Detroit, MI

Detroit gets building-powered EV chargers

Published

8 months ago

May 2, 2025

Detroit gets building-powered EV chargers

The electric vehicle chargers installed a few days ago on Lafayette Boulevard blocks from the Lodge Freeway in Detroit don’t look like any EV chargers you’ve seen before.

The two slim, stainless steel units stand like small curbside sentries, but you’d be forgiven if you mistook them for something else entirely. That’s by design.

Nathan King, the co-founder and CEO of it’s electric, the “Brooklyn-born” company behind these units, sees them as street furniture that solves many of the challenges most EV charging infrastructure fails to account for, especially in urban settings. King, an architect, described the lightbulb moment about three years ago that led to the creation of it’s electric, seeing people tossing electrical cords out their windows to charge up electric vehicles in the city.

Multiunit rental properties have long posed a challenge for EV ownership.

The Detroit units had their ribbon cutting on May 1, following similar openings in Boston and San Francisco, King said. At least 23 more charging locations are planned within the city limits.

Representatives from DTE Energy, Newlab Detroit, Bedrock and the city of Detroit were on hand to give remarks about the process to date and the promise of a new EV charging option. The so-called “behind-the-meter” connection ties to a building’s electrical supply, rather than requiring a more involved utility connection, and promises a cut of income that the charging units generate to the building owner. In this case, the property is owned by Bedrock, and it houses the Detroit Smart Parking Lab.

Users connect to the chargers with a detachable cord that they carry with them, avoiding the scenario of cable theft or damage that an errant car might cause hopping a curb, for instance. Users can set up an account and request a cable through the it’s electric smartphone app.

The units are Level 2 chargers, which the U.S. Transportation Department says can charge an electric vehicle to 80% from empty in four to 10 hours. Rates are expected to vary by city, but the cost to charge a typical EV for 9 hours overnight using the it’s electric chargers was estimated at $13.

Grants from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, DTE Emerging Technology Fund, Michigan Central Scale Fund and federal Ride and Drive funding support the initial deployments in Detroit, according to information provided about the ribbon cutting. The grant total for the company’s work in Detroit is $1.78 million, although the largest piece, from the federal government, also funds deployments in three other cities.

Tim Slusser, the city’s chief of mobility innovation, described many conversations as officials worked to figure out how to allow this type of installation project. Now there’s a process in place to deal with permitting, which he estimated should take about 30 to 60 days going forward, not including going before city council.

Slusser expressed enthusiasm for what’s been accomplished with this project and what it portends. The city needs more EV charging infrastructure, Slusser said.

It secured a $23.4 million grant from the federal government last year to expand that infrastructure, but with the change in presidential administrations, the status of a second $15.2 million grant announced for the city and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments earlier this year is unclear.

“We are very hungry for as many solutions as possible,” he said. “We’re interested in partnering with more companies like this.”

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.

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Detroit, MI

Tarik Skubal, Tigers can’t agree on 2026 salary. Here’s what happens

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Tarik Skubal, Tigers can’t agree on 2026 salary. Here’s what happens

The Detroit Tigers and left-hander Tarik Skubal did not agree to terms on a one-year contract for the 2026 season before the 8 p.m. deadline Thursday, Jan. 8, to exchange salary figures in the arbitration process.

Skubal filed at $32 million; the Tigers filed at $19 million.

It’s a difference of $13 million.

An arbitration panel will review the case during a hearing scheduled for late January or early to mid-February. The arbitrators must determine whether Skubal is worth more or less than the $25.5 million midpoint. If he’s worth more, they will select his $32 million proposal; if less, they will select the Tigers’ $19 million proposal. The panel isn’t allowed to choose a salary in between $19 million and $32 million.

The Tigers operate as a file-and-trial club in salary arbitration under president of baseball operations Scott Harris, meaning there won’t be further negotiations with Skubal regarding a one-year contract. A multi-year contract could still be negotiated, but it’s highly unlikely.

Skubal – represented by agent Scott Boras – reaches free agency after the 2026 season. The 29-year-old is positioned to become the first pitcher in MLB history to receive a $400 million contract.

If the two sides were to reach an agreement before a hearing, it would likely be a one-year contract with a player option, thus maintaining Skubal’s path to free agency in the 2026-27 offseason.

The reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young winner was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to receive $17.8 million in his third and final year of salary arbitration. He previously earned $2.65 million in 2024, then $10.15 million in 2025.

Why couldn’t the Tigers and Skubal agree on a salary for 2026?

The arbitration case for Skubal is unusually complex, thanks to a rarely used provision highlighted by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Because Skubal has more than five years of MLB service time, he isn’t limited to comparing himself only to past arbitration-eligible players. Instead, he can compare himself to any player in baseball.

Those unique rights allow Skubal – who has five years, 114 days of service time – to point to MLB’s highest-paid pitchers (such as Max Scherzer’s $43.3 million per year from 2022-24 or Zack Wheeler’s $42 million per year from 2025-27), arguing that his elite performance warrants a salary in that range – not in the $17.8 million range, as projected by MLB Trade Rumors.

That’s what pushed the Tigers and Skubal to an arbitration hearing.

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The current record for the largest one-year arbitration contract belongs to outfielder Juan Soto, who agreed to $31 million with the New York Yankees for the 2024 season.

If Skubal wins the arbitration hearing, he will surpass Soto and claim the new record with his proposed $32 million salary. If Skubal loses, then he will earn the $19 million salary proposed by the Tigers.

There are two other arbitration records on the line.

The highest-paid arbitration-eligible pitcher belongs to right-hander David Price, who earned $19.75 million with the Tigers in 2015 – his fourth year in the arbitration process as a Super Two qualifier. The largest raise for an arbitration-eligible pitcher belongs to right-hander Jacob deGrom, who surged from $7.4 million to $17 million – an increase of $9.6 million – with the New York Mets in 2019.

Those records for pitchers will belong to Skubal – but only if his proposed $32 million salary is selected by the arbitration panel. He will fall just short of the records if the panel selects the Tigers’ proposed $19 million.

Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball.

More notably, he is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

In 2025, Skubal registered a 2.21 ERA with 33 walks (4.4% walk rate) and 241 strikeouts (32.2% strikeout rate) across 195⅓ innings in 31 starts. He made the All-Star Game for the second time in his six-year MLB career.

Skubal became the first back-to-back AL Cy Young winner since right-hander Pedro Martínez in 1999-2000, leading the AL with a 2.39 ERA in 2024 and a 2.21 ERA in 2025.

The Tigers haven’t been to an arbitration hearing since right-hander Michael Fulmer in 2019.

Fulmer lost the case, receiving the Tigers’ proposed $2.8 million salary rather than his requested $3.4 million. Before that hearing, the Tigers hadn’t participated in an arbitration hearing since 2001 – and the Tigers haven’t lost a case since 2000.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon during the season and Tuesday afternoon during the offseason on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Detroit, MI

Former Detroit Tigers starting pitcher is Rockies’ first signing of winter

Published

16 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Former Detroit Tigers starting pitcher is Rockies’ first signing of winter

DETROIT — Former Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen has signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Colorado Rockies.

It’s the first signing of the offseason for the Rockies under new president Paul DePodesta. The deal includes a $9 million club option for 2027.

It’s the fifth straight winter that Lorenzen has signed a one-year deal following a seven-season tenure with the Cincinnati Reds.

Lorenzen, who turned 34 this week, signed a free-agent deal with the Tigers before the 2023 season. He made 18 starts and was selected for his first appearance in the All-Star Game before being dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies at the trade deadline for infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee.

After a strong start with his new team that included a no-hitter, Lorenzen was moved to the bullpen and pitched sparingly in the postseason.

He found a quiet reception on the free-agent market, agreeing to a discounted one-year deal with the Texas Rangers before the 2024 season. He was traded to the Royals at the deadline and pitched well down the stretch, going 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings with his new team.

He re-signed with the Royals in 2025 and put together another solid season, posting a 4.64 ERA in 141 innings with 127 strikeouts and 39 walks.

Colorado is known as an unforgiving home for pitchers, and the Rockies lost a league-worst 119 games in 2025.

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Detroit, MI

Canucks Continue Road Trip with a Stop in Detroit on Thursday Night | Vancouver Canucks

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Canucks Continue Road Trip with a Stop in Detroit on Thursday Night | Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are set for game two of their season-long six-game road trip. They will face the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night for the second and final time this season.

Brock Boeser picked up a pair of assists in Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, while the Canucks’ three goals came from Liam Öhgren, Jake DeBrusk, and Elias Pettersson.

Filip Hronek also had an assist in the game and played a team-high 26:20 of ice time. The 28-year-old, who will represent his home country of Czechia at this year’s Olympics, has been strong at both ends of the ice this season and holds a 59.7% control of the goal share at five-on-five this season. He has been on the ice for 34 goals scored and 23 goals against.

DeBrusk had a hat trick and four points in the game the last time these two teams met in Detroit.

Pettersson has five goals and 18 points in his 12 games against the Red Wings. He has four three-point games against them in his career and has three goals and 10 points in his six games in Detroit.

Quick Hits on the Competition

The Red Wings come into Thursday’s game with an 8-3-1 record in their last 12 games.

They picked up a 5-3 victory over the Ottawa Senators in their most recent outing.

Detroit is sitting pretty with a 25-15-4 record, and are second in the Atlantic Division.

On home ice, they posted a 14-8-1 record this season and have an 8-0-1 record in one-goal games on home ice.

Lucas Raymond (45 points) and Alex DeBrincat (43 points) lead the offence. DeBrincat is tied with Dylan Larkin for the team lead with 22 goals this season.

DeBrincat has scored 10 power play goals this season, and the Red Wings’ power play is tied for sixth in the league with its 24.6% conversion rate.

Moritz Seider leads the way on the backend. He is averaging 25:12 of ice time per game and has 31 points in 44 games.

John Gibson has made 25 starts this season, while Cam Talbot has 19 of his own. Gibson has a 14-9-1 record while Talbot is 11-6-3.

The Story: Power Plays

Rookie defenceman Tom Willander has been getting a run on the first power play unit over the past few games. The Canucks’ 2023 first-round pick is up to two goals and 10 assists for 12 points in 32 games this season.

The Canucks have picked up four power play goals in their last three games.

Jake DeBrusk leads the team with 10, and Kiefer Sherwood sits second on the squad with six.

The team ranks 13th on the power play this season. They have scored on 20.4% of their opportunities with the man advantage.

Canucks’ Top Performers over the Last Five Games

Elias Pettersson: 3g-1a-4p
Jake DeBrusk: 2g-2a-4p
Linus Karlsson: 2g-2a-4p
Filip Hronek: 1g-3a-4p
Tom Willander: 1g-2a-3p

When and Where to Watch

Thursday’s game is at 4:00 p.m. PT, and you can watch the game on Sportsnet or listen to Brendan Batchelor’s radio call on Sportsnet 650 and the Sportsnet Radio Network.

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