry blood samples above a rail line from Birmingham to Royal Oak.

Elevator pitch: "Automating vehicle maintenance with robots and vision, starting with the tire-changing process," CEO Victor Darolfi says.

RoboTire, headquartered in Plymouth, is moving to Newlab next week to take advantage of the startup ecosystem and connect with other companies.

Real-world application: Its technology can change a set of four tires in about 20 minutes, Darolfi says.

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others. 

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation

Detroit is staking its claim as a center of mobility innovation.

A RoboTire bay demonstrates the company's tire-changing technology

A RoboTire bay demonstrates the company's tire-changing technology inside the Book Depository building. Photo: Joe Guillen/Axios

Transportation

Attendees at the Book Depository's launch event gather for opening remarks from Bill Ford and others

Detroit staked its claim as a center of mobility innovation yesterday with the opening of a hulking new tech incubator in Corktown.Why it matters: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The historic Book Depository&#x27;s resurrection" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/04/25/restored-book-depository-building-detroit-ford" data-vars-content-id="08acdd0e-830f-4c06-ba2d-bcd848a3b989" data-vars-headline="Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/04/25/restored-book-depository-building-detroit-ford" target="_self">The historic Book Depository&#x27;s resurrection</a> from a fire-damaged, vacant shell to a cutting-edge innovation hub represents the city&#x27;s post-bankruptcy ambitions to become a global leader in mobility and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="electric vehicle adoption" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/13/ev-revolution-equitable-charging-detroit-michigan" data-vars-content-id="08acdd0e-830f-4c06-ba2d-bcd848a3b989" data-vars-headline="Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/13/ev-revolution-equitable-charging-detroit-michigan" target="_self">electric vehicle adoption</a>.

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The electric vehicle movement is growing nationwide, but people who live in apartments, low-income neighborhoods and rural areas without easy charging access could get left behind, Axios' Joann Muller reports.

Why it matters: Despite trying to position itself as a mobility pioneer with projects at the Michigan Central train depot and the Joe Louis Greenway, Detroit's lack of  widespread access to EV chargers remains a work in progress.

If the benefits of cleaner transportation — better air quality, less noise, lower energy costs — don't flow equitably to all Americans, EV adoption is likely to stall, limiting the country's ability to achieve its climate goals.

In a first of its kind study, U of M  researchers found that even if all gas-powered cars were replaced with EVs, the lowest-income U.S. households would keep experiencing the highest transportation energy burdens. 

Zoom in: Many of Detroit's public charging stations are downtown and along the Woodward corridor, with gaps in surrounding neighborhoods.

A recent Axios analysis found that public chargers are easier to find in whiter, wealthier neighborhoods.

Driving the news: Michigan and the federal government are trying to spur more investment in public charging. 

The 2021 federal infrastructure law includes $5 billion for highway chargers and $2.5 billion for other community charging sites.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's new state budget proposal includes $65 million to expand EV charging infrastructure and access, although it's unclear how that will roll out in Detroit.

What they're saying: For lower-income communities to enjoy lower fuel costs and environmental benefits of EVs, more wealthy households must embrace the transition.

Purchases of new EVs will increase the availability of used models, making them more affordable, Gregory Keoleian, a co-author of the U of M study, tells Axios.

"Low-income communities need to participate, but it has to be affordable," Keoleian says.

Detroit's EV revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging

The lack of widespread access to chargers remains a work in progress.

The electric vehicle movement is growing nationwide, but people who live in apartments, low-income neighborhoods and rural areas without easy charging access could get left behind, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Axios&#x27; Joann Muller reports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/08/electric-vehicle-charging-stations-equity" data-vars-content-id="8477403e-5ffe-40a8-b276-ad2064240f0d" data-vars-headline="Detroit&#x27;s EV revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/02/08/electric-vehicle-charging-stations-equity" target="_self">Axios&#x27; Joann Muller reports</a>.Why it matters: Despite trying to position itself as a mobility pioneer with projects at the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Michigan Central train depot" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/09/28/electrified-road-coming-detroit" data-vars-content-id="8477403e-5ffe-40a8-b276-ad2064240f0d" data-vars-headline="Detroit&#x27;s EV revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/09/28/electrified-road-coming-detroit" target="_self">Michigan Central train depot</a> and the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Joe Louis Greenway" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/11/21/joe-louis-greenway-taking-shape-detroit" data-vars-content-id="8477403e-5ffe-40a8-b276-ad2064240f0d" data-vars-headline="Detroit&#x27;s EV revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2022/11/21/joe-louis-greenway-taking-shape-detroit" target="_self">Joe Louis Greenway</a>, Detroit&#x27;s lack of widespread access to EV chargers remains a work in progress.

Joann Muller

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Book Depository opening highlights next gen mobility innovation

Detroit's EV revolution hinges on equitable, affordable charging