Future of Mobility: Recent Episodes

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Richard Hawwa is a Managing Director at Nomura Greentech, leading the Mobility and Automotive Technology practice in the Americas. Richard has 18 years of investment banking and operational experience, having advised on M&A and capital raising transactions with an aggregate value of more than $125 billion.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/richardhawwa
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-hawwa-42a64b44/

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 05:42 Misconceptions About Raising Capital
• 09:46 The Significance of Cash Burn and Gross Margin
• 12:13 Understanding the Importance of Cash and Margin
• 16:19 The Skepticism of Investors and Founders
• 18:26 The Never-Ending Fundraising Process
• 22:31 The Importance of Scalability in Building a Business
• 24:45 The Dichotomy of Venture-Backed Startups and Bootstrapped Businesses
• 27:48 Scaling a Business: Manufacturing and Bomb Cost
• 33:04 Building a Sustainable Competitive Moat
• 34:57 The Role of Capital Deployment
• 37:47 The Importance of Trust and Reputation in Relationships
• 41:09 The Value of Domain-Specific Experience
• 46:32 Conclusion

Keywords

investment banking, raising capital, financial picture, misconceptions, capital market, funding, milestones, revenue projections, scalability, marketing, building a business, fundraising, scaling, manufacturing, bomb cost, economies of scale, vertical integration, competitive moats, capital deployment, trust, reputation, domain-specific experience, CFO

Richard Hawwa Bio:

Richard is a Managing Director at Nomura Greentech, leading the Mobility and Automotive Technology practice in the Americas. Richard has 18 years of investment banking and operational experience, having advised on M&A and capital raising transactions with an aggregate value of more than $125 billion. Richard most recently served as the Chief Financial Officer at Embark Trucks, a NASDAQ-listed developer of self-driving software. He was instrumental in taking Embark public and its subsequent strategic sale in 2023, having helped raise $300 million in public and private capital. Prior to joining Embark in 2021, Richard served as a Managing Director at Citigroup, responsible for coverage of companies in the global mobility and automotive sector, advising and executing strategic M&A and capital raising transactions.

Throughout his career, Richard has served as a relationship and execution leader across a variety of sectors and clients and, in this capacity, is actively involved with management teams and Board of Directors in new idea generation, capital raising transactions, strategic and valuation/defense reviews, acquisition and divestiture implications and overall strategic and capital raising advisory services. Richard’s broad industry and transaction experience has been instrumental in supporting new and sustainable technologies in complex transactions and bringing his operational and transaction experience to the benefit of clients.

Nomura Greentech:

Nomura Greentech is a global investment banking advisory firm that supports companies in Capital Raising, M&A and Strategy. The team has the deepest transactional experience across Wall Street to provide real-time advice and form long-term partnerships with clients with access to investors globally

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Ian Rust, founder and CEO of Revoy, discusses their innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles. Revoy's solution involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup, allowing for significant cost savings and decarbonization.

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ianrust
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-rust-85a41b43/
• https://www.revoy.com/

Takeaways:

• Revoy's innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup.
• The main challenge in electrifying the commercial vehicle space is the high cost and limited lifespan of current electric vehicle technology.
• Revoy addresses this challenge by using lithium iron phosphate batteries, which have a longer cycle life and can go over 10,000 cycles.
• Revoy also offers a battery swapping technology that integrates with the existing trailer-to-truck interface, allowing for quick and efficient swaps during long-haul trips.
• The hybrid solution provided by Revoy improves efficiency, performance, and safety for commercial vehicles. Revoi coordinates the electric powertrain with the pedal to make the transition to electric trucks seamless for drivers.
• The commercial model charges based on the unit of energy, similar to diesel, and there is no need for modifications to fill up the tank with a pre-charged battery pack.

Chapters

• Hybrid Vehicles and Propulsion Systems
• Electrifying Commercial Vehicles: The Modular Approach
• Operational Considerations and Safety in Electric Vehicle Deployment
• Strategic Viability and Cost Competitiveness
• Building a Strong Team: Trust, Empowerment, and Passion
• Cultural Focus: Safety, Minimum Viable Product, and What Not to Do
• Early Adoption of Electrification in Fleets
• Rethinking the Tractor-Trailer Setup
• Advancements in Technology
• Conclusion

Ian Rust Bio:

Ian Rust is an innovator, founder and roboticist with over 14 years of experience of automation and robotics in the clean transportation and the sustainability industry, with the goal of moving trucking into a more sustainable future. Ian has been passionate about technology and how it is impacted by and impacts people and historical trends.Ian founded Revoy (formerly SixWheel), a company backed by Y Combinator, in 2021, creating an autonomous vehicle technology to address climate change. Prior to founding Revoy, Ian led robotics projects at Amazon Lab126 and Google X, later moving into starting notable robotics companies as the founding engineer of Cruise Automation and serving on the early team at Covariant and Petra.

Rust holds a B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he focused on robotics.

About Revoy:

Revoy, a simple and truly viable alternative solution to decarbonize the trucking industry, is democratizing electric trucking and providing a clear pathway for existing trucking fleets to completely eliminate emissions. Revoy’s charging infrastructure and innovative Revoy swapping network aims to be the backbone of the future of electric road freight, allowing fleets to lower carbon emissions and costs, while increasing MPG by over 150%. This technology is made in the USA, FMVSS compliant and compliant with all length and weight (bridge and GVW) regulations.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Chris Birroni-Bird joins for a Round 2 discussion on the Future of Mobility podcast. Summary

The conversation explores the broken transportation ecosystem and how the developed world can learn from the developing world. The focus is on creating a transportation system that is accessible, affordable, and sustainable. The discussion highlights the need to right-size vehicles, embrace solar power, and rethink mobility in city centers.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/chrisborronibird
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home

Takeaways

• The transportation ecosystem needs to be accessible, affordable, and sustainable.
• Right-sizing vehicles can meet 90% of transportation needs and reduce costs.
• Solar power can extend the range of vehicles and reduce emissions.
• Rethinking mobility in city centers can improve safety and create local manufacturing opportunities.
• Low-speed or banned cars and smaller form factor vehicles can enhance the urban environment. Implementing speed limits in city centers can improve safety, noise, and air quality.
• Electronically governing the speed of vehicles can create opportunities for low-speed vehicles to provide affordable mobility for underserved populations and cheaper delivery of goods.
• Building locally with locally available materials can create good quality jobs and promote sustainability.
• Right-sizing vehicles and leveraging solar power can make mobility solutions more affordable and environmentally friendly.

Chris Birroni-Bird

Dr. Christopher Borroni-Bird is Founder of Afreecar LLC and an expert on sustainable and affordable mobility for ALL the world’s people. This builds on his 25-year career leading advanced mobility initiatives at several major organizations as well as volunteering in sub-Saharan Africa.

At Afreecar he is a senior advisor on future mobility to McKinsey and is also sought out to provide independent technical due diligence on future mobility solutions and companies in vehicle autonomy, connectivity and electrification.

Separately, Afreecar is also developing an e-kit that power assists non-motorized vehicles while also transforming them into mobile power sources, which has many applications in both the developing and developed worlds.

He served as Waymo’s Chief Engineer for Future Vehicle Programs and has been a Research Scientist at MIT Media Lab. From 2012 to 2017, he was Qualcomm’s VP of Strategic Development, responsible for wireless automotive solutions. Prior to this, he led GM’s Electric Networked Vehicle (EN-V), the world’s first drivable vehicles to demonstrate today’s accepted vision of future mobility (and extensively deployed at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo). He led GM’s Autonomy, Hy-wire and Sequel “skateboard” electric vehicle concepts, now widely adopted by the Auto Industry, and has 50 patents. He is co-author of “Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Urban Mobility for the 21st Century”, with Larry Burns and the late Bill Mitchell (MIT Press, 2010). Before joining GM in 2000, he led Chrysler’s gasoline fuel cell vehicle development. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame as a Young Leader in 2000 and was one of Automotive News’ inaugural “Electrifying 100” in 2011

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Jason Marks is co-founder and CEO at TELO. TELO makes intelligently designed, compact electric vehicle trucks for city living and weekend adventuring.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jasonmarks
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://telotrucks.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmurraymarks/

Keywords

Telo Trucks, electric mini trucks, purpose-built, urban living, weekend adventuring, truck size, negative impacts, safety, sustainability, battery pack, sensor-based safety systems, Telo, vehicle safety, pedestrian safety, collision outcomes, cost-effective manufacturing, customer demand, efficiency and effectiveness

Takeaways

• Telo Trucks is focused on building electric mini trucks optimized for urban living and weekend adventuring.
• Trucks have become too big, causing negative impacts on the environment, safety, and mobility.
• Telo Trucks is taking a purpose-built approach, designing a vehicle that is optimized for its intended use.
• They have developed a battery pack that is 50% more space efficient and implemented sensor-based safety systems to anticipate and prevent collisions. Telo is focused on building a vehicle that prioritizes the safety of pedestrians and vulnerable road users.
• They aim to optimize the design of the vehicle to minimize the risk of severe injuries or fatalities in the event of a collision.
• Telo emphasizes the importance of cost-effective manufacturing by leveraging state-of-the-art technologies and contract manufacturing.
• They have demonstrated customer demand through pre-orders and fleet discussions, and believe it is possible to build a sustainable company by focusing on efficiency and effectiveness.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Problem Statement
• 05:41 The Need for a Different Approach
• 12:55 Designing and Developing the Vehicle
• 18:33 Active and Passive Safety Systems
• 25:35 Cost-Effective Manufacturing for Low and Mid-Volume Vehicles
• 28:06 Demonstrating Customer Demand through Pre-Orders and Fleet Discussions
• 35:11 The Importance of Experienced Advisors, Risk-Taking, and Customer Feedback
• 44:16 Transition Riff.wav
• 44:22 Intentional Product Decisions
• 45:21 Designing for Driver and Road User Safety
• 46:46 Creating a Business Ecosystem for Success
• 47:15 Excitement for Tello's Future
• 47:21 Conclusion

About Telo

TELO makes intelligently designed, compact electric vehicle trucks for city living and weekend adventuring. Its signature TELO Truck, launched in 2023, features the standard bed capacity and crew cabin in a dramatically shortened 152-inch vehicle. With over 2,500 pre-orders secured since launch, TELO is representative of a different era of EV companies and is the most cost-effective company on the market. Co-founded by Jason Marks, Forrest North, and Yves Béhar with design input from fuseproject.

Jason Marks Bio

Jason Marks is co-founder and CEO at Telo. Jason led the Autonomous Vehicles and Driver Assistance Systems test programs at National Instruments (NI), where he was a Chief Business Development Manager. He developed the test systems for five major US automakers’ Autonomy and ADAS test systems for their 2024 model year vehicles. He’s an experienced Sales, Marketing, and R&D leader with patents in LiDAR.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Mike Granoff, managing partner at Maniv Mobility, discusses the future of mobility and transportation.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/mikegranoff
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/granoff/
• https://www.maniv.com/

Takeaways

• Maniv Mobility invests in startups that focus on decarbonization and digitization of mobility and transportation.
• Evaluating founders is crucial, and the ability to adapt and find answers to challenges is a key criterion.
• Chinese EVs are taking over the global automotive industry, and China has the potential to dominate due to its expertise and government support.
• Investors should keep an eye on the raw materials for battery production as it may present future opportunities.

Keywords

mobility, transportation, decarbonization, digitization, startups, founders, Chinese EVs, automotive industry, raw materials, battery production

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Maniv Mobility
• 06:34 Defining Mobility and Access to Goods and Places
• 11:30 Investment Criteria and Evaluating Founders
• 31:55 Investing Decisions and Opportunities in the Raw Materials Market
• 44:31 Transition Riff.wav
• 44:37 Evolution in the Mobility Space
• 45:08 Building a Strong Founding Team and Culture
• 45:31 The Power of Being Nice but Firm
• 46:00 The Rise of Chinese Electric Vehicle Automakers
• 46:46 Conclusion

Michael Granoff Bio

Michael Granoff is founder and Managing Director of Maniv Mobility, a venture capital fund based in Tel Aviv that invests globally in startup companies at the intersection of transportation and technology. Founded in 2015, Maniv manages over $300 million, with an investor base that includes over 20 strategic investors including automakers, suppliers, and companies from related verticals. Maniv’s portfolio includes over 30 startup companies spanning nine countries.

Among the corporate boards on which Mr. Granoff sits are Hailo, a Tel Aviv-based developer of silicon chips for energy-efficient edge computing on-board vehicles; Revel, a New York-based provider of shared electric mopeds and Tesla-based rideshare; Harbinger Motors, a US-based manufacturer of electric mid-duty vehicles; and the Dubai-based Fenix, which provides shared electric scooters throughout the GCC. He is also a founding board member of the Washington, DC-based policy and advocacy group Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and the Israel-based Israel 2048. His past board roles have included that of electric car network developer Better Place. He has been involved in three US Presidential campaigns and has received several awards

including Brandeis University’s Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship.

Mr. Granoff holds a B.A. from Tufts University, an MBA and JD from Kellogg, Northwestern University, has completed over 25 marathons and is a father of four.

About Maniv

Maniv is a global early stage venture capital fund investing into technology startups digitizing and decarbonizing mobility and transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Andy Marsh, is President and CEO of Plug Power. He joins to discuss the company's role as a pioneer in the energy transition and the future of hydrogen fuel cells. He highlights Plug Power's accomplishments, such as developing the first commercial market for fuel cells and building the largest PEM electrolyzer hydrogen generation facility in the world. Marsh emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and steady progress in the energy transition, while acknowledging the challenges and external noise that come with being a pioneer. He also discusses the various applications of fuel cells, including in mobility, industrial sectors, and power generation.

Topics

• Plug's approach and leadership in the hydrogen space
• The current state of hydrogen as a fuel source for transportation and beyond
• Why the energy transition needs to be approached on a scale of decades, not years or quarters
• The role of hydrogen in various transportation applications
• Andy's advice for first time leaders of cross-functional organizations

Takeaways

• Plug Power is a pioneer in the energy transition, having developed the first commercial market for fuel cells and built the largest PEM electrolyzer hydrogen generation facility in the world.
• The energy transition is a long-term endeavor that requires steady progress and a focus on long-term goals.
• Hydrogen fuel cells have a wide range of applications, including in mobility, industrial sectors, and power generation.
• Listening to customers and understanding their needs is crucial in developing and implementing fuel cell solutions.
• The future of the energy transition will involve a mix of energy sources, including hydrogen, biofuels, solar, wind, and nuclear power.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/andymarsh
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• Website: https://www.plugpower.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plug-power/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlugPowerInc
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlugPowerInc

Andy Marsh Bio:

Andy Marsh joined Plug as President and CEO in April 2008. Under his guidance, Plug has become the leading provider of turnkey hydrogen solutions for the global green hydrogen economy. Mr. Marsh has established Plug as the home to the end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem where every step of operations — from production, storage and handling, delivery, transportation and dispensing of hydrogen — is available to customers, allowing them to meet their business goals and decarbonize the economy. What was once a company behind fuel cell technology that powered material handling businesses, Mr. Marsh has positioned Plug as the green hydrogen leader powering e-mobility and stationary power applications, and providing first-class PEM electrolyzer technology.

About Plug Power:

Plug is building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem, from production, storage, and delivery to energy generation, to help its customers meet their business goals and decarbonize the economy. In creating the first commercially viable market for hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company has deployed more than 69,000 fuel cell systems and over 250 fueling stations, more than anyone else in the world, and is the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen. Plug delivers its green hydrogen solutions directly to its customers and through joint venture partners into multiple environments, including material handling, e-mobility, power generation, and industrial applications.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods

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Isaac Holeman and Tarani Duncan join from Croft. Isaac is founder and chief product officer. Tarani is VP of product. Croft is an ambitious startup with a blueprint for an enduring, local and clean hydrogen economy. From rugged vehicles to groundbreaking at-home fueling products, we build enduring hydrogen equipment for the world’s toughest challenges.

Topics in the conversation include:

• The need for better solutions to decarbonize transportation in rural environments
• Why existing EVs aren’t viable solutions in the country
• Why it’s important to make and sell an exceptional product, rather than starting with a green-focused value proposition for end users
• Why hydrogen storage is the most expensive and challenging part of the hydrogen value chain
• Croft’s novel approach to hydrogen generation and storage
• The decision to use a H2 powered V8 ICE rather than a fuel cell system
• The path ahead for Croft

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/croft
• EdisonManufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaacholeman/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarani-duncan-8178056b/
• https://croft.substack.com/

Isaac Holeman Bio

As the Chief Product Officer at Croft, Isaac Holeman builds enduring hydrogen equipment for humanity's toughest jobs - from rural trades and agriculture to firefighting, emergency services and defense. Prior to co-founding Croft, Isaac’s design and research efforts focused on human-centered technical equipment for remote communities and infrastructure deserts around the world. As co-founder of a social enterprise called Medic, he co-designed the Community Health Toolkit, an open source digital health product that has over 130,000 end users in Africa and South Asia. Isaac has published several dozen scientific articles, received scholarly awards for his work in the fields of computer science and organizational theory, and previously was a faculty member in the Human Centered Design & Engineering Department at the University of Washington. He received a Ph.D. in Innovation Management from the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar.

Tarani Duncan Bio

Tarani has over a decade of experience in product and operations management. Specializing in deep mobility technology, Tarani is passionate about solving real-world problems by pairing cutting-edge technology with a healthy dose of pragmatism. From perception for autonomy and teleoperation, route optimization for last-mile logistics, and alternative energy platforms for transportation, Tarani has led cross-functional teams to launch and manage customer-centric hardware and software products that millions of people rely on every day. At Croft, Tarani leads the development and deployment of Base Station, a plug-and-play refrigerator-sized appliance that makes homebrewed hydrogen using the same inputs as a washer and dryer.

Croft:

Croft is an ambitious startup with a blueprint for an enduring, local and clean hydrogen economy. From rugged vehicles to groundbreaking at-home fueling products, we build enduring hydrogen equipment for the world’s toughest challenges. Founded by serial entrepreneurs Roderick Blevins and Isaac Holeman, Croft’s early team hails from communities in the American heartland. We set out to make the transition to clean energy work for rural communities and we’re proud to be headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Dr. Matt Markel, CEO of Spartan Radar, discusses the role of radar in improving road safety and the autonomous vehicle ecosystem.

Takeaways

• Radar, when combined with cameras, offers an affordable alternative for achieving human-level autonomy in vehicles.
• Radar excels in measuring range and velocity accurately, while cameras have superior spatial resolution.
• Spartan Radar focuses on improving the spatial resolution of radar through software, providing a three to eight times increase in resolution.
• They aim to complement radar hardware manufacturers and provide software solutions to enhance radar performance. Spartan Radar's software, Clarify, improves the spatial resolution of radar sensors, enabling better object detection and classification.
• Clarify has been shown to detect objects that were previously missed by radar systems, including pedestrians next to vehicles.
• The software is crucial for ADAS and autonomous vehicles, helping estimate drivable areas in a scene.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

10:41 The Abstraction of Road Safety

17:00 Enhancing Radar Performance through Software

30:22 Applications in Different Levels of Autonomy

37:27 Addressing Safety Concerns in Commercial Vehicles

48:19 Redefining Radar's Perception

49:58 Closing

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/mattmarkel
• https://www.spartanradar.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-markel/

Bio

Dr. Matt Markel has excelled in engineering, technology, and leadership in both the defense and commercial sectors. He created and led the radar division of Ghost Autonomy, an autonomous driving company using breakthroughs in collision avoidance technology to develop safe, attention-free self-driving for mass market consumer cars. Prior to Ghost, he led the radar team at Waymo, formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project.

Dr. Markel is widely recognized as an expert and leader in radar, especially automotive radar for autonomous systems, Technology Readiness Assessments and Technology Readiness Levels, and electronic warfare. He is the inventor on multiple patents and trade secrets from his time at Raytheon and Waymo, with patents pending from his work at Ghost Autonomy.

He is a published author of Radar for Fully Autonomous Driving, and is now the CEO of Spartan Radar, a radar technology startup based in Southern California, where he has successfully lead Spartan’s focus from R&D to market-ready products.

Company Description

Spartan Radar is a next-generation mobility sensor provider with extensive expertise in radar digital signal processing and antenna design. The commercial vehicle division offers the product, “Hoplo,” a software-defined radar for blind spot monitoring. Applications may include trucking/delivery, construction, material handling, and mining. Spartan’s flagship software package called “Clarify” is designed to increase the performance of existing automotive radar systems in a computationallyefficient manner.

Keywords:

Spartan Radar, radar, autonomy, road safety, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, spatial resolution, radar software, Spartan Radar, Clarify, radar software, spatial resolution, object detection, object classification, radar-based perception, advanced driver assistance systems, ADAS, autonomous vehicles, drivable areas, commercial vehicles, aftermarket installation, material handling

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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This is a special episode, welcoming Paul Comfort (3x Future of Mobility podcast guest) to share an episode of his Transit Unplugged podcast, featuring a conversation with Adam Hill. This podcast swap format provides the opportunity to introduce an adjacent show that Future of Mobility listeners might like.

The original show notes are below:

https://transitunplugged.com/transit-unplugged-podcast/future-of-mobility-avs/

In this episode of Transit Unplugged, host Paul Comfort interviews Adam Hill, Editor in Chief of ITS International Magazine. They discuss the challenges and prospects of high-speed rail in England and the US, including the various political and logistical issues. Adam explains London’s new Ultra Low Emission Zone, designed to encourage public transit use and discusses the struggles with its introduction. They explore how public transit can be made popular, touching on how to capture public interest and cater to convenience for the users. Paul and Adam wrap up the episode discussing the impacts of congestion charging and low emissions zones in encouraging public transit use.

In Mike’s Minute, Mike Bismeyer reports from the CUTA Meeting in Edmonton about the Youth Leadership Summit and his work mentoring future transit leaders.

Coming up next week we have Scott Smith, former CEO of Valley Metro reflecting on transit and leadership.

If you have a question or comment, email info@transitunplugged.com.

Episode flow:

• Introduction and Introducing Adam Hill
• Adam Hill’s Background and Role at ITS International Magazine
• Challenges and Developments in High Speed Rail
• Exploring the Impact of ULEZ in London
• Political Implications of ULEZ and Public Transit
• Mike’s Minute with Mike Bismeyer
• Coming up next week on the show

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John McElroy joins for a second time to discuss topics such as electrification, autonomy, and the concept of peak auto. McElroy shares his perspective as an automotive industry enthusiast and highlights the diverse skill sets required in the industry.

Takeaways

• The automotive industry requires diverse skill sets and drives economic growth.
• Autonomy has the potential to save lives and transform society.
• Car sales in certain regions may not significantly increase in the future.
• Automakers face the challenge of designing cost-effective vehicles. Legacy automakers can face challenges in adapting to new technologies and the shift towards electric vehicles.
• Creating separate organizations or skunk works programs can enable a more entrepreneurial approach to develop new products.
• Balancing the risks of launching new products with an all-new team, plant, and workforce is crucial.
• The Innovator's Dilemma provides examples of successful shifts in other industries.
• Chinese startups with lower cost structures pose a significant challenge to legacy automakers.
• The supply chain faces disruption as the transition to electric vehicles reduces the demand for conventional components.
• Suppliers must adapt by diversifying their offerings or finding new industries to apply their core competencies.
• Legacy automakers must find ways to design costs out of vehicles effectively.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/johnmcelroy2
• https://open.substack.com/pub/brandonbartneck/p/introducing-the-edison-manufacturing?r=1qx5wl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
• https://www.autoline.tv/whatisad/

Bio

John McElroy is an influential thought leader in the automotive industry. He is a journalist, lecturer, commentator and entrepreneur. He created “Autoline Daily,” the first industry webcast of industry news and analysis. He is also the host of the television program “Autoline This Week,” an Emmy Award-winning, weekly half-hour discussion program featuring top automotive executives and journalists. And he co-hosts “Autoline After Hours,” a weekly live webcast that focuses on new cars and technology. The show can be seen online at www.Autoline.tv

McElroy also broadcasts three radio segments daily on WWJ Newsradio 950, the CBS affiliate in Detroit. He writes a blog for Autoblog.com and a monthly op-ed article for Ward’s Auto World.

As a journalist, McElroy put his automotive background to good use. His past experience includes five years at Detroit Editor for Road & Track, and as the American correspondent for World Cars, published by the Automotive Club of Italy. He was also invited to write the annual automotive entry for the Encyclopedia Britannica Yearbook. He spent most of his career at the trade magazine Automotive Industries where he ultimately rose to Editorial Director.

McElroy has appeared as an automotive expert on ABC World News Tonight, CBS News, and NBC Nightly News. He is often interviewed by CNN, NPR, and CBC in Canada. He is frequently asked to speak to automakers, suppliers and industry organizations. He is a member of the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year, and has won numerous awards for editorial excellence.

John McElroy is the president of Blue Sky Productions, Inc., which produces television, radio, and digital content, including video production.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Rakesh Koneru, CEO of Hummingbird EV, discusses the company's approach to electrification in the medium and heavy-duty vehicle segment. The conversation covers topics such as vertical integration, modular electric vehicle propulsion systems, transitioning from retrofit to OEM, application in the mining industry, customization and modularity for different use cases, challenges and benefits of building a new strategy, microfactory strategy and vision, supply chain robustness and vertical integration, benefits of microfactories and localized production, and trade-offs and risk mitigation.

Takeaways:

• Hummingbird EV focuses on electrification in the medium and heavy-duty vehicle segment, with a focus on vertical integration and modularity.
• The company is transitioning from a retrofit company to a full-scale OEM, with a focus on building its own chassis platform.
• Hummingbird EV aims to build microfactories in different locations to meet demand triggers and localize the supply chain.
• The company's strategy allows for customization and modularity to meet the specific needs of different applications.
• Hummingbird EV is focused on building a robust supply chain and reducing reliance on external suppliers.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• Vertical Integration in the Commercial Vehicle Space
• Transition from Retrofit to OEM
• Application in the Mining Industry
• Customization and Modularity for Different Use Cases
• Challenges and Benefits of Building a New Strategy
• Microfactory Strategy and Vision
• Supply Chain Robustness and Vertical Integration
• Benefits of Microfactories and Localized Production
• Trade-offs and Risk Mitigation
• Key Takeaways and Parting Thoughts

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rakeshkoneru
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakesh-k-396879b/
• https://www.hummingev.com/

Bio

Rakesh Koneru is founder and CEO of HummingbirdEV.

HummingbirdEV description

HummingbirdEV, Inc. (HBEV) is a global leader and innovator of advanced products, and technologies for zero emissions commercial vehicle applications including offering complete vehicles, electric drivetrain systems, bi-directional charging systems, modular batteries, control and telematic software, and other related products. The company has clients and active development programs throughout the U.S., China, and India and maintains a focus on innovating next generation products that provide significant feature and performance advantages over the status quo. HummingbirdEV was incorporated in 2015 and has its global headquarters located in Livermore, California.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Laura Fox is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Streetlife Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund investing in B2B urban climate solutions to transform sectors including mobility, buildings, energy, waste, and water. She joins to discuss the challenges and opportunities in improving quality of life in cities and the urban climate space

Takeaways

• Street Life focuses on the climate transition in the mobility and logistics industry, seeking opportunities beyond traditional big players.
• The MORE framework (enablement, rebuild, mobility solutions, maintenance) guides Street Life's approach to addressing mobility challenges.
• Infrastructure rebuilding and reimagining are crucial, as a significant portion of urban infrastructure needed by 2050 does not exist yet.
• Balancing business goals and impact is a challenge, but partnerships with the public sector can be a major accelerant to growth.
• Policy plays a vital role in driving change, and resistance to change can be navigated through thoughtful implementation and clear benefits.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• Defining the Problem of Improving Life in Cities
• Choosing the Right Size Problem to Solve
• Adaptation and the Changing Environment
• Electrification and Closing the Gap
• Core Thesis of Street Life and Opportunities in Mobility and Logistics
• The MORE Framework for Mobility
• Infrastructure Rebuilding and Reimagining
• Mobility Solutions and Maintenance
• Balancing Business Goals and Impact
• The Role of Policy in Driving Change
• Navigating Resistance to Change
• Street Life's Role in Solving Mobility Problems
• Encouraging Different Approaches to Problem-Solving
• The Economic Opportunity in the Transition to Net Zero

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/laurafox
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraafox/
• Streetlife website
• Pre-seed or seed B2B startup in the Streetlifethesis space? Pitch Streetlife here

Bio

Laura Fox speaks on mobility, city, and climate topics globally, and is on ‘Transportation Power 100’ and ‘Top Women in Mobility’ lists. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Streetlife Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund investing in B2B urban climate solutions to transform sectors including mobility, buildings, energy, waste, and water.

Previously, Laura was the General Manager of Citi Bike at Lyft and built it into a $100M+ ARR business and one of the country’s largest transportation systems, led diligence on urban climate tech companies at Sidewalk Labs, launched new mobility products with Boston Consulting Group’s digital ventures team, and advised Bloomberg Philanthropies on their urban investment strategy.

Laura also teaches MBA strategy courses at NYU Stern, and is on the board of Governors Island, which will be the test bed for climate innovation in NYC. She is a Senior Fellow with MIT’s Mobility Initiative, and on the urban-focused Expert Taskforce for the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Fun fact: Laura’s friends call her ‘20 Questions’ since she loves getting to the heart of a good idea - and she’s given a TED Talk on the topic.

Streetlife Ventures description

Streetlife Ventures invests in pre-seed and seed B2B startups at the intersection of cities and climate, across the building, energy, mobility and logistics, waste and water, and adaptive tech sectors.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Desmond Wheatley is President and CEO and Chairman of the Board at Beam Global, a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• Early Challenges and Market Approach
• The Off-Grid Charging Solution
• Challenges in Implementing EV Charging Infrastructure
• The Need for Decentralized and Scalable Solutions
• The Product and its Hard Parts
• Changing the Fueling Behavior for EVs
• The Future of EV Charging: Fueling Behavior and Infrastructure
• The Importance of Ubiquitous, Slower Speed Charging
• Challenges of Energy Storage and Thermal Management
• Reasons for In-House Battery Manufacturing
• Balancing Manufacturing and System Level Assembly
• Strategic Considerations in Acquiring a Battery Company
• Managing Diversification and Focus
• Maintaining Motivation and Excitement in the Early Stages
• The Importance of Capital Markets and Innovation
• The Growth Potential and Expansion Plans
• Balancing Growth and Managing Success
• Embracing Progress and Electrification of Transportation

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/desmondwheatley
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/desmondwheatley/
• https://beamforall.com/

Bio:

Desmond Wheatley is President and CEO and Chairman of the Board at Beam Global. Wheatley joined BEAM as a consultant in 2010 when it was Envision Solar and has served as the Company’s CEO since 2011 and as Chairman of the Board since 2016. He has two decades of senior international management experience in technology systems integration, energy management, communications and renewable energy. He was a founding partner in the international consulting practice Crichton Hill LLC. Prior to Crichton Hill, Wheatley was CEO of iAxis FZ LLC, a Dubai based alternative energy and technology systems integration company. From 2000 to 2007, he held a variety of senior management positions at San Diego based Kratos Defense and Security Solutions, fka Wireless Facilities with the last five years as President of ENS, the largest independent security and energy management systems integrator in the USA. Prior to ENS, Wheatley held senior management positions in the cellular and broadband wireless industries, deploying infrastructure and lobbying in Washington DC on behalf of major wireless service providers. Wheatley has founded, funded and operated four profitable start-up companies and was previously engaged in M&A activities. Wheatley evaluated acquisition opportunities, conducted due diligence, and raised commitments of $500M in debt and equity.

About Beam Global:

Beam Global is a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies. We operate at the nexus of clean energy and transportation with a focus on sustainable energy infrastructure, rapidly deployed and scalable EV charging solutions, safe energy storage and vital energy security. With operations in the U.S. and Europe, Beam Global develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced clean technology solutions that power transportation, provide secure sources of electricity, save time and money and protect the environment. Headquartered in San Diego with facilities in Chicago, Belgrade and Kraljevo, Beam Global has a deep patent portfolio and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbols BEEM and BEEMW.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Chris Wallbank is President and Chief Executive Officer of P.J. Wallbank Springs Inc., and CEO of Wallbank Industrial. Chris joins this milestone episode to discuss the Wallbank Industrial Vision, and the goal to have a significant positive impact on a billion lives.

Takeaways

• The Wallbank Industrial Vision is driven by the importance of people and the intentional actions taken to enable the vision.
• Leadership plays a crucial role in shaping the culture and values of an organization.
• Continuous learning and improvement are essential for personal and organizational growth.
• Building an intentional culture requires hiring and firing based on values and finding alignment with the team.
• Systems and communication are key to enabling the vision and creating scalability and sustainability.

Chapters

• Introduction and Milestone Discussion
• The Genesis of the Wallbank Industrial Vision
• Learning from Reed Hastings and Netflix
• Personal Reflection and Impact
• The Importance of People in the Vision
• Building Intentional Culture
• Striving for More and Balancing Satisfaction
• Building the Right Culture and Values
• Key Practices for Enabling the Vision
• The Importance of Systems and Communication
• Closing Thoughts

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/chriswallbank
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/wallbankchris/
• https://www.pjws.com/
• https://edison-mfg.com/

Bio:

Chris Wallbank has been President and Chief Executive Officer of P.J. Wallbank Springs Inc. since 2014. Chris earned his MBA in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and his BA in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University School of Business. A visionary leader constantly challenging the status quo, Chris aspires to impact the world through people, and believes anything can be accomplished with the right team and the right mentality. Chris began his career on the company’s manufacturing floor and eventually assumed responsibility for the organization’s sales. Under his leadership, the team tripled the annual sales and size of the organization. With this success, the company has been presented with the prestigious Inc. 5000 Award (recognizing P.J. Wallbank Springs as one of America’s Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies) for 3 consecutive years.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Timothy Papandreou works towards bridging the gap between bleeding-edge innovations, their real-world application, and their impact on the way we live, work, learn, play, heal, and do business. He advises many startups and is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on several emerging technology spaces - including generative and predictive AI, supply chain automation, robotics, teleoperations, smart cities, ag-tech, bioplanning, blockchain, digital twins, space economy, and web3.

He joins to discuss the purpose and importance of mobility in connecting people to the most important moments in their lives, and what we need to do to do this better.

Takeaways

• The purpose of mobility is to connect people to the most important moments in their lives, whether it's family, work, learning, or other significant experiences.
• Seamless mobility is crucial for creating a positive city experience, where different modes of transportation work together effectively.
• Solving mobility issues requires a systems thinking approach, considering the interconnectedness of various factors such as housing, zoning, and transport infrastructure.
• Addressing housing affordability and zoning is essential for creating more livable and sustainable cities.
• Implementing fair transport user fees can help allocate resources more efficiently and encourage sustainable modes of transportation.
• Dealing with pushback and resistance to change requires understanding people's perspectives and finding ways to communicate the benefits of mobility solutions. Storytelling and action are crucial in creating change.
• The challenge of changing the status quo requires experimentation and feedback.
• The declining affordability of essential services affects the majority of the population.
• Empathy and perspective shifting are important in understanding the needs of different stakeholders.
• Systems thinking and design thinking are valuable approaches in problem-solving.
• The intersection of AI and systems thinking has the potential to transform various industries.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/timpapandreou
• www.emergingtransport.com
• www.timpapandreou.com

Bio

Timothy works towards bridging the gap between bleeding-edge innovations, their real-world application, and their impact on the way we live, work, learn, play, heal, and do business. He advises many startups and is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator on several emerging technology spaces - including generative and predictive AI, supply chain automation, robotics, teleoperations, smart cities, ag-tech, bioplanning, blockchain, digital twins, space economy, and web3.

Timothy founded ETA, a global advisory firm to help startups, governments, and corporations accelerate emerging technology innovation.

He's held positions for Alphabet/Google's X Moonshot Factory (now as a key advisor on AI Moonshots) with Waymo where he was part of the commercialization team that launched the world's first automated robo-taxi/truck system, and as Chief Innovation Officer for Transport with the City of San Francisco leading various first-of-its-kind policies and projects.

Company Description

ETA, is a global advisory firm to help startups, governments, and corporations accelerate emerging technology innovation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Roxana Bekemohammadi is Founder and Executive Director of United States Hydrogen Alliance. She joins to discuss the importance of advocating for hydrogen technology and the need for diversity in the pursuit of sustainable transportation.

Topics:

• Introduction and Background
• Advocating for Hydrogen Technology
• The Importance of Technology Diversity
• The Need for Redundancy in Energy Systems
• The Role of Hydrogen in Various Sectors
• Balancing Business and Sustainability
• Considering Public Perception
• The Role of the US Hydrogen Alliance
• Conclusion and Call to Action

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/roxanabekemohammadi
• https://www.ushydrogenalliance.org/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxana-bekemohammadi/

Bio:

Roxana Bekemohammadi is a distinguished leader in the hydrogen and fuel cell industry, known for her unique experience in policy advocacy, public service, and technology commercialization. She is regularly called upon to present on the current and future status of the U.S. hydrogen economy at conferences, legislatures, and in other political arenas. In 2020, she founded the Western States Hydrogen Alliance, championing hydrogen policies in the Western States. With the passing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act in 2021, the organization expanded to all 50 states, and is now known as the United States Hydrogen Alliance (USHA). The organization has blazed a pathway for the U.S. hydrogen economy by successfully passing seventeen hydrogen state bills across the United States since USHA’s inception in 2020.

Roxana led a lobbying firm focused on hydrogen policy in California prior to USHA. She also served as an advocate and technical expert in previous roles across multiple sectors including energy, zero emission vehicles, workforce development, technical education. Lastly, Roxana served as a public servant at the California Air Resources Board, an air quality regulatory state agency.

Academically, Roxana holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Irvine and served as a student researcher at the National Fuel Cell Research Center. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her education combined with a diverse professional background further positions her as a leading voice in the clean energy industry.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Olaf Sakkers joins to discuss the purpose of mobility and transportation, the challenges of the current system, and the potential for a more efficient trip economy.

Takeaways

• The purpose of transportation is to connect cities and enable economic growth.
• The current transportation system in the US is underperforming and has negative externalities, such as high rates of car accidents and wasted time in traffic.
• The trip economy, characterized by shared mobility services, offers more efficient and convenient transportation options.
• Efforts to improve the transportation system should focus on removing parking minimums, incentivizing better choices, and transitioning to autonomous vehicles.
• Creating positive change in transportation requires recognizing the flaws in the system, engaging in constructive conversations, and building companies that offer innovative solutions.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• The Purpose of Mobility and Transportation
• Moving Towards Outcomes, Not Incremental Improvements
• The Current System and Its Challenges
• Building New Cities and Transforming Existing Ones
• Efficiency of the Trip Economy
• Creating Positive Impact Despite Challenges
• Advice for Making a Difference
• Closing Remarks

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/olafsakkers
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/osakkers/?originalSubdomain=il
• https://www.mobilitydisruptionframework.com/
• https://www.red.blue/

Bio:

Olaf is led by a sense of curiosity to try to understand the kernel of what makes something unique or interesting. While serving in the Israel Defense Forces, he discovered how the rapidly emerging autonomous vehicle technology could transform transportation and be a unique opportunity for the Israeli tech ecosystem. Over the course of six years he built Maniv Mobility into a leading global venture capital fund focused on mobility, managing $150 million and [backed by leading industry players including Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, Hyundai, BMW, Shell, Aptiv, LG and Valeo. In 2021, Olaf left Maniv to found RedBlue Capital, an early stage mobility-focused venture capital firm focused on mobility, logistics and energy transition.

Born in South Africa, Olaf attended Princeton University where he majored in Anthropology, writing his thesis about frontier medicine and global health policy. The same interest in culture and understanding complex systems are what give him a deep sense of fulfillment from partnering alongside founders to build great companies which solve critical problems.

He's also the author of Mobility Disruption Framework, a book that unpacks the rapid transformation happening in the mobility industry through the lens of microeconomics and colorful comparisons to household pets. He has spoken at numerous conferences such as Web Summit and Tech Crunch and has been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Bloomberg.

Companies that Olaf has backed have gone on to raise over $2 billion dollars.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Edwin Olson is founder and CEO of May Mobility. He joins the Future of Mobility podcast for a Round 2 topic, centered around May Mobility’s strategy for growth and impact in the autonomous vehicle space. We also explore how Edwin and May Mobility have evolved since the Round 1 discussion in early 2020.

Takeaways

• May Mobility aims to end personal car ownership by making public transit a more attractive and efficient option.
• The right vehicle for the right population density is crucial in providing effective autonomous transportation.
• Long-term contracts with cities provide a strong revenue stream and help finance the vehicles.
• Balancing realism and vision is important in leadership, acknowledging challenges while working towards a grand vision.
• Building a positive company culture is essential for success in the autonomous vehicle industry. Effective communication is crucial for success in personal and professional relationships.
• Building trust and rapport is essential for effective communication.
• Active listening and empathy play a significant role in understanding others and fostering meaningful connections.
• Non-verbal communication, such as body language and facial expressions, can convey important messages.
• Identifying and overcoming communication barriers is key to effective communication.

Chapters

• Introduction and Evolution of May Mobility
• The Goal: Ending Personal Car Ownership
• Challenges of Personal Car Ownership
• The Vision of Autonomous Vehicles
• Key Assumptions for Autonomous Vehicles in Public Transit
• The Right Vehicle for the Right Population Density
• Carving Out the Right Solution for the Technology's Capabilities
• The Advantage of Long-Term Contracts with Cities
• Choosing the Right Growth Strategy
• Balancing Realism and Vision in Leadership
• Scaling Challenges and Vehicle Supply
• Leadership Lessons in the Autonomous Vehicle Industry
• Building a Positive Company Culture
• The Importance of Effective Communication
• Building Trust and Rapport
• Active Listening and Empathy
• Conclusion

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/edwinolson2
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwin-olson/
• https://maymobility.com/

Bio:

Edwin Olson is co-founder and CEO of May Mobility, Inc. He has focused on the development of autonomous vehicles for more than two decades, co-leading autonomous vehicle development at Toyota Research Institute and helping to develop Ford Motor Company’s autonomous vehicles. He has a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT and is a professor of computer science at the University of Michigan. Olson got his start in autonomous technology participating in the DARPA Urban Challenge in 2007 as part of the MIT team. He was named one of Crain’s Detroit Business’ Notable Leaders in Energy in 2023.

Company description:

May Mobility develops autonomous vehicle (AV) technology and deploys fleets of vehicles to municipal and business customers. Its proprietary Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) system is at the core of its mission to help make cities safer, greener and more accessible. MPDM's proven track record has delivered more than 350,000 autonomy-enabled rides to date in several public transit applications across the U.S. and Japan. With key strategic partnerships including some of the world's most innovative automotive and transportation companies, such as Toyota Motor Corporation and NTT, May Mobility aims to achieve the highest standard in rider safety, sustainability and transportation equity.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Beth Brooke joins to discuss the need for gender-inclusive vehicle safety standards.

Takeaways

• Vehicle safety standards are designed with the male body in mind, leaving women at a higher risk of severe injury or death in car accidents.
• Using a biofidelic female crash test dummy that accurately represents the female body's physiology can improve vehicle safety for women.
• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has the power to implement this change with a simple rule change.
• Raising awareness and advocating for gender equity in vehicle safety is crucial to driving change.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• Vehicle Safety Standards Designed for Men
• The Need for Gender-Inclusive Safety Standards
• Proposed Solution: Biofidelic Female Crash Test Dummy
• Implementation and Cost Considerations
• The Impact of Vehicle Weight and Electric Vehicles
• The Role of NHTSA and Government Regulations
• The Importance of Awareness and Consumer Advocacy
• Focus on New Vehicles and Future Considerations
• Learning from Other Countries' Approaches
• Evaluation and Approval of Crash Test Dummies
• Addressing Discrimination in Safety Standards
• Engaging Stakeholders and Building Trust
• Recognizing Nuance and Finding Common Ground
• Call to Action: Join Verity Now and Raise Awareness

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/bethbrooke
• https://www.veritynow.org/

Bio:

Beth A. Brooke retired as the Global Vice-Chair – Public Policy at EY and a member of the firm’s Global Executive Board. Ms. Brooke had public policy responsibility for the firm’s operations in over 150 countries and was the global sponsor for EY’s Diversity and Inclusiveness efforts. During the Clinton Administration, she worked in the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where she was responsible for all tax policy matters related to insurance and managed care. She played important roles in the healthcare reform and Superfund reform efforts. Ms. Brooke is a prominent voice around the world on Diversity and Inclusion, including most prominently on LGBT inclusion and women. She has been named eleven times to the list of Forbes “World’s 100 Most Powerful Women“. In 2017, she received the Theodore Roosevelt Award, the top individual honor bestowed by the U.S. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). She has also been inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

Company description:

VERITY (Vehicle Equity Rules in Transportation) NOW strives to achieve equality in vehicle safety by educating on, and advocating for, crash testing standards that protect every body, regardless of gender, height, weight or age. Inherent biases in crash testing put women, young people, the elderly and heavier body types at significantly higher risk of injury or death in car crashes. This is unacceptable. We need to update vehicle crash testing standards and practices to better understand the safety needs of a broader range of body types. Technologies exist that can give us a more accurate understanding of how all vehicle occupants are impacted in a crash. These technologies, which employ sensors and other advanced tools, create better data – which can lead to better designs that account for every body.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Dr. Ameya Joshi currently serves as the Vice President of Product at ClearFlame Engines. He also maintains his own website, MobilityNotes.com, which disseminates the latest information on transport decarbonization and has a wide reach across the industry.

Takeaways

• Decarbonizing the existing fleet is crucial as most vehicles on the road are not new vehicles.
• Understanding the intersection of regulations and technologies is key to navigating the complexity of the industry.
• Accounting for the entire lifecycle of vehicles, including production and disposal, is necessary for effective decarbonization.
• Incentivizing the use of renewable fuels requires policy changes and the development of carbon markets.
• Transitioning to a smaller organization can provide opportunities for learning and growth, but also comes with its own challenges. Leverage previous experience and knowledge when starting a new venture.
• Building a sustainable business requires a focus on value proposition, product definition, and product management.
• Technology needs to be effectively marketed and turned into a viable product to make a difference.
• The book 'Know What Matters' by Ron Sheik provides valuable insights into building a successful company.

Chapters:

• Introduction and Background
• The Importance of Decarbonizing the Existing Fleet
• The State of the Industry and Challenges in Decarbonization
• Navigating the Complexity of the Industry
• The Role of Mobility Notes and Discernment in the Industry
• Challenges and Solutions for Incorporating Renewable Fuels
• Transitioning to a Smaller Organization and Finding Success
• Learning and Applying Previous Experience
• Building a Sustainable Business
• Taking Technology to the Market
• Book Recommendation: Know What Matters

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ameyajoshi2
• ClearFlame Engine Technologies: ReduceHeavy-Duty Emissions
• www.mobilitynotes.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshiav/

Bio:

Dr. Ameya Joshi currently serves as the Vice President of Product at ClearFlame Engines. He has nearly two decades of experience in the field of transport decarbonization and emissions control. He specializes in understanding complex technological and regulatory trends facing the transportation and off-highway propulsion industries and translating them into actionable strategies. He is an invited speaker at various international conferences, including the Buckendale lecturer at SAE COMVEC in 2022, and serves on the Editorial Board of the SAE International Journal pf Sustainable Transportation, Energy, Environment, & Policy. He is regularly invited by the Department of Energy to review funding proposals and technical progress at the Annual Merit Review.

Ameya has a broad network across industry, academia and regulatory bodies across the world. He maintains his own website, MobilityNotes.com, which disseminates the latest information on transport decarbonization and has a wide reach across the industry.

Ameya has a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware and pursued postdoctoral work in the field of fuel cells at the Colorado School of Mines.

About:

MobilityNotes is a free online platform for disseminating unbiased information on the latest regulatory and technical developments pertaining to transport decarbonization.

ClearFlame Engine Technologies is “Quickly and cost-effectively turning the world’s heavy-duty engines into engines for decarbonization”

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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As host of SAE Tomorrow Today, Grayson Brulte operates at the intersection of economics, politics, and technology to help listeners navigate emerging technologies and understand their impact on mobility.

Grayson Brulte discusses the most interesting questions and topics in the autonomous vehicle industry, including the challenges of artificial timelines and the importance of realistic milestones. He shares insights into the robotaxi space and the potential business models for autonomous vehicles. Grayson also explores different applications of autonomy, such as shuttles and privately owned vehicles. He discusses the value and economics of autonomy in long-haul trucking and the expansion of routes and ports. Additionally, he highlights the challenges and opportunities in warehouse automation and the last mile delivery sector. Grayson encourages listeners to roll up their sleeves and build in the autonomous vehicle industry.

Conversation flow:

• The Most Interesting Questions and Topics in the Autonomous Vehicle Industry
• Artificial Timelines and Realistic Milestones
• The Robotaxi Space and Consumer Perception
• Building a Business Model for Robotaxis
• Different Applications of Autonomy: Robotaxis, Shuttles, and Private Use Vehicles
• The Potential for Personally Owned Autonomous Vehicles
• The Challenges of Shuttles and Consumer Preferences
• The Value and Economics of Autonomy in Long Haul Trucking
• Expansion of Routes and Ports in Long Haul Trucking
• Creating and Capturing Value in the Autonomy Ecosystem
• Challenges and Opportunities in Warehouse Automation
• The Last Mile Delivery Challenge
• The SAE Tomorrow Today Podcast and the Importance of Standards
• Final Thoughts and Encouragement to Build

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/graysonbrulte
• https://www.sae.org/podcasts/tomorrow-today
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/graysonbrulte/

Bio:

Grayson Brulte is an autonomous mobility advisor and consultant who provides strategic counsel and political insights to help clients navigate what’s next.

As an SAE strategic partner since 2017, Grayson brings his in-depth industry knowledge to host SAE Tomorrow Today. His unique perspective factors in economics, politics, and technology into one-of-kind weekly conversations with innovators changing mobility and its impact on society.

Grayson is a thought-leader who regularly provides insights to publications including Bloomberg, Reuters, The Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, Hollywood Reporter and Forbes. His written opinions and insights have been featured by organizations including the Consumer Technology Association in presentations to the Federal Trade Commission.

About SAE International:

SAE International engages engineers, technical experts, and volunteers from around the globe to enable safe, clean, and accessible transportation solutions. We specialize in setting standards for industry engineering and creating STEM and professional education programs plus information products and events that disseminate knowledge and connect professionals working in the automotive, aerospace, and commercial vehicle industries. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Andrea Klein is CEO of Rand Technologies. Andrea Klein, the founder and CEO of RAND Technology, discusses the importance of supply chain in future mobility and the challenges it faces. She emphasizes the role of quality in supply chain and the need for flexibility and common parts to create sustainability. Klein also highlights the impact of AI on the supply chain and the proactive steps automotive companies can take to navigate the changing landscape. She explains the value of RAND Technology in providing solutions and market intelligence to help customers make informed decisions.

Key points:

• Introduction and Overview
• Andrea Klein's Work with RAND Technology
• The Importance of Supply Chain in Future Mobility
• The Challenges and Imperfections of Supply Chain
• The Role of Quality in Supply Chain
• Commercial Viability and Sustainability in Supply Chain
• The Importance of Safety Stocks and Utilizing the Marketplace
• The Impact of AI on the Supply Chain
• Proactive Steps for Automotive Companies
• Utilizing the Excess Market in the Aftermarket
• The Trade-Offs of Single Sourcing
• The Value of RAND Technology in the Supply Chain

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/andreaklein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-klein-191b388/
• https://www.randtech.com/

About:

Andrea Klein founded Rand 30 years ago with a passion for technology, an exciting industry she knew would contribute advancements that would make a true difference in the world for generations. With her love for people and vision of a better, greener planet, she built the company based on trust, integrity and an unwavering commitment to superior product quality, leading-edge innovation and customer satisfaction.

These guiding principles have been the foundation upon which Rand Technology has grown into the venerated, industry-leading, global supply chain company it is today. With a standard of excellence that is second-to-none, Rand supports Fortune 500 companies with sales, purchasing, engineering, testing, and logistics from offices across five continents. It is a sophisticated, full-service technology hardware supply chain company offering a comprehensive suite of services to support NPI, production, global services, and asset recovery that empower clients to achieve bottom line growth in all market conditions.

With a commitment to socially responsible, sustainable practices, Andrea is widely regarded as one of the industry’s most innovative leaders. She is laser-focused on a technology-driven future that assures inclusiveness and diversity in a workplace where employees, partners, customers, vendors, and others are valued, respected, and working toward a common objective of responsible, environmentally conscious IT asset management.

Considering the company’s immense success as the first and only 100-percent woman-owned, global independent distribution company, it is an understatement to say Andrea is well ahead of her time. She hopes her story will inspire other women to break through barriers that have traditionally limited their professional opportunities. To that end, she makes frequent presentations to young women and girls at schools, civic organizations and charitable events urging them to follow their hearts and pursue career paths that fulfill their passions.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Stefan Tongur is VP of Business Development at Electreon. He joins this episode to explore the role of wireless charging in future transportation, exploring the following topics:

• Importance of business models in the shift to sustainable transportation and the value proposition of wireless charging technology.
• Deployment of wireless charging infrastructure in transit routes, depots, and queuing lines.
• Challenges of battery size, grid capacity, resource efficiency, and cost reduction in transitioning to electric vehicles.
• Implementation challenges and importance of finding meaningful places for introductions and focusing on pilots.
• Ecosystem of stakeholders in electric road projects, including government agencies, engineering firms, construction companies, utility companies, and vehicle manufacturers.
• Need for collaboration and coordination among stakeholders.
• Potential for customization and development of a playbook for electric road deployment.
• Addressing interoperability issues and driving standards in the industry.
• Examples of dynamic wireless charging projects and Electreon's leadership in the field.
• Clarification of misconceptions about the cost and feasibility of electric roads.
• Emphasis on future-proofing technology to support the larger-scale transition to electric vehicles

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/stefantongur
• https://ir.electreon.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-tongur-phd-681b6526/

About Stefan Tongur

Stefan defined the concept of Electric Road Systems (ERS), and it is no surprise that he is well rehearsed in the opportunities and challenges of commercializing ERS in Europe and the US. Stefan also holds expertise on business models, sustainable transition, policy, and systemic innovation and has previously worked as a Senior Researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.

Stefan holds an M.Sc in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Industrial Economics and Management, both from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. His doctoral thesis is one of the world’s first to research the topic of ERS and is titled “Preparing for takeoff – Analyzing the development of electric road system from a business model perspective”.

Company Overview

Electreon is the leading developer and provider of wireless charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), providing end-to-end charging infrastructure and services, to meet the needs and efficiency demands of shared, public, and commercial fleet operators and consumers. The company's proprietary inductive technology dynamically (while in motion) and statically (while stopped) charges EVs quickly and safely, eliminating range anxiety, lowering total costs of EV ownership, and reducing battery capacity needs, making it one of the most environmentally sustainable, scalable, and compelling charging solutions available in the market today. Electreon collaborates with cities and fleet operators on a "sale" business model, and on a Charging as a Service (CaaS) business model, that enables cost-effective electrification of public, commercial, and autonomous fleets for smooth and continuous operation.

Electreon operates 18 projects across 8 countries, together with more than 100 partners. Electreon's wireless in-road charging technology was named as one of the world's top 100 inventions for 2021 by Time Magazine.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Stan is a business psychologist and entrepreneur, and author of Engage!: How WD-40 Company Built the Engine of Positive Culture.

From 2012 until 2021, he served as Vice President, Global Organization Development for WD-40 Company, and headed the global human resources function. Stan provides service as an advisor to companies who want to improve their results while improving quality of life at the same time, for everyone in their organizations.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The meaning of engagement in the work place, and why it can be so powerful
• How WD-40 built the engine of a positive culture
• The importance of starting with values, and why so many companies get stuck after core value definition
• The next step if an organization wants to intentionally build a positive culture
• Building space between stimulus and response

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/stansewitch
• https://www.stansewitch.com/
• https://www.amazon.com/Engage-Company-Engine-Positive-Culture/dp/1698715013
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/stan-sewitch-60129117/

About Stan:

Stan Sewitch provides service as an advisor to companies who want to improve their results while improving quality of life at the same time, for everyone in their organizations.

His experience is best suited for these areas:

• Strategy
• Organizational design and development
• Compensation design
• Leadership development and coaching
• Conscious culture creation

Stan is a business psychologist and entrepreneur. From 2012 until 2021, he served as Vice President, Global Organization Development for WD-40 Company, and headed the global human resources function.

Stan is one of the founding members of KI Investment Holdings, LLC. Formed early in 2006, KI is a private equity company whose mission is to be instrumental in the success of profitable, growing companies who create middle-class careers. KI is an investment experiment in long-term principles.

Stan is also the founder of HRG, Inc. Formed in 1989, HRG was a center for business advisory services, providing consulting to clients of all types in strategy, human resources, organizational effectiveness and executive leadership development. HRG served over 1,200 clients since its founding. The company is currently led by Paul Billimoria, its President. Stan serves on its board.

Stan formed two other companies. In 1990, he launched Emlyn Systems, a software company publishing a human resources information system. In 1991 he co-founded Chromagen, a biotechnology company which created proprietary assays for drug research, whose technologies were acquired in 2003.

Stan has served as a director for many private companies, ranging from $2M to $200M in revenue. He was Chairman of Elixir Industries, and is a director for Sabia Inc., SCWS LLC and KI Investment Holdings LLC.

Prior to his entrepreneurial adventures, Stan held senior management positions in operations and human resources. He was manufacturing director for TRW’s LSI products division in San Diego, a manufacturer of high-end integrated circuits. Stan was also operations director for Elm Corporation, a salmon fishery in Bethel, Alaska. Stan’s prior human resources management positions included Martin Marietta Aluminum, Smith International, TRW and Mycogen Corporation.

Stan authored a weekly column for ten years on various issues in business for the San Diego Daily Transcript, entitled “Notes from the Corporate Underground” and has written two books of the same title.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Lior Tal is CEO and Chariman of Cyngn, a Silicon Valley-based technology company that develops and deploys scalable, differentiated autonomous vehicle solutions to industrial fleets.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Introduction and Background
• Identifying the Opportunity in Industrial Autonomy
• Designing a System for Industrial Applications
• Choosing the Right Applications to Develop
• The Complexity of Industrial Autonomy
• Adopting Industrial Autonomy in Different Industries
• Current Focus and Demand in Manufacturing and Logistics
• Approach to Manufacturing and Supply Chain
• Managing Time and Bringing in the Right Expertise
• Balancing Roles and Self-Awareness as a CEO
• The Potential of DriveMod as a Platform

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/liortal
• LinkedInlink: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liortal/
• Checkout the Cyngn Website: https://www.cyngn.com/
• FollowCyngn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cyngn
• FollowCyngn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cyngn

About Lior Tal:

Lior Tal has served as Cyngn’s CEO and a Chairman since 2016. Prior to joining, Lior was the director of international growth and partnerships at Facebook for five years. He also has previous executive experience as cofounder of Snaptu, which was later acquired by Facebook. Here, he helped grow the user base from launch to tens of millions of users over a two-year period. Prior, Lior was a partner at Barzam, Tal, Lerer Attorneys at law & Patent attorneys for three years, and further held leadership roles at Actimize (acquired by NICE), DiskSites (acquired by EMC), and Odigo (acquired by Comverse).

Company Overview

Cyngn (NASDAQ: CYN) is a Silicon Valley-based technology company that develops and deploys scalable, differentiated autonomous vehicle solutions to industrial fleets. Cyngn’s self-driving solutions help industrial organizations become more efficient, productive, and safe, addressing challenges such as labor shortages, safety incidents, and increased demand. Cyngn has been operating autonomous vehicles in production environments since 2017.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is the final episode of 2023. It’s a solid episode, in which Brandon Bartneck highlights the key themes that emerged on the Future of Mobility podcast this year, as well as the biggest updates in Brandon’s personal pursuits within this field.

Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/2023yearinreview

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 143, originally aired on February 19, 2023. This conversation was the most popular Future of Mobility episode in 2023....

Reece Martin is the creator and host of RMTransit, a YouTube channel focused on transit, infrastructure, and development around the world. With more than 180 thousand subscribers and 27 million views, the channel has helped thousands around the world to learn about public transit projects, networks, technologies and plans in a simplified and digestible format, as well as about project construction, news, vehicle design, and service planning

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why public transit is so complex
• The global cities that are leading the way
• Foundational values that can be applied to nearly all cities to improve transportation
• Iterative decision making and transit deployment
• Where US cities have historically struggled
• How Reece simplifies complex topics to help with public education

Links:

• Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rmtransit⁠
• ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/RMTransit⁠
• ⁠https://nebula.tv/rmtransit/⁠
• ⁠https://twitter.com/RM_Transit⁠
• ⁠https://www.instagram.com/rm_transit/⁠

Bio:

Reece Martin is the creator and host of RMTransit, a YouTube channel focused on transit, infrastructure, and development around the world. Started back in 2016, the RMTransit YouTube channel has gone from occasional videos shot on a blurry cell phone camera watched by not more than a dozen people to its current state. With more than 180 thousand subscribers and 27 million views, the channel has helped thousands around the world to learn about public transit projects, networks, technologies and plans in a simplified and digestible format, as well as about project construction, news, vehicle design, and service planning. The channel has hundreds of videos covering a breadth of transit and urban content, and has covered over 50 cities across over 20 countries, including international on-site visits such as the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

About RMTransit:

Ever wondered why your city's transit just doesn't seem quite up to snuff? RMTransit is here to answer that, and help you open your eyes to all of the different public transportation systems around the world! Reece (the RM in RMTransit) is an urbanist and public transport critic residing in Toronto, Canada, with the goal of helping the world become more connected through metros, trams, buses, high-speed trains, and all other transport modes. RMTransit creates two brand new videos every week covering all aspects of transportation and urbanism.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

⁠linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/⁠

⁠brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/⁠

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Prescott Watson is a founder and investor focused on the transportation, energy and industrial sectors. He is co-founder of Port Power, a startup making commercial EV charging infrastructure faster to build and easier to operate. In his role as operating partner at RedBlue Capital, he is executive director at EVage, India's leading EV startup manufacturing affordable & robust commercial vehicles for emerging markets

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Prescott’s experience in the investing space, including with RedBlue Capital
• The focus on building better outcomes in transportation
• Why we need to make EV ownership 100% convenient
• Challenges for fleet EV charging
• Why additional peak power demand and renewable power generation make the problem harder
• Shifting from dumb power to smarter, more controlled power

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/prescottwatson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/prescottwatson/

About Prescott:

Prescott is a founder and investor focused on the transportation, energy and industrial sectors. He is co-founder of Port Power, a startup making commercial EV charging infrastructure faster to build and easier to operate. In his role as operating partner at RedBlue Capital, he is executive director at EVage, India's leading EV startup manufacturing affordable & robust commercial vehicles for emerging markets. Prescott is also an investor in and chairs the advisory board of Aerolane, a US technology company making dramatic reductions in the emissions and costs of air freight. In his previous roles at funds like Maniv Mobility and OurCrowd, he was an early investor in companies including Revel Transit, Zoomo, Edgybees, Innoviz and Argus Cybersecurity.

Company Overview

Port Power makes the transition to electric vehicles smooth and reliable for commercial fleets and their real estate partners. Port OS is an "air traffic control" that coordinates vehicles, chargers, energy resources and parking sites in a centralized and automated way. The result is smooth and effective EV charging experience at fleet depots - be they dedicated EV depots, or charging build into workplace or warehouse parking lots.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 134. This conversation was the 2nd most popular Future of Mobility episode in 2023....

Melissa and Chris Bruntlett are authors and urban mobility advocates who strive to communicate the benefits of sustainable transport and inspire happier, healthier, more human-scale cities.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why car-centric cities aren’t serving us
• The unexpected benefits of cities that aren’t optimized for cars
• How the Dutch created such vibrant and livable cities
• The first step planners can take today to move in the right direction
• The path towards happier, healthier, and more human-scale cities

Links:

Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/melissachrisbruntlett⁠

Our website: ⁠http://www.modacitylife.com/⁠

Our books: ⁠http://www.modacitylife.com/books⁠

Mobycon: ⁠https://mobycon.com/⁠

Dutch Cycling Embassy: ⁠https://dutchcycling.nl/⁠

About Melissa and Chris

Melissa and Chris Bruntlett are authors and urban mobility advocates who strive to communicate the benefits of sustainable transport and inspire happier, healthier, more human-scale cities. Their first book, Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality, explored the decisions that established the Netherlands as a bicycle paradise, and how communities are translating these ideas to build their own cycling cities. Now based in Delft, Melissa works with Mobycon—a bi-continental mobility consultancy—supporting the promotion of Dutch transport knowledge, policy, and design principles in countries around the world. As Communications Manager for the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Chris uses his knowledge and passion to share practical lessons for global cities wishing to learn from the Netherlands’ extraordinary success. Their second book is entitled Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives.

About Mobycon

Mobycon is a Dutch mobility consultancy specializing in developing and implementing innovative and sustainable mobility solutions nationally and internationally. As a multi-disciplinary team of traffic engineers, urban planners, economists, communications and engagement specialists, and human geographers, Mobycon delivers diverse, integrated mobility products and consulting services. Our work supports the development of healthy, connected, liveable communities working to reduce car dependence.

About Dutch Cycling Embassy

The Dutch Cycling Embassy is an intermediary between the demand for Dutch cycling expertise and Dutch parties that can deliver. The Dutch Cycling Embassy is a public private network for sustainable bicycle inclusive mobility. We represent the best of Dutch Cycling: knowledge, experience and experts offered by private companies, NGO’s, research institutions, national and local governments.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

⁠linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/⁠

⁠brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/⁠

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Daniel Barel is co-founder and CEO if REE Automotive. Daniel previously appeared on Episode 108 of the Future of Mobility podcast: https://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/danielbarel/Key topics in this conversation include:

• How REE has evolved over the past 18 months, since Daniel’s last appearance on the Future of Mobility podcast
• Why REE has launched their P7 vehicle
• How they still seek to “complete” rather than “compete”
• How Daniel and REE have grown as their prepare for production
• How Daniel approaches obstacles

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/danielbarel2
• Website: https://ree.auto/
• About REEcornertechnology: https://ree.auto/technology/
• About P7-C Class4 Electric Chassis Cab: https://ree.auto/segments/p7-c-chassis-cab/
• Inside look atthe P7-C with REE Chairman of the Board Carlton Rose: https://youtu.be/jYsBZxQ2-sE?si=rnJioVcB8auMwB4v

About Daniel:

Daniel Barel is a visionary leader dedicated to revolutionizing transportation and forging a sustainable future for generations to come. Fueled by a desire to build a better, carbon-neutral world, Mr. Barel co-founded REE Automotive in 2013, where he currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer. With a notable track record as a successful entrepreneur, Mr. Barel has founded several start-ups that have made significant contributions to industries such as data management, consulting, and social networking. In recognition of his game-changing influence, Mr. Barel was honored with the prestigious BloombergNEF Pioneer award on behalf of REE in 2020. Guided by his determination and exceptional leadership, Mr. Barel propels REE Automotive forward, pioneering the future of electric mobility. Under his direction, the company is poised to shape the landscape of transportation with innovative technologies that prioritize sustainability, efficiency and low total cost of ownership. Mr. Barel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Company Overview

REE Automotive (Nasdaq: REE) is an automotive technology company and provider of full by-wire electric trucks and platforms. With complete design freedom, vehicles Powered by REE are equipped with the revolutionary REEcorner, which packs critical vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel, enabling REE to build the industry’s flattest EV platforms with more room for passengers, cargo and batteries. REE platforms are future-proofed, autonomous capable, offer a low TCO and drastically reduce the time to market for fleets looking to electrify.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 149, originally aired on April 2, 2023. This conversation was the 3rd most popular Future of Mobility episode in 2023....

Angus Pacala serves as the CEO at Ouster, which he co-founded in 2015 to make lidar both digital and ubiquitous.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The fundamentals of digital LiDAR, and the advantages over analog technology
• Why Ouster and Velodyne merged
• The potential for digital LiDAR to transform smart infrastructure
• Ouster’s strategic approach to modular product development, and how it enables them to explore various application segments
• How Ouster is providing LiDAR solutions for L2 and L3 systems, as well as fully automated driving systems

Links:

• Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/anguspacala⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/ouster/⁠
• ⁠https://twitter.com/ousterlidar?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/apacala/⁠
• ⁠https://ouster.com/⁠

Angus’s Bio:

Angus Pacala serves as the CEO at Ouster, which he co-founded in 2015 to make lidar both digital and ubiquitous. Mr. Pacala has watched self-driving technology evolve from the early days of the DARPA Grand Challenge to today where he has a unique window into the future of automation through Ouster’s work with approximately 700 customers spanning the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries. Prior to Ouster, Mr. Pacala co-founded lidar company Quanergy Systems and served as the Director of Engineering. Before that, he was a Battery Engineer at Amprius, Inc. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

About Ouster

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) is a leading global provider of high-resolution scanning and solid-state digital lidar sensors, Velodyne Lidar sensors, and software solutions for the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries. Ouster is on a mission to build a safer and more sustainable future by offering affordable, high-performance sensors that drive mass adoption across a wide variety of applications. With a global team and high-volume manufacturing, Ouster supports over 850 customers in over 50 countries. Ouster is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

⁠linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/⁠

⁠brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Josh Green is the founder and CEO of Inspiration Mobility (“Inspiration”), the first Electrification Accelerator™, built from the ground up to accelerate the EV transition by enabling organizations of all sizes to reap the full benefits of electrification as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why EV introduction often wrong for fleets
• Picking the right vehicle for the use case
• Making an impact when the grass is “green enough”
• Why shifting a fleet to electric vehicles is not as simple as it might seem
• The importance of solving system-level challenges when introducing electric vehicles

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/joshgreen
• Josh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-green-25349/
• Inspiration's website: https://inspirationmobility.com/
• Inspiration's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspirationmobility/

MobilityNotes

⁠https://mobilitynotes.com/

About Josh:

Josh Green is the founder and CEO of Inspiration Mobility (“Inspiration”), the first Electrification Accelerator™, built from the ground up to accelerate the EV transition by enabling organizations of all sizes to reap the full benefits of electrification as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Josh's pioneering work founding Inspiration builds on a long track record of leadership across sustainable energy and infrastructure. As an investor, Josh has launched or worked with multiple funds/platforms investing in the energy transition, including Traverse Venture Partners, CCM Energy, Climate Change Capital, and Generate Capital, where he was a founding investor and Director on the Board. As an operator, Josh was the CEO and Co-Founder of Verdeo Group, a leading clean energy project developer backed by Black River Asset Management and Wolfensohn & Company before its acquisition by Sindicatum Sustainable Resources.

Josh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Dartmouth College and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Company Overview

Inspiration Mobility is the first and only Electrification AcceleratorTM, built around one mission: accelerating the EV transition to decarbonize transportation at scale. A trusted partner to companies, utilities, and investors, Inspiration delivers fully-financed vehicle and commercial grade charging solutions for organizations seeking to lower costs, reduce risk, and advance progress towards decarbonization by adopting clean, electric transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 136, originally aired on January 8, 2023. This conversation was the 4th most popular Future of Mobility episode in 2023....

Khaled Fakhuri is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Innovation and Mike Doucleff is the Senior Vice President and Head of the Electric Mobility Division at Schneider Electric.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The current status EV charging infrastructure
• The importance of intentional decisions to prepare for EV charging in both residential and commercial buildings
• The value of microgrids
• Why EV charging might not look like we think
• How Schneider Electric is evolving with internal innovation, external investments, and joint ventures

Links:

• Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/schneiderelectric⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-fakhuri/⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-doucleff/⁠

About Khaled:

Khaled Fakhuri is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Innovation, at Schneider Electric, where he is leading the strategy and marketing effort for 'Innovation at the Edge', to define, build and scale models and technologies for the decarbonized, decentralized and digital energy landscape.

About Mike:

Mike Doucleff is the Senior Vice President and Head of the Electric Mobility Division at Schneider Electric, where he leads a global team of R&D, commercial and support function professionals and collaborates with an ecosystem of innovative partners in Europe, China and the United States, to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and the decarbonization of transportation by creating safe, reliable and efficient EV charging solutions.

About Schneider Electric:

Schneider Electric is a multi-national, billion-dollar company and the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation across homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

⁠linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/⁠

⁠brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/⁠

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Alex Meek is Co-Founder and President and Chief Revenue Officer at Moxion Power.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The need for cleaner mobile power
• Electrification of industries such as construction, transportation, utilities, live events, and film production
• Overcoming the challenges of manufacturing a complex product
• Moxion’s business model

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/alexmeek
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandermeek/
• https://www.moxionpower.com/

Bio

Alex Meek oversee Moxion’s revenue generation, including expansion of its energy logistics locations, commercial partnerships, sales and marketing teams. An entrepreneur, operational leader, and investment professional, Meek has direct and relevant operational leadership experience as a former company Co-Founder and President at Newday Financial Technologies, a financial technology platform for impact investing. At Newday, Meek built a technology platform that allowed its clients to invest in major global issues, including climate change, ocean health, sustainable agriculture, and clean water. Meek successfully raised venture capital, led the design and execution on a multi-million-dollar technology engineering budget, built asset management frameworks for impact investing, and scaled the organization to several hundred million in assets. Prior to that, Meek was a Managing Director at Silver Creek Capital, a trading and asset management firm. He holds his MBA from Babson F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business and a BS in Economics from St. Lawrence University.

About Moxion Power:

Moxion Power designs, engineers, and manufactures mobile BESS storage products and technologies, which enable and accelerate the electrification of industries such as construction, transportation, utilities, live events, film production, telecommunications and defense. Moxion’s investors include the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, the Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, Sunbelt Rentals, Enterprise Holdings, Marubeni Ventures, Energy Impact Partners, and Tamarack Global.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 158, originally aired on June 4, 2023. This conversation was the 5th most popular Future of Mobility episode in 2023....

Francesca Favarò is the Lead for the Safety Best Practices team at Waymo, where she coordinates external engagement with standards developing organizations

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The absence of unreasonable risk for automated driving systems
• Waymo’s layered approach to safety, including hardware, the ADS behavioral layer, and operations
• The dynamic approach to safety
• Waymo’s credible approach to safety
• The importance of collaboration and a common language amongst the automated driving community
• IEEE Std 2846 and reasonably foreseeable behaviors of other road users

Links:

• Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/francesafavaro⁠
• ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ffavaro3/⁠
• Waymo’s safety page: ⁠https://waymo.com/safety/⁠
• Waymo’s safety case whitepaper: ⁠https://storage.googleapis.com/waymo-uploads/files/documents/safety/Waymo%20Safety%20Case%20Approach.pdf⁠)

Francesca’s Bio:

Francesca Favarò is the Lead for the Safety Best Practices team at Waymo, where she coordinates external engagement with standards developing organizations. Prior to joining Waymo in 2020, she was an Associate Professor at San Jose State University’s Department of Aviation and Technology and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute. Francesca earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, and received her M.S. in Space Engineering and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.

About Waymo:

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going. Since our start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has been focused on building, deploying, and commercializing the World’s Most Experienced Driver™ technology to improve the world's access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo One, the world's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service, as well as Waymo Via, our trucking and local delivery service. To date, Waymo has autonomously driven tens of millions of miles on public roads and tens of billions of miles in simulation, across 13+ U.S. states

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

⁠linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/⁠

⁠brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dan Trepanier is Chief Executive Officer at Arcadia Tractor Corp., who is building an autonomous vehicle for unstructured environment.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The challenges of field robotics
• Why ball picking at golf practice ranges present the perfect beachhead for Arcadia
• The importance of finding paid deployments and real-world learning opportunities, quickly
• An intro to entrepreneurial finance
• How Arcadia plans to grow and scale in the coming years

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/dantrepanier
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantrepanier/
• https://www.arcadiatractor.com/

Bio

Dan has 30 years of experience working in technology and finance. After earning his degree in Electrical Engineering from Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), Dan worked in various technical and business roles including 6 years at Anadigics (NASDAQ:ANAD) where he last contributed as Director of Product Marketing.

Dan was the founder and CEO of Quake Technologies, the market leader in 10 Gb/s Ethernet semiconductor technology. Through a challenging tech downturn, he led Quake to profitability and an eventual acquisition by Applied Micro Circuits Corporation (NASDAQ:AMCC).

Dan joined Xambala as CEO and led a pivot away from fabless semiconductors to High Frequency Trading. Xambala became a leading market maker in U.S. Equities. Dan was part of NASDAQ’s committee to revamp the Market Structure of the Opening and Closing Auctions. Xambala was acquired by Final, an Israel based trading firm.

In 2018, Dan founded Trep Capital and joined the faculty at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University where he has been teaching Data Science and Finance. Dan has played various leadership roles at the business school including as Faculty Director for the MS in Business Analytics and as Director of MS Programs where he led the MSBA, MS Finance, and MS in Information Systems programs. Dan established corporate partnerships to provide all MS students with industry-led practicum projects.

Dan loves to play outside. You can catch him running or mountain biking on the trails of the Peninsula Open Space Preserves. When he’s not on the trails, Dan enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids

About Arcadia:

Arcadia Tractor is enabling field robotics, one application at a time. Our all-electric tractors operate in unstructured environments. They are self-driving, self-charging, and self-learning. We build on each application to tackle greater complexity, add more value, and increase scale.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Jesse is the founder and CEO of Heartland, a leader in high-performance carbon-negative materials. Heartland’s drop-in additives help brands and suppliers reduce the cost, weight, and carbon footprint of the materials they use every day.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of materials for sustainability
• Why Heartland chose to provide carbon-negative additives rather than complete materials
• Why tracking Scope 3 emissions is so difficult, but so critical
• How Heartland’s additives ended up in automotive packaging
• How sustainability can be embedded in our lives, outside of transportation

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jessehenry
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessehenryofficial/
• https://www.heartland.io/
• https://yuka.io/
• https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessehenryofficial/

Bio

Jesse is the founder and CEO of Heartland, a leader in high-performance carbon-negative materials. Heartland’s drop-in additives help brands and suppliers reduce the cost, weight, and carbon footprint of the materials they use every day.

Previously, Jesse was a National Speaker for Tony Robbins and Chief of Staff at Intersection Capital. Earlier in his career, he wrote a book titled “The Millennial Merger: How to Sell, Manage, Empathize, and Communicate in a Multi-Generational Workforce.” He also did a TEDx Talk titled “The Theory of Success.” Jesse graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Sales from Florida State University.

Heartland Bio

Heartland is a material science company that manufactures hemp fibers as additives for plastics. Their team helps manufacturers reduce their scope 3 emissions by using high-performance carbon-negative additives in raw materials and packaging. As an industrial hemp material processor, they work with farmers and manufacturers to ensure the product consistency of natural fibers that can be used across raw material supply chains. Heartland's materials help companies manufacture stronger, lighter, cheaper, and more sustainable products.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dr. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science and one of the original developers of CONVERGE, an industry-leading computational fluid dynamics software.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How Kelly has helped to shape the Future of Mobility podcast
• How the mobility world has evolved since Kelly’s 2021 book
• Why Life Cycle Analysis can be so misleading
• The importance of being prepared for several potential future states
• Why a single technology isn’t the answer for decarbonization
• How to share unpopular opinions, and why the courage to do so is so important

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kellysenecal
• Episode 51 with Felix Leach: https://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/racingtowardzero/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/senecal/
• https://www.racingtowardzero.com/

MobilityNotes

https://mobilitynotes.com/

Bio

Dr. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science and one of the original developers of CONVERGE, an industry-leading computational fluid dynamics software. He is a visiting professor at the University of Oxford, an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a co-founder and director of the Computational Chemistry Consortium (C3). Dr. Senecal is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He is vice chair of the executive committee of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Division, a member of the board of advisors for the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute, and the 2019 recipient of the ASME ICE Award.

Dr. Senecal has long been an advocate of creating cleaner propulsion systems, with a particular focus on using CFD and HPC to enable faster design. Starting with his TEDx talk in late 2016, he has promoted a diverse mix of transportation technologies through invited talks, articles, and social media. Dr. Senecal is co-author of the book Racing Toward Zero: The Untold Story of Driving Green, winner of the 2022 Independent Press Award for Environment.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Sam Shapiro is a technologist and entrepreneur who is leading the charge to an electric future for the outdoor recreation industry.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Sam’s path from a tech company, to a DIY camper build, and ultimately Grounded
• Why electric is the right choice for a camper van
• Grounded’s recent 1500-mile road trip in their G2
• An electric trailer, and Grounded’s future plans
• Why Grounded is taking a scrappy approach to growth, rooted in grit, ownership, and sustainability

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/samshapiro
• https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/18/23922147/grounded-g2-gm-brightdrop-electric-rv-price-specs
• https://www.groundedrvs.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/sambshapiro/

Bio

Sam Shapiro is a technologist and entrepreneur who is leading the charge to an electric future for the outdoor recreation industry. Before founding Grounded, Shapiro worked as a Senior Software Engineer at SpaceX, where he wrote embedded software for Starlink hardware. Prior to SpaceX, Sam was a Product Engineering Manager for TripleLift, where he incubated new product lines for the company before it was acquired by Vista Equity Partners for $1.4 billion.

About Grounded

Grounded is a team of ex-SpaceX engineers building the future of outdoor recreation. Our mission is to create vehicles and technology that give people the freedom and self-reliance to live, work, and explore anywhere, sustainably integrated with nature. We just launched the 250-mile range G2 electric campervan, which we're now shipping to customers. Next year we plan to launch an electric, light-weight aerodynamic towable RV trailer.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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BJ Birtwell is the founder and executive producer of Electrify Expo, North America’s largest electric vehicle festival.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of promoting EVs to get to the masses
• Why we’re past the early adopters phase of EVs
• Creating the best possible electric vehicle expo
• Designing experiences that make an impact
• The connection between excitement and sustainability

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/bjbirtwell
• Website
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube
• BJ’sLinkedIn

Bio

BJ Birtwell is the founder and executive producer of Electrify Expo, North America’s largest electric vehicle festival. With more than 25 years of experiential, production and advertising expertise and a life-long interest in car culture, he has taken his passion for electric vehicles to drive EV adoption across North America. Birtwell created Electrify Expo in 2019 as a multi-city US festival and flagship destination for consumers to experience the thrill of going electric. Prior to Electrify Expo, Birtwell established himself as a leader in experiential marketing serving as CEO for The Armory, an advertising agency specializing in events and social media, and producing television programming for Discovery, Fox Sports and NBC Sports. During his career, Birtwell also ran a marketing division at Chrysler and later assisted in the production of a nationwide concert series, working alongside talents such as Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Lil Wayne, Ludacris and other billboard-topping acts.

About Electrify Expo

Electrify Expo is North America's largest outdoor electric vehicle festival showcasing the latest technology and products in electrification including startup and legacy EVs, electric motorcycles, bikes, scooters, skateboards, boats, surfboards and more. The festival addresses one of the most challenging barriers to mass adoption of electric vehicles - first hand experience with the product - with meaningful demonstrations and test rides. Top brands from around the world exhibit and attend Electrify Expo’s events to meet consumers at all stages on their path to electrification

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Carter Li is the Chief Executive Officer at SWTCH where he leads business strategy and planning. SWTCH is pioneering EV charging solutions for multifamily, commercial, and workplace properties across North America.Key topics in this conversation include: The importance of reliable charging solutions for multifamily housing and workplaces Why extended charging opportunities at home are so important How SWTCH assures that charging schedules and reservations and followed How to choose and deploy the right charging solutions for a given property Why charging is a software challengeLinks: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/carterli SWTCHwebsite: https://swtchenergy.com/ SWTCH LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/15219354/admin/feed/posts/ Carter'sLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carter-li/Bio:Carter Li is the Chief Executive Officer at SWTCH where he leads business strategy and planning. For his work at SWTCH, Carter was awarded the Lieutenant Governor's Visionaries Prize in Scientific and Technological Innovation. Prior to SWTCH, Carter was a Senior Consultant at Deloitte in their energy practice. At Deloitte, he led international teams in digital strategy and transformation projects for energy, financial services, and healthcare companies across three continents. Carter is a board member of the Ontario Clean Technology Industry Association and of Electric Mobility Canada. Carter attended McGill University for his BSc and PhD and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for his MBA.About SWTCHHeadquartered in Toronto, Ontario, with offices in Brooklyn and Boston, SWTCH is pioneering EV charging solutions for multifamily, commercial, and workplace properties across North America. SWTCH leverages the latest technology available to help building owners and operators deploy EV charging by tapping into their existing grid infrastructure. Through constant innovation and an extensive partnership network, SWTCH provides the most profitable and unique business model for multi-tenant buildings to stay competitiveFuture of Mobility:The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Matt Soule is the Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, a company developing autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles to move more trucking activity to rail.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How the US freight rail system works
• The challenges with traditional train architectures
• Why freight rail isn’t traditionally as timely or reliable as other means of transportation
• How Parallel Systems is shaking up this system
• The wide-ranging benefits of deploying battery electric vehicles for freight rail

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/mattsoule
• https://moveparallel.com/
• https://www.youtube.com/@parallelsys
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/parallelsystems/
• Explainer Video

Bio:

Matt Soule is the Co-founder & CEO of Parallel Systems, a company developing autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicles to move more trucking activity to rail. The company is driven by its mission to decarbonize freight by building a cleaner, automated rail future. Parallel will achieve this by enabling railroads to open terminals for less and operate new transportation services alongside traditional freight trains.

Matt has extensive experience using advanced technologies to disrupt established industries. Previously, he spent 13 years at SpaceX in various roles including Head of Avionics where he led a department of 300 people in the design and testing of space electronics. Prior to that, he held various engineering roles at Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Matt received a Master of Science in electrical engineering from University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Northwestern University.

About Parallel

Parallel Systems is reimagining the historic rail industry with innovative software and hardware. Founded in 2020 by a group of former SpaceX engineers, the company has created autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles to move freight cleaner, faster, safer, and more cost effectively than traditional trains or trucks. The company aims to increase the utilization of today’s rail network by converting some of the $700 billion U.S. trucking business to rail. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the company’s mission is to decarbonize freight by building a cleaner, automated rail future.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Milan Kocic is the founder and head of Hexagon's Sixth Sense accelerator program and open innovation platform.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why most corporate attempts to work with startups fail
• How Hexagon’s Sixth Sense was designed to foster mutually beneficial outcomes
• How Milan thinks about innovation
• The importance of real world experience (and not just books or theoretical learning)
• The most promising trends for manufacturing intelligence

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/milankocic
• Milan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/milankocic/
• Hexagon’s Sixth Sense’s site: https://sixthsense.hexagon.com/
• Hexagon’s Sixth Sense’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/hexagonmi-sixth-sense/

Bio:

With over 25 years of experience in advanced manufacturing, Milan Kocic is the founder and head of Hexagon's Sixth Sense accelerator program and open innovation platform. His mission is to create an environment where startups can explore possibilities for growth with Hexagon’s vast network of products, services, and customers. Milan has spent the last 15 years bringing many innovative new Hexagon products and services like PULSE and MyCare to market. He owns more than 30 patents in many different areas of advanced manufacturing.

Company Description

Sixth Sense is a startup accelerator and open innovation platform where ambitious, scaling start-ups can connect with world-class companies to find scale and solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Grace Donnelly is executive editor for Climate Tech VC. Grace previously appeared on Episode 117 of the Future of Mobility podcast: https://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/gracedonnelly/

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Climate tech funding trends from the first half of 2023
• How CTVC provides value for their customer base and reader base
• Marine decarbonization
• Decarbonized fuels

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/gracedonnelly2
• https://www.ctvc.co/climate-tech-h1-2023-venture-funding/
• https://www.ctvc.co/maritime-decarbonization/
• https://www.ctvc.co/clean-fuels-biofuels-electrofuels/
• Sign up for the newsletter here

About Grace & CTVC

Grace Donnelly is a journalist and executive editor of Climate Tech VC (CTVC), a free newsletter that delivers data-driven insights on investments and advancements in technologies aimed at decarbonizing the economy and combating climate change to ~60,000 investors and innovators in climate tech two times per week. She previously covered climate tech for Morning Brew's Emerging Tech Brew newsletter, wrote about transportation at the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and worked as a data reporter at Fortune Magazine.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Nils Alstad is Chief Product Officer and Torkel Danielsson General Manager and Director of Product Management for Video Streaming at Phantom Auto, a pioneering Silicon Valley-based firm that specializes in the remote operation of vehicles ranging from forklifts and trucks to robots.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The challenge of latency, and why latency is such a critical issue for teleoperation
• How Phantom Auto enables safe and effective remote operation
• Applications to forklifts, yard trucks, and more
• How remote operation helps with workplace accessibility and equality
• The role of teleoperation as material handling and logistics becomes increasingly automated

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/phantomauto
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-alstad-80794110/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/torkeldanielsson/
• https://phantom.auto/

Nils Bio:

Nils Alstad is Chief Product Officer at Phantom Auto. Before Phantom Auto, Nils was the Vice President of Customer Experience at Canvas Technology, a leading warehouse autonomous robotics startup that was acquired by Amazon in 2019. At Amazon, Nils led the Canvas Customer Operations teams, including product management for all remote support tools and interfaces. Nils has over 15 years of experience leading Operations teams across four continents. Nils acts as an advisor to technology startups.

Torkel Bio:

Torkel Danielsson is the General Manager and Director of Product Management - Video Streaming at Phantom Auto. Before his current role, Torkel co-founded Voysys AB, a trailblazing company in real-time video, VR, and teleoperation software. His extensive background encompasses software development, entrepreneurship, product development, and more, with a keen specialization in real-time systems.

Company description

Phantom Auto specializes in remote operation of all logistics vehicles. Phantom’s human-centric interoperable solutions enable people to remotely supervise, assist, and drive vehicle fleets from up to thousands of miles away – including forklifts, robots, trucks, and more.

By decoupling labor from location, the company increases labor access and retention, safety, productivity, and resilience across the supply chain. With Phantom, top-tier customers in the logistics sector can tap into drivers from anywhere — connecting people who want to work with jobs that need to be filled.

The company’s proprietary software delivers secure, low-latency communication over volatile wireless networks for reliable sensor streaming and safe vehicle control.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Vinay Shet is co-founder and CEO of Teleo, who is revolutionizing the construction industry by retrofitting traditional heavy equipment with autonomous and remote-operated technology to create supervised autonomous machines.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The challenging labor shortage for operating heavy equipment
• How Teleo blends teleoperations and autonomy
• The types of problems that Teleo solves for their customers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/vinayshet
• Website: https://www.teleo.ai/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@teleo756
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/teleo-ai/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeleoAI

Short bio:

As Teleo’s co-founder and CEO, Vinay Shet is responsible for setting the strategic vision of the company and putting in place the elements needed to bring that vision to life. He previously was Director of Product Management at Lyft Level 5 leading the Mapping, Data, and Knowledge efforts for Lyft’s self-driving car initiative.

Before Lyft, Vinay was at Google leading Product Management for Google Street View, Google Maps, and Google reCAPTCHA, products that are used by millions of people worldwide. At Google, he led the team that pioneered the use of machine learning to create maps data from Google Street View and Aerial Imagery. Additionally, he was also one of the creators of Google reCAPTCHA’s “I’m not a robot” CAPTCHA.

Vinay has a Ph.D. in Computer Science focusing on Computer Vision from the University of Maryland, College Park and was a Scientist at Siemens Corporate Research, focused on Machine Learning and Computer Vision, for several years post-Ph.D. He has published over 20 papers and has over 25 issued/pending patents.

Company description

Teleo is revolutionizing the construction industry by retrofitting traditional heavy equipment with autonomous and remote-operated technology to create supervised autonomous machines. The Teleo Supervised Autonomy technology lets contractors operate existing heavy equipment without an operator in the cab, letting a single person control multiple pieces of equipment from a remote desk. This increases productivity, safety, and operator satisfaction—critical challenges in the construction industry. Teleo is backed by UP.Partners, Trucks Venture Capital, F-Prime Capital, K9 Ventures, YCombinator and a host of industry luminaries.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Kerry Renaud is CEO and managing director for WHILL & Scootaround North America. WHILL connects the world with personal transportation solutions and now provides autonomous mobility services for individuals with limited mobility, offered at airports and select public spaces around the world.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of personal mobility
• The challenge of providing freedom and mobility in large facilities, such as airports
• The roots of Scootaround and acquisition by WHILL
• The technology innovations enabling autonomous power chairs
• What Kerry has learned in the entertainment, zoo, and mobility industries

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kerryrenaud
• Kerry Renaud LinkedIn
• WHILL Autonomous Solutions
• Facebook
• Instagram

Short bio:

Kerry Renaud is CEO & Managing Director for WHILL & Scootaround North America, a full-service personal mobility management company providing assistive device rentals to traveling individuals at their point of destination at hotels, convention centers, airports, hospitals, cruise ships, and large-scale events across North America and at ports worldwide. Kerry is responsible for corporate oversight of all operations in North America. Prior to his 17-year tenure with Scootaround, Kerry was the Director of an 1100-acre Canadian Zoo and previously served as Owner/President of a large-scale entertainment production company specializing in stadium concert production and artist management.

Company description

WHILL Inc. connects the world with personal transportation solutions. In addition to designing and selling mobility vehicles, WHILL provides Mobility-as-a-Service, offering autonomous and manual transportation services that make public spaces such as airports, hospitals, and vacation destinations more accessible. WHILL provides products and services in more than 20 countries and regions worldwide.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Corey is an automated mobility strategist, global thought leader, and innovator who is focused on commercialization strategies for the future of mobility and AV systems.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Where autonomous vehicles can provide meaningful benefits today
• How to effectively vet AV companies and technology
• The promise of campus applications for AVs
• The right types of problems that can be solved by autonomy

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/coreyclothier
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreyclothier/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/ariboav/

Bio:

Corey is an automated mobility strategist, global thought leader, and innovator who is focused on commercialization strategies for the future of mobility and AV systems. He has more than 14 years of product and business development experience in AVs, and he has led product development and deployment strategy for startups, auto OEMs, defense, transit companies, major cities, insurance companies, and global entertainment companies.

Corey's main goal and passion is building AV programs and partnerships. This is why he founded GenerationAV in 2020, and has worked with 25 AV companies on over 50 projects. His work ranges from grocery delivery pilots to testing emerging technologies at airports, transit integration to military applications, and everything in between. He is actively reshaping mobility within our communities.

Corey co-developed the US Army's Applied Robotics for Installation and Base Operations program, and is working on several first-of-their-kind projects for deploying automated mobility worldwide under the new rebooted ARIBO mission. He is also the current Chair of ITS America's Advisory Committee on Automated Vehicles, where he works with other industry leaders to globally advance the creation of AV best practices.

ARIBO overview:

ARIBO is your ultimate partner for navigating the world of autonomous vehicles. We cover everything from planning to deployment. We're among the first to develop planning and safety tools for AVs. With our experienced team, we help you build a solid plan, check its feasibility, manage risks, ensure safety, and successfully test and launch AV systems. ARIBO has unmatched expertise to guide you through the entire AV planning and deployment process.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Larry Burns is a pioneer in the electrified and automated vehicle space, highly successful industry veteran, and author of Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car – And How It Will Reshape Our World. Larry joins the Future of Mobility podcast for a second time, previously appearing on Episode 93: https://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/larryburns/

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The true objective for transportation, and why we buy cars
• Why accessibility trumps speed
• The need to get the crash out of the system and get the mass out of the system
• What automakers have missed over the past few decades
• How we can create a safer transportation ecosystem
• Why Larry is so optimistic about the future

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/larryburns2
• Larry’s website: https://www.lawrencedburns.org/
• Autonomy book: https://www.amazon.com/Autonomy-Quest-Driverless-Car-Reshape/dp/0062661124

Larry’s Bio:

Larry Burns advises organizations on the future of mobility, logistics, manufacturing, energy and innovation. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Niron Magnetics. His current clients include Kitson & Partners, Nanoramic Laboratories, Neural Propulsion Systems and Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE).

Larry served as General Motors Corporate Vice President of Research & Development and Planning from 1998-2009. After leaving GM, Larry has been a Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan, the Director of the Program for Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University, a consultant to Google Self-Driving Cars/Waymo and an advisor to several major companies.

Larry is the author of Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car—And How It Will Reshape Our World (with Christopher Shulgan and published by Ecco / HarperCollins on August 28, 2018).

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the developmentand implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dakota Semler is the Chief Executive Officer of Xos, a Los Angeles-based technology company, fleet services provider, and manufacturer of Class 5 through Class 8 battery-electric vehicles.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The true driving forces for fleets to adopt electric vehicles
• The challenges of fleet electrification
• Why Xos is providing the Xos Hub as a stopgap to solve charging infrastructure challenges
• The importance of focus
• Building a customer-centric organization
• What Dakota has learned while leading Xos

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/dakotasemler
• Dakota’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dakota-semler-he-him-a1288929/
• Website: www.xostrucks.com
• Investor Relations: investors.xostrucks.com

Bio

Dakota Semler is the Chief Executive Officer of Xos, a Los Angeles-based technology company, fleet services provider, and manufacturer of Class 5 through Class 8 battery-electric vehicles. Xos’ mission is to decarbonize commercial transportation with the most durable trucking technology available. Dakota has been in the transportation and trucking industry for more than a decade and grew up working on his family’s fleet business. He came up with the idea for Xos to solve the exact challenge he faced as a fleet operator: to create a cost-effective, durable, and reliable electric vehicle that achieves the same, or better, performance benchmarks of an existing diesel vehicle—without compromising the air we breathe. Since 2018, Xos has deployed hundreds of its 100% battery-electric vehicles with leading fleets within parcel delivery, cash-in-transit, beverage distribution, and linen and textile services. Dakota was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Manufacturing & Industry In 2019.

About Xos:

Xos is a leading manufacturer of fully electric, zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles, powertrain components, and charging infrastructure. The company was founded in 2016 by Dakota Semler and Giordano Sordoni, two former fleet owners and operators, who sought to build an electric vehicle to solve the issues they were facing first-hand around increasing emissions regulations and the rising costs of maintenance and diesel. Xos’ mission is to decarbonize commercial transportation and facilitate a seamless transition for fleet owners from traditional internal combustion engines to fully-electric vehicles. Its proprietary battery system, the X-Pack, and modular chassis, the X-Platform, are purpose-built for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles in the last-mile sector. The fleet-as-a-service offering provides customers with a comprehensive suite of products and services, such as vehicle maintenance and purchase financing, to help fleets more easily make the transition from diesel to electric.

Xos vehicles have been in use by commercial fleets since 2018 and are currently operated by multiple Fortune 500 companies. Notable customers include FedEx ISPs, Loomis, UniFirst, and Wiggins Lift Co. to name a few. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, where its battery packs are built in-house, and has additional manufacturing facilities in Tennessee and Mexico, with more to come in the near future. In August 2021, the company went public and now trades on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol, XOS.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Quincy Lee is the CEO and Founder of Electric Era

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of reliability for EV charging
• Electric load growth and our broken electric grid
• The hardware and software design details of Electric Era’s PowerNode
• The nationwide virtual power plant that Electric Era plans to build
• How Quincy thinks about hiring and leadership

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/quincylee
• Electric Era website -> Link
• Newsletter -> Link
• Company LinkedIn -> Link
• Company Twitter -> Link

Bio

Quincy Lee is the CEO and Founder of Electric Era. Prior to founding Electric Era he was a mechanical engineer at SpaceX where spent 7 years working on the Dragon Spacecraft, Falcon 9 rocket and Starlink constellation. He oversaw the global deployment of the Gateway ground station program for SpaceX Starlink. He was an All American and Olympic Trial qualifying swimmer for the Ohio State University.

About Electric Era:

Electric Era is building the future of car refill for the next generation of drivers with PowerNode, a battery backed and software optimized EV fast charging station designed for convenience stores and gas stations modernizing for the 21st century.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Allen Schaeffer is Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, a not-for profit educational organization of global leaders in advanced diesel engine, equipment, and fuels technology

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why diesel is a necessary part of our transportation and energy future
• The latest technologies that have made diesel engines far more efficient and environmentally friendly
• Renewable diesel
• Diesel Technology Forum’s goals as an educational organization

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/allenschaeffer

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/allen-schaeffer-8ba14612/

● https://dieselforum.org/

● https://dieselforum.org/news--resources/posts/57percent-of-all-commercial-diesel-trucks-on-the-roads-are-near-zero-emissions-models

Bio

Allen Schaeffer is Executive Director of the Diesel Technology Forum, a not-for profit educational organization of global leaders in advanced diesel engine, equipment, and fuels technology. The Forum’s work focuses on the sustainability of advanced diesel technology in a wide range of applications including commercial vehicle, power generation, marine, rail, construction, and other industrial applications. Schaeffer has helped lead the group since its founding in 2000. He is the forum’s primary spokesperson, and has appeared in reports by The Associated Press, The New York Times, and Automotive News, among others.

He has more than 30 years of experience working with environmental and public health issues, as well as transportation, climate, and energy policy.

About Diesel Technology Forum:

The Diesel Technology Forum is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the current and future role of diesel engines, equipment, and fuels. Forum members are leaders in advanced diesel technology, emissions controls, as well as petroleum-based and renewable biofuels. For more information please explore our website.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Marc Buncher is the President and CEO of Siemens Mobility North America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why rail plays a key role in improving transportation in the coming years
• The path to widespread transit rail in the US by 2030
• Improvements for freight rail
• The potential for hydrogen fuel cells and electrification
• Accessibility for transit rail

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/marcbuncher

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-buncher-6a711622/

● Siemens Mobility: https://www.mobility.siemens.com/us/en.html

● HSR: https://www.mobility.siemens.com/us/en/trends/high-speed-rail-in-us.html

● Hydrogen: https://www.mobility.siemens.com/global/en/portfolio/rail/rolling-stock/commuter-and-regional-trains/mireo/mireo-plus-h.html#:~:text=The%20hydrogen%20fleet%20will%20be,term%20of%20the%20transport%20contract.

● Signalling: https://www.mobility.siemens.com/us/en/portfolio/rail/automation/signaling-on-board-and-crossing-products.html

Bio

Marc Buncher is the President and CEO of Siemens Mobility North America. With more than 4,000 employees and more than 30 facilities across the United States and Canada. Buncher is responsible for overseeing the company’s growth within the region. This includes the leadership of five business segments: rolling stock, rail signaling and electrification, turnkey projects, maintenance and aftermarket parts and software solutions.

Under Buncher’s leadership, the organization has seen tremendous gains in growth and market share. This includes the largest order in the company’s 160 years it’s been doing business within the U.S., with a $2.4 billion contract from Amtrak to design, manufacture and technically support the new Amtrak Airo fleet. It also includes a recent announcement of a $220 million investment into a new east coast rail manufacturing and service hub in Lexington, Carolina.

Buncher has spent the last 30 years of his career serving the rail and transit industry. He has built up an extensive background of rail and transit acquisitions.

About Siemens Mobility, North America

Siemens Mobility is a separately managed company of Siemens AG. As a leader in transport solutions for more than 175 years, Siemens Mobility is constantly innovating its portfolio. Its core areas include rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, a comprehensive software portfolio, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digital products and solutions, Siemens Mobility is enabling mobility operators worldwide to make infrastructure intelligent, increase value sustainably over the entire lifecycle, enhance passenger experience and guarantee availability. In fiscal year 2022, which ended on September 30, 2022, Siemens Mobility posted revenue of €9.7 billion and had around 38,200 employees worldwide.

For more than 160 years, Siemens has been an integral provider of infrastructure, electrification, and transportation solutions in the United States. From the first light rail vehicles that were delivered to San Diego, California to the 30,000 rail crossings across America, Siemens Mobility has contributed to the power of connection, jobs and investment to our American cities with eight manufacturing facilities, nearly 4,000 employees, and more than 2,000 suppliers across the United States.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dr. Siyu Huang is the co-founder and CEO of Factorial and its heritage company Lionano.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The fundamentals of solid state batteries
• The technical innovations enabling Factorial’s success
• How Factorial is approaching commercialization
• Factorial’s development with global OEMs including Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai Motor Company

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/siyuhuang

● https://factorialenergy.com/

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/siyu-huang-6b126412/

Bio

Dr. Siyu Huang is the co-founder and CEO of Factorial and its heritage company Lionano. Dr. Huang is a passionate proponent of the clean energy revolution and believes that innovative battery technology will usher in a new age of EV performance and increased battery storage capabilities for any industry. Factorial has joint development partnership agreements with Stellantis, Hyundai, and Mercedes Benz. Dr. Huang received her Ph.D. in Chemistry and MBA from Cornell University and Cornell Johnson School of Management.

About Factorial

Based in Woburn, Massachusetts, Factorial Energy is developing breakthrough solid-state batteries that offer longer range per charge and increased safety and aim to be cost-competitive with conventional lithium-ion batteries. The company’s proprietary FEST® (Factorial Electrolyte System Technology) leverages a solid electrolyte material, which has the potential to enable safe and reliable cell performance with high-capacity cathode and anode materials. FEST® has been scaled in 40Ah cells, works at room temperature, and is compatible with existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing equipment. The company has entered into joint development agreements with Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Hyundai Motor Company.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Key topics in this conversation include:

• The most promising use cases and applications for fleet EV adoption
• Why BEVs aren’t the right solution for all situations
• The importance of intelligent BEV introduction and utilization
• Revolv’s unique business model
• How the BEV industry today is similar to the solar industry 10 years ago

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/scottdavidson
• https://www.revolv.us/
• https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/electric-vehicle-fleet-as-a-service-pioneer-revolv-raises-15-million-to-support-growing-demand-for-decarbonized-commercial-fleets-301777450.html

Bio

As the CEO of Revolv, Scott Davidson is simplifying corporate fleet EV adoption by offering customized, full-service solutions. A clean energy veteran, Scott previously spent over a decade helping corporates to adopt solar.

About Revolv

Revolv provides full-service electric fleet solutions delivering uptime, savings and zero-emission miles.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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With Jake’s personal brand, the “Manufacturing Millennial,” he has created an audience of 70,000+ followers with over 80 million views on social media.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How and why Jake became the Manufacturing Millennial
• The importance of manufacturing as we strive for safer and more sustainable mobility solutions
• The most promising technologies in the manufacturing space
• Where automation makes the most sense
• How we can use education and awareness to inspire the next generation of skilled manufacturing workers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/manufacturingmillennial
• LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jacobrhall/
• Website: www.themanufacturingmillennial.com/
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/ManufacturingMillennial

Bio

Jake Hall is the Manufacturing Millennial. With over a decade of experience working with manufacturers, system integrators, and distributors in the manufacturing and automation industry, he understands the importance of advocating smart automation, robotics, and skilled trades. But more importantly, he recognizes the need and demand for companies and organizations to begin attracting and mentoring the future skilled workforce of upcoming generations.

With Jake’s personal brand, the “Manufacturing Millennial,” he has created an audience of 70,000+ followers with over 80 million views on social media. But Jake’s advocacy doesn’t stop online; he has given dozens of high-energy keynote presentations discussing the future of our manufacturing industry and how it needs to change through technology, culture, and workforce.

When Jake isn’t advocating manufacturing, you’ll find him at a Chicago Cubs game, smoking BBQ, fishing, or building Lego with his two daughters.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Raj Iyer is a managing director within Deloitte’s M&A and Restructuring practice and Jason Coffman is the US Automotive Supplier lead within Deloitte’s US Automotive practice overseeing Consulting, Advisory, Tax, and Audit functions.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Key findings from Deloitte’s 2023 Supplier Study
• Their automotive supplier strategic option framework
• Where existing suppliers should look to expand, defend, and pivot
• The most attractive places for long term success for suppliers in the electrification space
• Risk mitigation so suppliers can excel in a wide range of future scenarios

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/deloitte
• Deloitte's 2023 Automotive Supplier Study: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/manufacturing/articles/global-automotive-supplier-study.html
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-iyer-3282501/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-coffman-11279a1/

Bios:

Jason Coffman

Jason Coffman is the US Automotive Supplier lead within Deloitte’s US Automotive practice overseeing our Consulting, Advisory, Tax, and Audit functions. Jason has over three decades of industry experience and has been an integral part of shaping Deloitte’s recent 2023 Supplier Study and key offerings around self-funded application modernization and broader enterprise transformations tied to electrification. He is based out of Detroit.

Raj Iyer

Raj Iyer is a managing director within Deloitte’s M&A and Restructuring practice. With over 20 years of combined industry and consulting experience, Raj focuses on the automotive and industrial products sector. He has led and delivered many complex cross-border transactions, joint ventures, and has deep experience in serial transactions, carve-outs and operating model restructuring. He is based out of Detroit.

About Deloitte

Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 7,000 private companies. Our people come together for the greater good and work across the industry sectors that drive and shape today’s marketplace — delivering measurable and lasting results that help reinforce public trust in our capital markets, inspire clients to see challenges as opportunities to transform and thrive, and help lead the way toward a stronger economy and a healthier society. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Building on more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Josh Berg is Managing Director of Magna Technology Investments at Magna International. In this role, Berg oversees all direct investments, governance, portfolio management, and partnerships with startup companies, VC funds, accelerators and incubators.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Vertical and horizontal career building
• Prioritization, inspiration, and motivation
• The #1 test to determine if you’re a good leader
• The four things all founders need to do well
• How to determine where you excel and where you need help

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/joshberg
• magnatechnologyinvestments.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-berg-40414a7/

Josh’s Bio:

Josh Berg joined Magna in April, 2019. He currently serves as the Managing Director of Magna Technology Investments at Magna International. In this role, Berg oversees all direct investments, governance, portfolio management, and partnerships with startup companies, VC funds, accelerators and incubators.

Prior to joining Magna, Berg started his journey as a complex civil litigation Attorney at a prestigious boutique law firm in Southeast Michigan. In 2010, he joined General Motors as a Public Policy Manager. In that role he oversaw legislative and regulatory issues in the area of telematics and connected technologies working directly with Public Officials on behalf of GM. Soon after, OnStar’s COO recruited Berg to oversee Sales Operation where he successfully managed a large team, more than $1B in annual revenue and a dynamic customer experience. After rounding out his operations experience, Berg was asked to join GM Ventures as a Partner for GM’s corporate venture capital arm. He spent 3 years at GMV, where he experienced tremendous success, including 6 investments, 2 notable exits and multiple successful production commercial agreements between the startup companies and corresponding business units at General Motors.

Berg holds a bachelor of arts in political theory and constitutional democracy from the James Madison College at Michigan State University. His Juris Doctor is from Wayne State University School of Law. He is a member of the Epsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a proud mentor for Winning Futures, and active member of the Detroit Economic Club, having formerly served as a founding board member of the young leader wing of the club. Berg is on the Advisory Committee for Michigan Rise, a State of Michigan funded, early-stage venture capital fund. He is also the Managing Partner for Look Around Ventures, a pre-seed angel investment group that makes early-stage investments in areas unrelated to his work at Magna. Berg has backpacked in 28 countries around the world and enjoys traveling with his wife and 2 children.

About Magna

Magna is more than one of the world’s largest suppliers in the automotive space. We are a mobility technology company with a global, entrepreneurial-minded team of over 171,000 employees and an organizational structure designed to innovate like a startup. With 65+ years of expertise, and a systems approach to design, engineering and manufacturing that touches nearly every aspect of the vehicle, we are positioned to support advancing mobility in a transforming industry. Our global network includes 341 manufacturing operations and 88 product development, engineering and sales centres spanning 29 countries.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Tyler Cole is host of the Net Zero Carbon podcast on FreightWaves. Tyler has sixteen years of commercial experience, with a focus on supply chains, low-carbon fuels, and renewable energy.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The most common drivers for ESG initiatives
• Why a range of technology solutions are required to make true sustainability impact
• Common misconceptions about sustainability for freight
• What Tyler has learned and how he’s grown hosting the Net Zero Carbon podcast

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/tylercole
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyleracole/
• www.freightwaves.com/nzc.

Tyler’s Bio:

Tyler has sixteen years of commercial experience, with a focus on supply chains, low-carbon fuels, and renewable energy. He has worked cross functionally in a variety of industries and organizations to develop and deliver emission reduction activities to help corporates achieve their climate targets. Experience includes GHG inventory, ESG disclosures, product stewardship, development and delivery of advanced biofuels, compliance and voluntary carbon credits, freight network design, natural gas mobility and power generation, and digital emissions monitoring tools.

Tyler is an active collaborator with several climate-focused NGOs and startup accelerators, host of the FreightWaves podcast Net-Zero Carbon, and contributes to several ESG-focused publications.

Tyler holds a BS in business administration from the University of Tennessee, a Micro master’s in supply chain engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is currently pursuing an MLA in sustainability from Harvard Extension School.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Gavin Jackson is CEO at Oxa.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• What is means to build the “operating system for autonomy”
• Oxa’s unique business model and go to market strategy
• The most promising near-term applications for autonomy
• How much of ADS software is consistent between applications
• Oxa’s approach to application-specific development for autonomy

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/gavinjackson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-jackson-28b845/
• https://oxa.tech/

Gavin’s Bio:

Gavin Jackson is CEO at Oxa. We was previously the Managing Director at Microsoft, and before that the Managing Director of Amazon Web Services, UK & Ireland. Gavin has more than 20 years’ experience working in some of the most prominent technology companies of their time. He spent 10 years in various leadership positions at EMC, and was the EMEA Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Services at VMware before joining Amazon Web Services. Gavin is a mentor to a number of start-up companies and an avid supporter of diversity in technology. Gavin is an alumni of Cranfield Business School and IMD School of Management, and also attended Harvard Business School, majoring in business finance.

About Oxa:

Oxa is accelerating the transition to self-driving technology today. It has developed the software solution for businesses wanting to deploy autonomy into their operations safely, efficiently and reliably. From the virtual testing environment, to the software driving the vehicles and the cloud-based management tools, Oxa helps any business with transportation in its value chain get the most from their fleets. The company has created a platform that can be deployed today across industries including mining, shared passenger transport, and agriculture.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Francesca Favarò is the Lead for the Safety Best Practices team at Waymo, where she coordinates external engagement with standards developing organizations

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The absence of unreasonable risk for automated driving systems
• Waymo’s layered approach to safety, including hardware, the ADS behavioral layer, and operations
• The dynamic approach to safety
• Waymo’s credible approach to safety
• The importance of collaboration and a common language amongst the automated driving community
• IEEE Std 2846 and reasonably foreseeable behaviors of other road users

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/francesafavaro

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/ffavaro3/

● Waymo’s safety page: https://waymo.com/safety/

● Waymo’s safety case whitepaper: https://storage.googleapis.com/waymo-uploads/files/documents/safety/Waymo%20Safety%20Case%20Approach.pdf)

Francesca’s Bio:

Francesca Favarò is the Lead for the Safety Best Practices team at Waymo, where she coordinates external engagement with standards developing organizations. Prior to joining Waymo in 2020, she was an Associate Professor at San Jose State University’s Department of Aviation and Technology and a Research Associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute. Francesca earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, and received her M.S. in Space Engineering and B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.

About Waymo:

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going. Since our start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has been focused on building, deploying, and commercializing the World’s Most Experienced Driver™ technology to improve the world's access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo One, the world's first fully autonomous ride-hailing service, as well as Waymo Via, our trucking and local delivery service. To date, Waymo has autonomously driven tens of millions of miles on public roads and tens of billions of miles in simulation, across 13+ U.S. states

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Michael Wiesinger is the Vice President of Commercialization at Kodiak, and responsible for driving business development and major partnerships, defining Kodiak’s commercial product and deploying it with the mission to optimize value for Kodiak’s customers

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The true value of autonomous long haul trucking
• How Kodiak is working to address the needs of their partners’ stakeholders
• The key assumptions that need to hold true for autonomous trucking to take off
• How Kodiak is helping their partners increase their total capacity
• The impact of Chris Voss’s Never Split the Difference

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/michaelwiesinger

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wiesinger-ab291590/

● Solutions page - https://kodiak.ai/solutions/

● Gen5 - https://kodiak.ai/news/smarter-faster-just-as-safe/

● 2022 Recap - https://kodiak.ai/news/2022-safety-partners-and-progress/

Michael’s Bio:

Michael Wiesinger is the Vice President of Commercialization at Kodiak, and responsible for driving business development and major partnerships, defining Kodiak’s commercial product and deploying it with the mission to optimize value for Kodiak’s customers. Michael spent most of his career in the automotive and supply chain industries. He worked for Detroit Diesel, a Daimler Truck subsidiary, before he joined BCG, where he focused on strategy, operations and supply chain topics for some of the world’s largest automotive OEMs. Michael was also part of the team that launched Ware2Go, a UPS company, where he built the company’s initial warehouse network and led all supply chain related topics

About Kodiak Robotics:

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 to develop autonomous technology that carries freight forward — so people, partners, and the planet thrive. The company is developing an industry-leading technology stack purpose-built for long-haul trucks, making the freight industry safer and more efficient. Kodiak's unique modular hardware approach integrates sensors into a streamlined sensor-pod structure that optimizes for perception, scalability, and maintainability. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the South, operating autonomously on the highway portions of the routes. Kodiak also leverages its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Gene Berdichevsky is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sila.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of a battery technology that can be integrated into existing gigafactories
• The promise of silicon anodes, and how Sila has overcome the typical challenges faced by this technology
• Sila’s entry into automotive scale with Mercedes-Benz
• How Sila is thinking about scaling manufacturing
• How Gene and Sila have navigated a few “false finishes” over their 12-year history

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/geneberdichevsky

● Company Website: https://www.silanano.com

● Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sila-nanotechnologies-inc-/

● Company Twitter: https://twitter.com/SilaNanotech

● Gene’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berdichevsky/

Gene’s Bio:

Gene Berdichevsky is the Co-Founder & CEO of Sila. Prior to co-founding Sila, Gene was the seventh employee at Tesla Motors where he served as Principal Engineer on the Roadster battery, leading the development of the world’s first, safe, mass-produced, automotive lithium-ion battery system. Gene holds two degrees from Stanford University; an MS in Engineering with a focus on energy and materials, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering. He has co-authored over 45 patents and academic publications. Gene has been named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list, the MIT Technology Review 35 Under 35, and was a recipient of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.

About Sila:

Founded in 2011, Sila is a next-generation battery materials company with the mission to power the world’s transition to clean energy. Sila shipped the world’s first commercially available silicon anode for lithium-ion batteries in 2021. Sila’s materials drive battery performance enhancements in consumer electronics devices and will power electric vehicles starting with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class series. Committed to American leadership in clean energy production, Sila is scaling its technology at its manufacturing facility in Moses Lake, Washington.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Don Wright is VP of Engineering at Unico.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Effective testing solutions for electric propulsion system components
• How Unico stays one step ahead of the state of the art
• The push for ever increasing performance of electric powertrains
• Converting a 1999 Jeep Wrangler to electric

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/donwright
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-wright-88b19a9/
• https://unicous.com/quantum-drive-platform/

Don’s Bio:

Don Wright has over 25 years of experience in the powertrain test business in roles ranging from system engineering to project management, product management, R&D development manager, business segment manager, director of engineering, and now VP Engineering. He has more than 15 years in EV test with a focus on EV testing solutions for E-Motor, Inverter, E-Axle, E-Powertrain, Battery (Cell, Module, Sub-Pack, Pack), and Fuel Cell. In his spare time, he is converting a 1999 Jeep Wrangler to electric with his wife.

About Unico:

Unico is a long standing, world class provider of power electronics for controlling motors and testing batteries. From multi-axis coordinated control in demanding, precision automation lines for paper processing and metal processing, cutting, and coiling to high performance and efficient test systems used for the development and testing of electric motors, inverters, e-axles, and batteries, Unico has a power control solution for the application.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Charles Eagan is the Chief Technology Officer for BlackBerry.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• BlackBerry’s transformation
• The fundamentals of automotive cybersecurity
• Why IVY will enable the development of the “killer app” for mobility
• The game-changing potential of edge computing and machine learning
• What goes into developing and deploying an exceptional automotive software

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/charleseagan
• https://www.blackberry.com/us/en
• https://www.blackberry.com/us/en/products/automotive/blackberry-ivy
• https://blackberry.qnx.com/en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-eagan-blackberry-cto/

Charles’s Bio:

Charles Eagan is the Chief Technology Officer for BlackBerry. In this role, Charles is responsible for the advancement of new technologies, driving innovation within emerging markets and advancing security capabilities that leverage AI and Machine Learning. He is also responsible for technology partnerships and overseeing the standardization and integration of all company products with an emphasis on helping drive BlackBerry’s Internet of Things platform.

About BlackBerry:

BlackBerry helps organizations defend against cyber threats. Founded in 1984 as Research In Motion (RIM), BlackBerry is now a leader in cybersecurity—helping businesses, government agencies, and safety-critical institutions of all sizes secure the Internet of Things (IoT).

BlackBerry® products and services include the Cylance® AI-based endpoint security solutions, BlackBerry® UEM unified endpoint management platform, the BlackBerry® AtHoc® critical event management solution, and BlackBerry® QNX® software for secure embedded systems.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Julie Johnson is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience working with leading corporations and disruptive startups, such as Ryder Systems Inc., Lightning eMotors, New Leaf Paper, and Wells Fargo. Currently, as the Head of Market Development and Growth Strategy North America at Volta Trucks.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Promising applications for electric trucking
• The importance of decarbonizing quickly
• Overcoming the typical obstacles while introducing electric trucks
• Volta’s innovative cab design and pedestrian safety
• Julie’s path from sustainable paper to pharmaceuticals to clean transportation

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/juliejohnson
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliejohnsonmorris/
• https://voltatrucks.com/investor-relations

Julie’s Bio:

Julie Johnson is an accomplished executive with over 20 years of experience working with leading corporations and disruptive startups, such as Ryder Systems Inc., Lightning eMotors, New Leaf Paper, and Wells Fargo. Currently, as the Head of Market Development and Growth Strategy North America at Volta Trucks, Julie is passionate about driving change that will make our cities and communities cleaner and safer, improving the quality of life globally. She specializes in building new markets, navigating complex market and stakeholder dynamics, and implementing innovative strategies that deliver fast and sustainable flywheel growth. Julie values the importance of a strong culture and works collaboratively with ecosystem stakeholders to develop mission-alignment on critical priorities that drive collective action and successful business outcomes. Her vision for a net-zero carbon future is founded on a triple bottom line approach of People-Planet-Profit, fulfilling her deep passion for making a positive and lasting impact for future generations.

About Volta Trucks

• We are a full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services company. We offer next-generation, design-led products, and services, which aim to accelerate the transition to electric, whilst reducing the risk and complexity of electrification for our customers.
• The world’s first purpose-built 16-tonne electric truck, revolutionizing commercial vehicle operations and delivering a next-generation driving experience.
• Mission: To be the leader in zero emission transport, reducing the effects of global warming and making our cities safer, healthier and more pleasant for all
• Vision: Delivering full-electric trucks and revolutionizing vehicle ownership. Supporting and accelerating industry towards sustainable operations
• Our Purpose: Electric trucks for sustainable cities, with people at the heart of everything we do.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Christian Delise is an Industrial Designer by trade and a problem solver by nature. He has worked a variety of roles in international design studios for Toyota, Lexus, Faurecia, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The difference in consumer demands and requirements for different vehicle brands
• How technology can serve the user
• UX for assisted and automated driving
• What it means to design new vehicles in a truly sustainable manner
• The importance of full product life cycle considerations

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/richardmorin
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiandelise/
• https://www.adaptmode.net

Christian’s Bio:

Christian Delise is an Industrial Designer by trade and a problem solver by nature. He has worked a variety of roles in international design studios for Toyota, Lexus, Faurecia, Lamborghini, Porsche and Volkswagen. His most recent contributions at VW Group Innovation helped support HMI Design of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems as well as introducing new processes for interior cabin UX design development. Currently, he is helping build digital application tools for managing product ecosystems at Stanley Black and Decker.

Christian is the founder of Mode, a system model which aims to improve the life cycle impact of cars and enable more agile implementation of new technologies.

Mode is a solution to achieving true sustainability by developing vehicles which are optimized for adaptability in the long term.

As an advocate for regenerative multimodal design, Christian believes in creating products which improve with use over time.

By enhancing the human connection with the machine, we can better understand and appreciate what drives all of us.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Richard Morin is director of business development at Resonant Link, where they are building best-in-class wireless chargers to accelerate electrification in multi-billion-dollar markets like robotics, material handling, and electric vehicles.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The three stages of impact for wireless charging for forklifts
• The traditional challenges of wireless charging
• How Resonant Link has improved cost, size, and performance
• The connection between wireless charging for medical devices, robotics, material handling, and electric vehicles

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/richardmorin
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpmorin/
• https://www.resonant-link.com/

Richard’s Bio:

Richard Morin is director of business development at Resonant Link.

He is a thinker, doer, dot connector focused on helping power the clean energy transition for the benefit of all. From solar plus storage to green hydrogen to now high performance wireless charging for e-mobility be it EVs, robotics or autonomous vehicles his singular focus is always on having a positive impact on others and the customer partners he works with.

Why? He believes we all are part of the solution for building a better world.

About Resonant Link

At Resonant Link, we're building best-in-class wireless chargers to accelerate electrification in multi-billion-dollar markets like robotics, material handling, and electric vehicles. Our wireless chargers are unmatched in speed, price, weight, and size, unlocking electrification by recharging vehicles during the short stops that already exist during operation to extend range and shrink on-board batteries. Since our founding, we've landed leading customers in every sector (including 6 Fortune 500 companies) to power their mission-critical applications.

Our growing team is a mix of Ph.D. engineers, industry veterans from Tesla, Apple, Motiv, and Dynapower, and ex-founders and early-stage leaders, all coming together to rethink the charging paradigm. Resonant Link is based in Vermont, Massachusetts, and California and our investors & partners include the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, Cyclotron Road, Activate.org, Stanford, Dartmouth, Urban Us, Scout Ventures and others.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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This is a repost of Episode 51, shared again in April 2023 due to the importance and timeliness of the topics in this discussion.

Kelly and Felix join to talk about their new book Racing Toward Zero – The Untold Story of Driving Green. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. Felix Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, a post held jointly with that of Fellow and Tutor in Engineering Science at Keble College

Order the book now: https://www.sae.org/publications/books/content/r-501/

About Racing Toward Zero:

In Racing Toward Zero, the authors explore the issues inherent in developing sustainable transportation. They review the types of propulsion systems and vehicle options, discuss low-carbon fuels and alternative energy sources, and examine the role of regulation in curbing emissions.

All technologies have an impact on the environment, from internal combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and hybrids—there is no silver bullet. The battery electric vehicle may seem the obvious path to a sustainable, carbon-free transportation future, but it’s not the only, nor necessarily the best, path forward. The vast majority of vehicles today use the internal combustion engine (ICE), and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Improving the ICE and its fuels—entering a new ICE age—must be a main route on the road to zero emissions.

How do we go green? The future requires a balanced approach to transportation. It’s not a matter of choosing between combustion or electrification; it’s combustion and electrification. As the authors say, “The future is eclectic.” By harnessing the best qualities of both technologies, we will be in the best position to address our transportation future as quickly as possible.

Kelly’s bio:

Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senecal/

Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a co-founder and director of the Computational Chemistry Consortium (C3), and an associate editor of the journal Transportation Engineering. Kelly is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a member of the executive committee of the ASME ICE Division, a member of the board of advisors for the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute, and the 2019 recipient of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Award.

Kelly has long been an advocate of creating cleaner combustion engines, with particular focus on CFD and HPC to enable faster design. Starting with his TEDx talk in late 2016, he has been promoting a diverse mix of propulsion system technologies through invited talks, articles, and social media. Kelly is co-author of the new book “Racing toward zero: the untold story of driving green,” available in May from SAE.

Felix’s bio:

LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-leach-67713987/

Felix Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, a post held jointly with that of Fellow and Tutor in Engineering Science at Keble College. His research interests are in emissions and efficiency of thermal propulsion systems and air quality. He has focused particularly on particulate emissions from gasoline direct injection engines and developing a fundamental understanding of NOx emissions from diesel engines.

In addition to his work on thermal propulsion systems, Felix engages significantly with public policy on emissions from vehicles and their interaction with air quality. Felix founded the annual Oxford Air Quality Meeting which draws together experts in vehicle emissions, air quality measurement, public health, and policy.

Felix holds MEng and DPhil degrees in engineering science from the University of Oxford and is a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

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Jennifer Jacobs Dungs is the Global Head of Mobility at EIT InnoEnergy, one of the World’s leading climate tech investors.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why the full value chain and business ecosystem needs to be considered when pursuing new technology
• How to get past pilots and providing meaningful value with new technology
• Exploring the idea of the 15-minute city
• Why vehicle efficiency needs to be central in the decarbonization discussion
• How and where to introduce new modes of transportation

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jenniferdungs
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• EIT InnoEnergy
• Jennifer’s contributions in Forbes

Jennifer’s Bio:

Jennifer Jacobs Dungs is the Global Head of Mobility at EIT InnoEnergy, one of the World’s leading climate tech investors. There, she is responsible for all investments in the field of transport and mobility, with nearly 25 new investments in the last 4 years. She is an active Board member, angel investor, and regular contributor to Forbes and a global speaker on the topic of Future Mobility. She has in-depth knowledge from the industry on topics related to sustainability, alternative powertrain technologies, autonomous driving and business models for digital products for the automotive and micromobility sectors.

Jennifer has spent over 20 years in the automotive industry, including Ford Motor Company (Detroit), BMW (Munich), and Porsche (Stuttgart). She was also the Director at the Fraunhofer Institute, responsible for Mobility and Smart Cities and established a joint lab with MIT called Ambient Mobility focused on using big data to help revolutionize our cities. She holds both a M.S. Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. Chemistry.

About EIT InnoEnergy

EIT InnoEnergy brings people and resources together, catalysing and accelerating the energy transition. New ideas, products and solutions that make a real difference, and new businesses and people to deliver them to market.

Operating at the centre of the energy transition, we build connections worldwide, bringing together innovators and industry, entrepreneurs and investors, graduates and employers.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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This bonus episode provides a peek into a second podcast series hosted by Brandon Bartneck, the Capital Light Assembly podcast. This podcast focuses on what it takes to successfully launch complex mobility and energy products in volumes that are below industry standard.

You can find the Capital Light Assembly podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, including:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gtQE3QTqxRRGbEm53688s?si=ca292fb879da4b2f
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edisonmfg
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capital-light-assembly-with-edison/id1661691887

This clip features Gabriel Scheer.

Gabriel is the Director of Innovation for Elemental Excelerator, a Hawaii-based climatetech accelerator founded in 2009. He leads the mobility and energy portfolio and is responsible for pipeline development, cohort management, policy guidance and support, and partnership development.

Gabriel joins this episode to explore topics including:

• How start-ups should think about manufacturing strategy
• What it takes for a contract manufacturer to be a great partner for a growing start-up
• Elemental Excelerator's work and why Gabriel is so excited about climate tech right now

Prior to his work at Elemental Excelerator, Gabriel was on the founding team of Lime, the leading dockless smart shared mobility company. As the first government relations hire for the company, he developed state and local go-to-market strategies for much of the United States and Canada. He helped grow the company from zero markets to more than 130 cities across more than 20 countries. He also served as Senior Director of Data Policy and Strategic Partnerships, responsible for leading the company’s approach to data policy/data sharing, managing and developing relationships with transit agencies and related industry organizations as well as third-party stakeholders, and coordinating and prioritizing GovTech initiatives with the product and engineering teams.

Before joining Lime Gabriel worked as Senior Strategist and frogVentures Partner at frog. Gabriel has founded numerous initiatives, some of which succeeded. Highlights include Seattle Greendrinks, a 4000+ member social network designed to connect and grow Seattle’s environmental community; Agent Green, a company focused on leveraging the power of the crowd to catalyze energy efficiency retrofits for small businesses; and Re-Vision Labs, a social innovation consultancy whose clients included government agencies and global non-profits and corporations.

About Elemental Excelerator:

Elemental Excelerator is a nonprofit investor focused on scaling climate solutions and social impact for all communities. Elemental fills two gaps fundamental to addressing climate change: funding first-of-a-kind projects for climate technologies in real communities, and embedding equity and access into climate solutions. Elemental has invested in over 150+ growth-stage companies and celebrated more than 25 exits, funded 115+ technology projects and built a platform for scaling equitable, market-driven solutions to climate change.

Apply here to be considered for their next round of funding opportunities:

https://elementalexcelerator.com/applicants/

About Edison:

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for capital light assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don't fit neatly within traditional high volume production.

https://www.edison-mfg.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/edison-manufacturing-and-engineering/

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Angus Pacala serves as the CEO at Ouster, which he co-founded in 2015 to make lidar both digital and ubiquitous.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The fundamentals of digital LiDAR, and the advantages over analog technology
• Why Ouster and Velodyne merged
• The potential for digital LiDAR to transform smart infrastructure
• Ouster’s strategic approach to modular product development, and how it enables them to explore various application segments
• How Ouster is providing LiDAR solutions for L2 and L3 systems, as well as fully automated driving systems

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/anguspacala
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/ouster/
• https://twitter.com/ousterlidar?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/apacala/
• https://ouster.com/

Angus’s Bio:

Angus Pacala serves as the CEO at Ouster, which he co-founded in 2015 to make lidar both digital and ubiquitous. Mr. Pacala has watched self-driving technology evolve from the early days of the DARPA Grand Challenge to today where he has a unique window into the future of automation through Ouster’s work with approximately 700 customers spanning the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries. Prior to Ouster, Mr. Pacala co-founded lidar company Quanergy Systems and served as the Director of Engineering. Before that, he was a Battery Engineer at Amprius, Inc. He received his Bachelor and Master degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

About Ouster

Ouster (NYSE: OUST) is a leading global provider of high-resolution scanning and solid-state digital lidar sensors, Velodyne Lidar sensors, and software solutions for the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries. Ouster is on a mission to build a safer and more sustainable future by offering affordable, high-performance sensors that drive mass adoption across a wide variety of applications. With a global team and high-volume manufacturing, Ouster supports over 850 customers in over 50 countries. Ouster is headquartered in San Francisco, CA with offices in the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Jeff Varick is Founder and CEO of Brandmotion, LLC, a Novi, Michigan based vehicle systems engineering company focused on improving vehicle safety performance through emerging technology integration.

Key topics in this conversation include:

-The vehicle technologies that truly impact safety

-Why the aftermarket is critical for reducing traffic collisions and fatalities

-The Vision Zero Automotive Network

-Why Jeff chose to gather the whole industry to work towards a common objective

-The value of being humble, hungry, and smart

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jeffvarrick

● https://brandmotion.com

● https://vzan.org

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-varick-b80180/

Jeff's Bio and about Brandmotion

Jeff Varick is Founder and CEO of Brandmotion, LLC, a Novi, Michigan based vehicle systems engineering company focused on improving vehicle safety performance through emerging technology integration.

Brandmotion is the pioneer and market leader in integrating Connected Vehicle (CV) solutions to advance V2X communication technology to greater numbers of cars and trucks already on the road. The company was an inaugural member of the University of Michigan Mobility Transformation Center (MCity), and has served in Vehicle Integrator roles for over 20 national CV Deployments, including Smart Columbus, Denver Smart City and the Tampa USDOT CV Pilot, where as Vehicle Integrator, Brandmotion is responsible for all sourcing, verification, integration, installation, and field support of the vehicles.

Brandmotion is also a developer of highly integrated vehicle retrofit safety solutions for the automotive aftermarket. Brandmotion distributes emerging safety technology and OEM-quality vehicle accessory solutions under the Brandmotion brand through a North American network of over 2,500 installers, fleets and dealers.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Peter Vaughan Schmidt is CEO of Torc Robotics.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The current state of the autonomous trucking industry
• Why Torc is playing offense while others are playing defense
• Torc’s technology approach and path to commercialization
• How autonomous trucks will integrate into fleet operations
• Peter’s advice for building a successful and fulfilling career

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/peterschmidt
• https://torc.ai/
• https://torc.ai/torc-new-ceo-peter-vaughan-schmidt/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-vaughan-schmidt-420a20134/

Peter’s Bio:

Prior to joining Torc in 2022, Dr. Peter V. Schmidt was the head of the Autonomous Technology Group for Daimler Truck for three years. Before leading that organization, he managed the strategy organization for Daimler Truck, where his focus areas included the Chinese market, autonomous technology, electrification, connectivity, and digital transformation.

Dr. Schmidt also previously led Daimler’s global product and platform management for medium and heavy truck engines worldwide, as well as holding roles in engine production and plant management.

Before joining Daimler, Dr. Schmidt was a principal and consultant at McKinsey & Company serving the automotive industry.

About Torc Robotics:

Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, the global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 17 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing autonomous trucks for long-haul applications in the U.S. Torc operates test facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an engineering office in Austin, Texas. Torc’s mission is saving lives with autonomous technology, which incorporates reducing highway deaths, enabling critical supplies – including medicines and foods – to reach every community in a timely manner, and helping the transportation industry increase fuel economy, uptime, and capacity.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Roei Ganzarski is the CEO of Alitheon, the global leader in optical AI for counterfeit identification and traceability.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The most noteworthy performance I saw at CES
• Where additive approaches to authentication fall short
• Why proving identify is so important for safety-critical components and systems
• The danger of counterfeits in the mobility space
• The additive potential when combining Alitheon’s approach with digital authentication

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/roeiganzarski
• www.alitheon.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/alitheon/
• https://twitter.com/alitheon

Roei’s Bio:

Roei Ganzarski is the CEO of Alitheon, the global leader in optical AI for counterfeit identification and traceability. Roei brings more than 30 years of experience in disruptive technology leadership. Prior to Alitheon, he led and supervised operations, strategy and development at numerous companies including Boeing, BoldIQ, magniX and Eviation.

About Alitheon:

Alitheon is a leader in advanced optical AI and the creator of FeaturePrint®, a patented system that digitizes for items and products what fingerprints are for people – a one-of-a-kind, unique identifier that does not require you to mark, modify or add anything to the item. Using just a camera, FeaturePrinting enables identification, authentication and traceability of individual items out of millions of similar objects. The technology stops counterfeits, eliminates gray markets and minimizes misidentification of parts. FeaturePrint is currently used across automotive, aerospace & defense, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, precious metals, and luxury goods & collectibles.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Stephan A. Tarnutzer is the President of AVL Mobility Technologies.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Where Stephan sees the greatest opportunities for further innovation in electrification, automated driving, and hydrogen-power propulsion systems
• AVL’s role in the mobility sector
• How Stephan thinks about growth and diversification into new markets
• The importance of soft skills and philosophy when transitioning into a leadership position

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/stephantarnutzer
• https://www.avl.com/en
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-a-tarnutzer-mba-5559196/
• AVL's Reimagine Mobility Podcast (buzzsprout.com)

Stephan’s Bio:

Stephan A. Tarnutzer is the President of AVL Mobility Technologies and is responsible for overseeing and developing its business units and functional areas, including technologies for traditional and xEV powertrain, xEV and battery component and systems as well as ADAS and Autonomous technologies and solutions. In addition, Mr. Tarnutzer is responsible for vehicle development, software, simulation, driveability, and validation domains.

Mr. Tarnutzer joined AVL in November 2018 as the President for the mobility technology side of AVL. Prior to working at AVL, Mr. Tarnutzer held several engineering leadership positions with various suppliers as well as Daimler Chrysler. His diverse educational background in electrical engineering, economics, finance, and management has enabled his technical, strategic and financial leadership through his entire career.

About AVL North America:

Established in 1994 for AVL to serve its North American clients directly, AVL North America has a staff of more than 650 + people and has five technical centers in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Metro Detroit area, and Lake Forest, California. These technical centers house a total of 21 test sites for engine/transmission/powertrain development and testing. AVL also has a sales office in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Together, we have the expertise, technology, and tools to take on any project from initial feasibility studies to complete turnkey engine programs. We provide best-in-class engineering, simulation, and testing expertise to our customers locally and through our global network. As a trusted partner, AVL helps customers tackle the most complex challenges and helps move the world toward a more sustainable future.

AVL is one of the world’s leading mobility technology companies for development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry, and beyond. The company provides concepts, solutions and methodologies in fields like vehicle development and integration, e-mobility, automated and connected mobility (ADAS/AD), and software for a greener, safer, better world of mobility.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Matt Leuck is Technical Service Manager for Renewable Road Transport at Neste US.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why decarbonizing the internal combustion engine is such an important piece of the sustainability puzzle
• How Neste produces their renewable diesel
• Overcoming the perception and past failures of other renewable fuels
• How Matt sees renewable diesel scaling

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/MattLeuck
• http://nestemy.com/
• https://www.neste.us/neste-my-renewable-diesel/customer-stories/city-of-oakland
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattleuck/

Matt’s Bio:

As Neste’s Technical Manager for North America, Matt serves as the principal technical point of contact for the Renewable Road Transport team, providing expertise to stakeholders about renewable fuel’s position in the larger energy picture – how it works in engines, the value it provides, and its widespread applications. Matt believes that all solutions are needed to fight climate change, and renewable fuels will be a big part of the energy mix in the future.

About Neste:

Neste is the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel (RD) and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Driven by a desire to create a healthier and more sustainable future, Neste remains committed to breaking fossil fuel’s 100-year monopoly on road transport, aviation, and plastics. Through its refinement process of waste, residues, and innovative raw materials, Neste provides customers – such as airports and transportation/fleet companies – with renewable solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the tons.

Neste’s renewable fuel is a direct replacement for conventional fossil fuel that is produced from renewable waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil, and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Once blended, the fuel works seamlessly with existing fueling infrastructure, diesel, and aircraft engines. Today, recognized as one of the world’s most sustainable companies, Neste is on track to create the change needed to lower GHG emissions and clear the air, and wants to help cities and businesses achieve their climate goals faster.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Reece Martin is the creator and host of RMTransit, a YouTube channel focused on transit, infrastructure, and development around the world. With more than 180 thousand subscribers and 27 million views, the channel has helped thousands around the world to learn about public transit projects, networks, technologies and plans in a simplified and digestible format, as well as about project construction, news, vehicle design, and service planning

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why public transit is so complex
• The global cities that are leading the way
• Foundational values that can be applied to nearly all cities to improve transportation
• Iterative decision making and transit deployment
• Where US cities have historically struggled
• How Reece simplifies complex topics to help with public education

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rmtransit
• https://www.youtube.com/c/RMTransit
• https://nebula.tv/rmtransit/
• https://twitter.com/RM_Transit
• https://www.instagram.com/rm_transit/

Bio:

Reece Martin is the creator and host of RMTransit, a YouTube channel focused on transit, infrastructure, and development around the world. Started back in 2016, the RMTransit YouTube channel has gone from occasional videos shot on a blurry cell phone camera watched by not more than a dozen people to its current state. With more than 180 thousand subscribers and 27 million views, the channel has helped thousands around the world to learn about public transit projects, networks, technologies and plans in a simplified and digestible format, as well as about project construction, news, vehicle design, and service planning. The channel has hundreds of videos covering a breadth of transit and urban content, and has covered over 50 cities across over 20 countries, including international on-site visits such as the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

About RMTransit:

Ever wondered why your city's transit just doesn't seem quite up to snuff? RMTransit is here to answer that, and help you open your eyes to all of the different public transportation systems around the world! Reece (the RM in RMTransit) is an urbanist and public transport critic residing in Toronto, Canada, with the goal of helping the world become more connected through metros, trams, buses, high-speed trains, and all other transport modes. RMTransit creates two brand new videos every week covering all aspects of transportation and urbanism.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This bonus episode provides a peek into a new series hosted by Brandon Bartneck, the Capital Light Assembly podcast. This podcast provides a look into my "day job" as Vice President and General Manager at Edison Manufacturing & Engineering, and focuses on what it takes to successfully launch complex mobility and energy products in volumes that are below industry standard.

You can find the Capital Light Assembly podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, including:

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gtQE3QTqxRRGbEm53688s?si=ca292fb879da4b2f
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edisonmfg
• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capital-light-assembly-with-edison/id1661691887

This excerpt features Tracey Fletcher, who is Chief People Officer for Wallbank Industrial, which includes Edison as well as Edison's sister company, PJ Wallbank Springs. The discussion focuses on the importance of culture when building an organization to best serve our customers' needs and the foundational values on which Edison's culture has been built.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Ben Hager is the Head of the Autonomous Driving and Software Engineering group at dSPACE Inc.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why effective tools are so important for safe and effective development of autonomous vehicle software
• dSPACE’s SIMPHERA and AUTERA
• The role of an enabler in the quickly evolving mobility space
• Why true partnership can be so much more valuable than traditional supplier / customer relationships
• dSPACE’s use of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe)

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/benhager
• https://dspace.showpad.com/share/dkYbKbiPeqv0jH3OSEFeg
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/hagerb/

About Ben:

Ben Hager is the Head of the Autonomous Driving and Software Engineering group at dSPACE Inc. We are a team of engineers, programmers, project managers, and business developers that are responsible for helping our customers in North America solve the challenges of autonomous driving and validation testing at scale.

Before joining dSPACE, he worked for 8 years as the Real-Time Control Design and Simulation Engineer at Honda Aircraft Company. He was primarily responsible for developing and maintaining the HIL system software and hardware used in the Advanced Systems Integration Test Facility (ASITF). He also worked for 2 years as a Flight Test and Instrumentation Engineer at Cirrus Aircraft on the Vision SF50 Personal Jet program.

He has a Master’s degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

About dSPACE

dSPACE is a leading provider of simulation and validation solutions worldwide for developing networked, autonomous, and electrically powered vehicles. The company's range of end-to-end solutions are used particularly by automotive manufacturers and their suppliers to test the software and hardware components in their new vehicles long before a new model is allowed on the road. Not only is dSPACE a sought-after partner in vehicle development, but engineers also rely on our know-how at dSPACE when it comes to aerospace and industrial automation. Our portfolio ranges from end-to-end solutions for simulation and validation to engineering and consulting services as well as training and support. With approximately 2,200 employees worldwide, dSPACE is headquartered in Paderborn, Germany, has three project centers in Germany, and serves customers through regional dSPACE companies in the USA, the UK, France, Japan, China, Croatia, and South Korea.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Charlotte Hamilton is the CEO and co-founder of Conamix.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why lithium sulfur batteries are likely inevitable

• The current challenges with lithium sulfur cathodes

• How Conamix is addressing these

• How Conamix is facing the challenge of having a suitable anode to go alongside their cathode

• Why Charlotte is very careful the claims and promises that Conamix is making

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/charlottehamilton

● https://www.conamix.com/

● https://www.linkedin.com/in/cphamilton/

About Charlotte:

Charlotte Hamilton is the CEO and co-founder of Conamix. She founded Conamix in 2014 and is a co-inventor of multiple pieces of the company's battery technology. She has led the company from founding through public announcement of a patent portfolio of over 30 pieces of intellectual property focused on low-cost, high-energy cobalt free battery material.

Company description:

Conamix is a venture-backed battery materials company working to lower the cost of lithium ion batteries for electric vehicles worldwide by turning sulfur cathodes from the out of reach holy-grail of lithium ion cathodes into a global product with the energy, power and cycle life demanded by the EV revolution.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

View Details

Rodolfo is Managing Partner at Proeza Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups reshaping the mobility space.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• What sets Proeza Ventures apart
• Some of the key trends Rodolfo is watching in 2023
• Advice for first time founders
• Why PV has a clear definition of markets and technologies where they don’t participate
• A shared passion for Stoic philosophy

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rodolfodieck
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/proezaventures/
• The Paddock (newsletter): https://proezaventures.substack.com/

Companies mentioned:

• Deftpower – https://www.deftpower.com/
• Onomotion – https://onomotion.com/en/
• Ridepanda – https://www.ridepanda.com/

Rodolfo’s bio

Rodolfo is Managing Partner at Proeza Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups reshaping the mobility space. Rodolfo guides the overall strategic direction of the firm as well as oversees all financial activities, performance, and investor relations activities. His role includes sourcing, evaluating, structuring and closing new investments, managing PV’s current investment portfolio, and participating in the board of directors of some of PV’s portfolio companies.

Through his experience, Rodolfo has advised middle-market companies on a variety of transactions including mergers, acquisitions, and capital raising activities totaling more than US$6.5 billion and invested in +30 early stage companies with over US$40 million in capital commitments. Rodolfo was previously Chief Investment Officer at PSM, an impact investing fund based out of Mexico City, M&A director at Fimecap, Vicepresident for BBVA Bancomer’s Americas Corporate Finance Group, and a Senior Associate at Credit Suisse’s M&A Technology Group. He received a BA in Economics from Monterrey Tec and earned an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of Business. He is a CFA charterholder.

Rodolfo enjoys an active life participating in triathlons, working out and playing with his kids outdoors in sunny Texas and traveling and exploring new restaurants with his wife.

About Proeza Ventures

Based in Monterrey, Mexico, and Houston, Texas, Proeza Ventures is a venture capital firm investing exclusively in the mobility space. P.V is looking to partner with ambitious and visionary founders transforming the way in which we think about mobility pushing for more efficient, safety-focused and environmentally friendly solutions. P.V invests in industrial tech, smart components, new vehicles, MaaS and digital data services.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Jan Becker is President, CEO and Co-Founder of Apex.AI, Inc. He is also the Managing Director of the Apex.AI GmbH.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Understanding software defined vehicles
• Apex.Grace, Apex.Ida, and Apex.OS
• Building the operating system for autonomous vehicles that is designed to never fail
• Apex.AI’s role enabling autonomy outside of automotive
• Functional safety considerations for modular software
• How Apex.AI is making their mark on the industry

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/janbecker
• https://www.apex.ai/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/janbecker23/

Jan’s bio

Jan Becker is President, CEO and Co-Founder of Apex.AI, Inc. He is also the Managing Director of the Apex.AI GmbH, our subsidiary in Germany.

Prior to founding Apex.AI, he was Senior Director at Faraday Future responsible for Autonomous Driving and Director at Robert Bosch LLC responsible for Automated Driving in North America. He also served as a Senior Manager and Principal Engineer at the Bosch Research and Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA, USA, and as a senior research engineer for Corporate Research at Robert Bosch GmbH, Germany.

Since 2010, Jan is Lecturer at Stanford University for autonomous vehicles and driver assistance. Previously, he was a visiting scholar at the University’s Artificial Intelligence Lab and a member of the Stanford Racing Team for the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. In 2019, Jan was appointed to serve on the external Advisory Board of MARELLI to provide strategic advice to the MARELLI Board. In 2018, he co-founded the Autoware Foundation and was on the foundation’s board of directors until 2020. Jan earned a Ph.D. in control engineering from the Technical University of Braunschweig, Germany, a master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, USA, and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany.

About Apex.AI

Apex.AI is a Palo Alto, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart and Gothenburg-based company that is developing breakthrough safe, certified, developer-friendly, and scalable software for mobility systems.

Our software products are based on proven open-source software, such as ROS or Eclipse iceoryx, so that we don’t spend time redeveloping what already works. Instead, we fork software that has been developed and proven in use by large developer communities. We then add what is missing: Functional safety, flawless performance, and support for application in commercial and safety-critical products. In order to do so, we have developed a proprietary process to rework open-source software in record time such that it conforms to the highest requirements of the applicable functional safety standard.

We launched our award-winning first product Apex.Grace, formerly known as Apex.OS, after three years in 2020 and have taken it through certification in record time for launch in 2021.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Steven is the Los-Angeles based Partnerships Manager for Skyports, which designs, builds and operates vertiports for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Steven’s uncommon path to Skyports
• The importance of solving problems with new mobility solutions, rather than merely rolling out new technology
• Why veritports might look different than what the public envisions
• The latest progress from Skyport
• Why LA is such a promising city for realizing the benefits of AAM

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/stevenspinello
• https://skyports.net/vertiports/
• https://skyports.net/joby-and-skyports-partner-to-deliver-living-lab-terminal-for-urban-air-mobility/

Steven’s bio

Steven is the Los-Angeles based Partnerships Manager for Skyports, which designs, builds and operates vertiports for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) industry. At Skyports, he is leading the phased network rollout of a multi-nodal vertiport network across the Los Angeles basin and surrounding areas to enable intra-city aerial transport and cargo drone deliveries at scale. Steven is an advocate of decarbonizing the transportation system by accelerating electrification and improving connectivity through multi-modal systems. Prior to Skyports, Steven worked on the Mobility Innovation team at the LA Mayor’s Office of Economic Development. At the Mayor’s Office, he co-authored a report on emerging transportation technologies and their impact on urban mobility policymaking. He also split time at Urban Movement Labs, a nonprofit transportation innovation accelerator, where he assisted with the selection, deployment and evaluation of transportation technology pilots on LA’s streets. Steven received his B.A. in economics from the University of Maryland and Master of Public Policy (MPP) from the University of Chicago.

Skyports company bio

Skyports Infrastructure is the leading enabler of advanced air mobility (AAM), providing the critical link between the ground and the sky. The company designs, builds and operates take-off and landing infrastructure for air taxis, and partners with world-class electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) passenger and cargo vehicle manufacturers around the world to enable safe, sustainable and efficient flight operations within urban and suburban environments.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Paul Comfort has recently released Conversations on Equity and Inclusion in Public Transportation, where we hear from twenty top public transportation officials from across America and Australia discussing practical steps on how they are improving their services and providing more equity and inclusion both in their agencies and the communities they serve.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Key trends in public transportation that Paul is watching heading into 2023
• How Paul sought input from 20 influential transportation leaders regarding E & I
• One of the unexpected ways in which equity and inclusion can be realized in public transportation

Links:

• Full show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/conversationsonequityandinclusion
• https://www.amazon.com/Conversations-Equity-Inclusion-Public-Transportation-ebook/dp/B0BG8TBPHS
• https://www.transitunplugged.com/
• https://paulcomfort.org/
• www.futureofpublictransportation.com

About the book:

In Conversations on Equity and Inclusion in Public Transportation, we hear from twenty top public transportation officials from across America and Australia discussing practical steps on how they are improving their services and providing more equity and inclusion both in their agencies and the communities they serve.

The Covid pandemic provided transit agencies an opportunity to reflect on our core mission. Would our agencies and the government entities that fund them continue to be almost solely focused on ridership increases or would they now focus on more fundamental missions such as providing mobility and access to opportunities for all, including traditionally underserved communities?

This book explores the new reality where transit agencies are putting the focus back on the rider and improving equity and inclusion for all. It also examines the new move toward zero fares and utilizing micro transit as a safety net. The book shows how public transit is really now about more than just transporting passengers from A to B as it is becoming a vehicle to improve overall society.

About Paul:

Paul Comfort is a veteran of the transit and government industries having risen to the top of both fields. After 25 years working in both management and business development for public and private transit agencies, Maryland Governor Hogan appointed Mr. Comfort as CEO of the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) where he served heading one of the top 12 transit systems in America with bus, light rail, subway, commuter train, commuter bus and paratransit services.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Khaled Fakhuri is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Innovation and Mike Doucleff is the Senior Vice President and Head of the Electric Mobility Division at Schneider Electric.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The current status EV charging infrastructure
• The importance of intentional decisions to prepare for EV charging in both residential and commercial buildings
• The value of microgrids
• Why EV charging might not look like we think
• How Schneider Electric is evolving with internal innovation, external investments, and joint ventures

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/schneiderelectric
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/khaled-fakhuri/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-doucleff/

About Khaled:

Khaled Fakhuri is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Innovation, at Schneider Electric, where he is leading the strategy and marketing effort for 'Innovation at the Edge', to define, build and scale models and technologies for the decarbonized, decentralized and digital energy landscape.

About Mike:

Mike Doucleff is the Senior Vice President and Head of the Electric Mobility Division at Schneider Electric, where he leads a global team of R&D, commercial and support function professionals and collaborates with an ecosystem of innovative partners in Europe, China and the United States, to accelerate electric vehicle adoption and the decarbonization of transportation by creating safe, reliable and efficient EV charging solutions.

About Schneider Electric:

Schneider Electric is a multi-national, billion-dollar company and the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation across homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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For the last episode of 2022, I look back at the year. This episode highlights the key developments in 2022, both for Future of Mobility and for me personally, and looks forward to 2023.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Melissa and Chris Bruntlett are authors and urban mobility advocates who strive to communicate the benefits of sustainable transport and inspire happier, healthier, more human-scale cities.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why car-centric cities aren’t serving us
• The unexpected benefits of cities that aren’t optimized for cars
• How the Dutch created such vibrant and livable cities
• The first step planners can take today to move in the right direction
• The path towards happier, healthier, and more human-scale cities

Links:

Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/melissachrisbruntlett

Our website: http://www.modacitylife.com/

Our books: http://www.modacitylife.com/books

Mobycon: https://mobycon.com/

Dutch Cycling Embassy: https://dutchcycling.nl/

About Melissa and Chris

Melissa and Chris Bruntlett are authors and urban mobility advocates who strive to communicate the benefits of sustainable transport and inspire happier, healthier, more human-scale cities. Their first book, Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality, explored the decisions that established the Netherlands as a bicycle paradise, and how communities are translating these ideas to build their own cycling cities. Now based in Delft, Melissa works with Mobycon—a bi-continental mobility consultancy—supporting the promotion of Dutch transport knowledge, policy, and design principles in countries around the world. As Communications Manager for the Dutch Cycling Embassy, Chris uses his knowledge and passion to share practical lessons for global cities wishing to learn from the Netherlands’ extraordinary success. Their second book is entitled Curbing Traffic: The Human Case for Fewer Cars in Our Lives.

About Mobycon

Mobycon is a Dutch mobility consultancy specializing in developing and implementing innovative and sustainable mobility solutions nationally and internationally. As a multi-disciplinary team of traffic engineers, urban planners, economists, communications and engagement specialists, and human geographers, Mobycon delivers diverse, integrated mobility products and consulting services. Our work supports the development of healthy, connected, liveable communities working to reduce car dependence.

About Dutch Cycling Embassy

The Dutch Cycling Embassy is an intermediary between the demand for Dutch cycling expertise and Dutch parties that can deliver. The Dutch Cycling Embassy is a public private network for sustainable bicycle inclusive mobility. We represent the best of Dutch Cycling: knowledge, experience and experts offered by private companies, NGO’s, research institutions, national and local governments.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 94, originally aired on March 20, 2022. This conversation is the most popular Future of Mobility podcast in 2022.

...

Harrold Rust is the President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Enovix Corporation, a position he has held since the inception of the company in 2007.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The unique benefits from utilizing a 3D battery cell architecture
• How Harrold and the Enovix team decided to take a novel approach to energy storage
• The keys to unlocking the value of a silicon anode
• Enovix’s plan to scale up in application size and production volume

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/harroldrust
• Enovix website: https://www.enovix.com/
• Harrold’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrold-rust-7075362/

Harrold’s Bio:

Harrold Rust is the President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Enovix Corporation, a position he has held since the inception of the company in 2007. The founders of Enovix shared the view that the Li-ion battery badly needed a technical overhaul, given that battery advancements were not keeping pace with fast-moving technology sectors such as AI, Electric Vehicles and Virtual Reality.

Under Harrold’s leadership, Enovix has grown from a handful of employees to more than 200+. He also guided the company through its public offering in 2021.

Harrold is an expert on 3D technology design and cost-effective manufacturing innovation. Prior to Enovix, Harrold was vice president of operations at FormFactor, and spent 17 years in operations management at IBM. Harrold earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from U.C. Davis and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

About Enovix:

Enovix is a leader in advanced silicon-anode lithium-ion battery development and production. The company's proprietary 3D cell architecture increases the energy density and a maintains high cycle life compared to competing Li-ion battery designs.

While other battery start-ups have solely focused on developing new battery chemistries and materials, Enovix has completely reimagined the battery design – throwing out the century-old “jellyroll” design to build a more efficient, 3D design that enables the use of a 100-percent active silicon anode.

Enovix’s unique approach addresses significant technical challenges associated with the use of high energy density silicon, challenges which Enovix has gone to great lengths to solve. Silicon has long been heralded as a critical component for the batteries of the future. It’s a more plentiful and sustainable ingredient for powerful batteries than the graphite anode used in conventional Li-ion batteries today. A silicon anode can theoretically store more than twice as many lithium ions as a graphite anode.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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As US General Manager, Niklas carries the responsibility for Einride’s business and operational growth in one of the world's largest transport markets, North America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The incredible opportunity to improve the efficiency and utilization of the trucking ecosystem
• Einride’s path from digital to electric and finally autonomous-electric vehicles
• Why vehicle sales isn’t the right metric for success
• How Einride is providing meaningful value today
• The best use cases for electric and then autonomous vehicle deployments

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/niklasreinedahl
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/niklas-reinedahl-6186241/?originalSubdomain=se
• Einride Saga: https://www.einride.tech/saga
• GE Appliances News: https://www.einride.tech/press/einride-us-public-road-pilot
• NHTSA Approval: https://www.einride.tech/press/einride-gets-nhtsa-approval

Niklas’s Bio

As US General Manager, Niklas carries the responsibility for Einride’s business and operational growth in one of the world's largest transport markets, North America. Prior to joining Einride, he spent eight years in various management positions within Volvo Group, most recently at Volvo Construction Equipment as Global Director Industrial Strategy. Niklas also has a long history of success in strategy consulting, most notably with Accenture.

About Einride

Einride designs, develops and deploys technologies for freight mobility. By building grids powered by a first-of-its-kind ecosystem — the intelligent platform Einride Saga, electric and autonomous fleets, charging infrastructure and connectivity networks — a resilient, cost-effective shipping future is unlocked. Founded in 2016, Einride became the first company in the world to deploy an autonomous, electric vehicle on a public road in 2019 and became the first company to receive approval to operate the vehicle on a U.S. public road in 2022. For more information, please visit einride.tech.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 93, originally aired on March 13, 2022. This conversation is the 2rd most popular Future of Mobility podcast in 2022.

...

Larry Burns is a pioneer in the electrified and automated vehicle space, highly successful industry veteran, and author of Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car – And How It Will Reshape Our World.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The potential for automobility to improve people’s lives through safer, more sustainable, more effective, and more accessible transportation
• Why Autonomy is the best book I’ve read on the topic of future mobility
• The benefit of a two-mode assisted/automated driving solution
• The power of the skateboard platform for electrification, and how Larry and his team at GM demonstrated this approach two decades ago
• The future – merging transportation with information and communication

Links:

• Show notes: https://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/larryburns/
• Larry’s website: https://www.lawrencedburns.org/
• Autonomy book: https://www.amazon.com/Autonomy-Quest-Driverless-Car-Reshape/dp/0062661124

Larry’s Bio:

Larry Burns advises organizations on the future of mobility, logistics, manufacturing, energy and innovation. His current clients include Goodyear, Kitson & Partners, Niron Magnetics and Namoramic Laboratories. Larry served as General Motors Corporate Vice President of Research & Development and Planning from 1998-2009. Between 2010 and 2021, Larry was a consultant to Waymo (Google Self-Driving Cars), Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan, Director of the Program for Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University, and an advisor to several major companies.

Full bio: Larry Burns extended bio

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Ali Javidan is CEO of Range Energy, which accelerates the electrification of commercial transportation via powered trailers for the heavy duty truck market.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why a truck trailer presents a great opportunity for decarbonization
• Why Range Energy has decoupled its trailer from communication with the tractor
• “Shopping cart” mode
• What Ali learned executing prototype programs at Tesla, Google, and Zoox
• The importance of empathy while developing a product and leading a company

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/alijavidan
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/alijavidan/
• https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20221128005599/en/Range-Energy-Launches-with-8M-in-Seed-Capital-Bringing-Electric-Trailers-to-the-Commercial-Trucking-Market?TrucksFoT
• https://range.energy/

Ali’s Bio

Ali Javidan is a hands-on engineer with a history of leading pioneering teams at Tesla, Google, and Zoox. As an early hire at Tesla, Ali built the very first Model S and was responsible for early-stage testing and development for all vehicle programs. Prior to founding Range Energy, Ali architected the prototyping and experimental operations org – xOps – at Zoox, supporting the ground-up development of all vehicle platforms at the company. At Google, Ali led the ATAP Skunkworks team where he filed 15 patents in the areas of micro-machining, additive manufacturing, and robotics, and supported the development of the Soli radar chip, Jacquard conductive textiles, and Tango mapping tablet. Ali spent his early career at Caltrans and as a racing team engineer, and currently serves as a venture partner at R7.

About Range Energy

Range Energy (Range) accelerates the electrification of commercial transportation via powered trailers for the heavy duty truck market. With a solution that can easily hook up to any tow vehicle, Range’s powered trailers can rapidly ease the transition to electrification and meet its commercial partners' immediate needs and long-term ambitions. Range was founded in 2021 and is led by a team with deep EV industry expertise from Tesla, Zoox, Honda, and more. The company is backed by leading investors including UP Partners, R7, Yamaha Motor Ventures, and more.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 84, originally aired on January 9, 2022. This conversation is the 3rd most popular Future of Mobility podcast in 2022.

...

Doron Frenkel is the Founder and CEO of Driivz. He is an experienced entrepreneur with over 25 years’ international management experience in the EV charging, telecommunications and fleet industries.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The role of software in enabling an efficient and effective EV charging system

• How fleets and charging providers can solve their biggest problems

• The potential for auxiliary battery packs and vehicle-to-grid solutions for improving our power ecosystem

• Driivz’s role in the transition towards more sustainable transportation

• How Doron works to lead Driivz as a purpose-driven company

Links

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/doronfrenkel

● Doron’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronfrenkel/

● Driivz website: http://www.driivz.com.

● Driivz blog: https://driivz.com/blog/

Doron’s Bio:

Doron Frenkel is the Founder and CEO of Driivz. He is an experienced entrepreneur with over 25 years’ international management experience in the EV charging, telecommunications and fleet industries. Prior to Driivz, Doron was co-founder and CEO of We!Secure and before that he held the position of GM of Israeli operations at Sphera. As a Director at Amdocs (NYSE:DOX), Doron led business relationships worth hundreds of millions dollars with top customers such as Nextel and T-Mobile.

About Driivz:

Driivz is the leading global software supplier to EV operators and service providers, accelerating the plug-in EV industry's dynamic and continuous transformation. The company's intelligent, cloud-based platform spans EV charging operations, energy management, advanced billing capabilities and driver self-service tools. Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, Driivz's team of EV experts serve customers in more than 20 countries, including global industry players such as Volvo Group, EVgo, Gilbarco Veeder-Root, ElaadNL, ESB, Mer and eMobility Power. Driivz's platform manages tens of thousands of EV chargers in North America, Europe, and APAC, used by almost 1 million EV drivers.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Jannet Walker-Ford is Senior Vice President, National Transit and Rail Leader at WSP USA.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The objective of public transit
• Why equity is such a critical consideration while rolling out new mobility solutions
• What it means to serve our communities in an equitable manner
• Deploying transit solutions that truly solve the challenges they aim to address
• How inequities can unintentionally emerge if we aren’t intelligent in the way we deploy technology

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jannetwalker-ford
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jannet-walker-ford/
• https://www.wsp.com/en-us/news/2022/equity-center-of-excellence
• https://www.wsp.com/en-us/hubs/future-ready
• https://www.wsp.com/en-us/hubs/transit-and-rail

Jannet’s Bio

Jannet Walker-Ford is a nationally recognized transportation industry executive with WSP USA, a leading engineering, environment and professional services consultancy. Walker-Ford has more than two decades of diverse experience in management consulting, technology, mobility and transportation systems. She serves as senior vice president and national transit and rail leader, responsible for leading and growing the firm’s business in the national transit and rail markets and establishing strategies to position WSP for major advisory, planning, design, program management, alternative delivery and construction management assignments.

About WSP USA

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering, environment and professional services firms. Recognized on Fast Company’s Brands that Matter List for 2022 as a top Community-Minded Business, WSP USA brings together engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals who are dedicated to collaborate in the best interests of serving local communities. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,500 employees in 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 111, originally aired on July 17, 2022. This conversation is the 4th most popular Future of Mobility podcast in 2022.

...

Neha Palmer is the CEO and co-founder of Terawatt Infrastructure, a company that’s focused on scaling commercial EV charging infrastructure across the U.S.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The biggest challenges that need to be overcome while scaling commercial EV charging
• Neha’s learnings from her previous role as Head of Energy Strategy at Google
• The complexity of integrated renewables into the grid
• How to design a reliable and sustainable charging hub
• Commons misconceptions about charging networks

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/AlexRodrigues
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/neha-palmer/
• www.terawattinfrastructure.com

Neha's bio:

Neha Palmer is the CEO and co-founder of Terawatt Infrastructure, a company that’s focused on scaling commercial EV charging infrastructure across the U.S. Neha previously served at the Head of Energy Strategy at Google where she led the development of electric infrastructure and electricity procurement for the global data center fleet, helping to make Google the first company of its size to achieve 100% renewable energy for operations. Previously, Neha held leadership roles at Pacific Gas and Electric, and worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Neha holds an MBA in Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

About Terawatt

TeraWatt Infrastructure provides permanent, durable solutions for the future of fleet transportation. The company designs, operates and owns electric vehicle charging hubs for fleet operations leveraging a robust combination of property assets, financing capabilities and deep energy expertise. With a business model based on well-established economics of renewable energy project development and a proven real estate strategy, Terawatt was founded, in the absence of anything like it, to be the nation’s reliable, long-term partner in the inevitable transition to all-electric transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Brendan Riley is president and director of GreenPower Motor, which designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van, and a cab and chassis.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of quickly electrifying the applications that provide the greatest bang for the buck
• The technical advantage for electrifying buses and specific types of trucks
• Common challenges for introducing electric buses into a fleet, and how these can be overcome
• Why GreenPower has intentionally flown under the radar thus far
• The role of humility in this field

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/brendanriley
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-r-a834a58b/
• GreenPower's Educational Display on Capitol Hill (July 7, 2022)
• GreenPower x West Virginia Press Conference (January 12, 2022)
• Electric School Bus - BEAST - HERE

Brendan’s Bio

Brendan Riley is president and director of GreenPower Motor. Mr. Riley comes to GreenPower with over 23 years of experience in the area of Business Development, Sales Strategy and Operations.

Previously, Mr. Riley was North American Vice-President of Fleet Sales for BYD Motors, where he ran multiple electric vehicle business units including the material handling, truck and the bus groups. It was here that he secured the largest privately funded electric bus contract in North America two years in a row (for 25 and 36 respectively). He was also instrumental in negotiating the purchase and setup of two manufacturing facilities for BYD (an electric bus assembly plant and an EV battery assembly plant in California).

Mr. Riley served two terms as the President of the Southern California Chapter of the AVS for Science and Technology, and is currently serving as an advisor on the EPRI Bus and Truck Charging Interface Group.

About GreenPower Motor

GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van, and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational facilities in southern California.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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This is a repost of Episode 110, originally aired on July 10, 2022. This conversation is the 5th most popular Future of Mobility podcast in 2022.

...

Alex Rodrigues co-founded Embark and serves as Chief Executive Officer.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Alex’s path to co-founding Embark
• Why they chose to focus on trucking automation as the first application for self-driving technology
• How Alex thinks about competition
• Why Embark is taking the “iPod approach” instead of the “iPhone approach,” and initially focusing on the sunny areas in the US
• Automated laundry folding and house construction

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/AlexRodrigues
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodriguesalex/
• https://embarktrucks.com/
• Inaugural NHTSA ADS Crash Data Release Shows Embark With Perfect Safety Record
• Embark Partners with Texas Law Enforcement Agency, Marking Key Progress on Emergency Vehicle Interaction Technology
• Embark Trucks Completes Industry-First Autonomous Testing in Winter Conditions

Alex’s Bio:

Alex co-founded Embark and serves as Chief Executive Officer. Upon closing of Embark’s SPAC merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp II, Alex became the youngest CEO of a publicly traded company.

Alex started building robots at age 11. As a middle schooler, he won a world robotics championship competing against high school teams. While studying at the University of Waterloo, Alex and co-founder Brandon Moak built Canada’s first self-driving vehicle, a golf cart named “Marvin” that was used to take guests on tours of the campus. Alex is a Thiel Fellowship recipient and was accepted into Silicon Valley’s premier startup incubator Y-Combinator, where he launched Embark.

About Embark:

Embark is an autonomous vehicle company building software for carriers to enable autonomous trucks within their fleets. We’re on a mission to build a world where consumers pay less for the things they need, drivers stay close to the homes they cherish, and roads are safer for the people we love.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Jay Collins leads electric vehicle (EV) and mobility solutions at WEX, a leading global commerce platform. As Senior Vice President of the emerging division, Jay oversees a team focused on helping fleet customers accelerate the integration of EVs into their businesses while reducing their carbon footprint.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The right (and wrong) ways to introduce EVs into fleets
• The additional complexity of payment management when transitioning to EVs
• The importance of advanced planning for new technology introduction
• Security and efficiency for payment management
• WEX’s role as an enabler for fleet managers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jaycollins
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jwcollins/
• https://www.wexinc.com/

Jay’s Bio

Jay Collins leads electric vehicle (EV) and mobility solutions at WEX, a leading global commerce platform. As Senior Vice President of the emerging division, Jay oversees a team focused on helping fleet customers accelerate the integration of EVs into their businesses while reducing their carbon footprint.

An entrepreneurial spirit and passion for job creation has guided Jay throughout his diverse, 30-year career, which has included numerous startup companies and new business ventures within WEX.

In his prior role as SVP and General Manager of Small Business, Jay led the team that quintupled the growth rate of WEX’s Small Business division. He also helmed the company’s Fleet entry into Europe as well as Corporate Strategy during his 17-year tenure at WEX.

Jay earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of New Hampshire. He is President of the Maine Cancer Foundation Board and serves on two for-profit boards in the Portland, Maine, business community.

About WEX

WEX (NYSE: WEX) is the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business. WEX has created a powerful ecosystem that offers seamlessly embedded, personalized solutions for its customers around the world. Through its rich data and specialized expertise in simplifying benefits, reimagining mobility and paying and getting paid, WEX aims to make it easy for companies to overcome complexity and reach their full potential. For more information, please visit www.wexinc.com.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

Edison manufacturing is your low volume contract manufacturing partner for build and assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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Nathan King and Tiya Gordon are co-founders of itselectric.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The unique challenges presented by EV adoption and EV charging in dense urban and suburban areas
• Charging for street parking
• Why Level 2 charging is now an implementation challenge rather than a technical challenge
• Designing aesthetically pleasing charger for an urban setting
• How itselectric is enabling EV charging at-scale without waiting for underlying infrastructure upgrades

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/itselectric
• itselectric Website
• itselectric Waitlist
• Nathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-l-king/
• Tiya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiya-gordon-itselectric/

Nathan King - Co-Founder / CEO

Nathan is an architect with a passion for sustainable cities. Over the last two decades, Nathan has designed and managed numerous large-scale and complex construction projects, with particular focus in New York City. Before co-founding itselectric, Nathan was the senior technical architect for SOM’s Health and Science practice, and led the team designing the new NY City Public Health Laboratory in Harlem.

Tiya Gordon - Co-Founder / COO

Tiya holds 20 years experience in leadership and design operations across a range of disciplines for some of the country’s top firms and institutions. Her work has received the industry’s top accolades, including The National Design Award from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; the Inaugural Cannes Gold Lion for Creative Data; the Emerging Filmmaker Showcase at the Cannes Film Festival; and the designation of second most innovative design firm in the world by Fast Company. Her founding of itselectric is the first step in her refocusing the next 20 years of her career on projects waging war against the Climate Crisis.

About itselectric

itselectric is curbside EV charging specifically built for cities. For the millions of drivers who park their cars on the street.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Bibhrajit Halder is the Founder & CEO of SafeAI, a leader in autonomous heavy equipment.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Bibhrajit’s background in automated driving, starting with the DARPA Grand Challenge

• Why heavy equipment presents a compelling application for automation

• The best initial use cases for automation at mining and construction sites

• How automating mining equipment is similar to on-road automated driving, and how it is different

• The importance of optimizing machine operation at a site-level

Links:

● Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/bibhrajithalder

● LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bibhrajit/

● SafeAI website: https://www.safeai.ai/

Bibhrajit’s Bio

Bibhrajit Halder is the Founder & CEO of SafeAI, a leader in autonomous heavy equipment. He got his start in autonomy during the early aughts at the DARPA Grand Challenge, and went on to autonomous projects at Caterpillar, Ford, Faraday Future and Apple before founding SafeAI in 2017. Halder holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and an MS in Mathematics and Mechanical Engineering from Ohio University.

About SafeAI

SafeAI is a global autonomous solutions provider for heavy equipment leaders focused on advancing modern industry. SafeAI retrofits heavy equipment for autonomous applications in mining and construction to serve a massive ecosystem of industry players with complex needs. SafeAI enables equipment owners to transform existing machines into self-operating robotic assets with aftermarket hardware, advanced, proprietary autonomous technology and a scalable framework for deployment. SafeAI is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA and has offices in Perth, Australia, Tokyo, Japan and Delhi, India.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Ryan Green is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gridwise, an app for gig economy drivers to maximize their earnings and profitability.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The complexity of effectively planning a day as a gig economy driver, and how Gridwise helps
• Why Gridwise avoided the obvious path to monetization
• Doing the unscalable
• How Gridwise grew to over 200k active drivers in the US
• Making sense of data and Gridwise Analytics

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ryangreen
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagreen/; https://www.linkedin.com/company/gridwise/
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/gridwise_io
• Gridwise website - https://gridwise.io/
• Gridwise app download - https://gridwise.io/download/?shortlink=5805445c⁡_sub1=ToF&c=website&pid=Website&cta=free%20download

Ryan’s Bio

Ryan Green is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gridwise, an app for gig economy drivers to maximize their earnings and profitability. Since launching in 2017, Gridwise has raised $20.4M in funding, with their latest Series A raising $12.7M led by Crosslink Capital, Autotech Ventures, and others. With 200k+ active drivers nationwide, Gridwise empowers those in the gig economy through demand insights, activity tracking, and a marketplace of gig worker benefits. Before Gridwise, Ryan served as an active duty Naval Officer after graduating from the United States Naval Academy. Following his time in the military, he worked the FX trading desk at PNC, executing multi-million trades for clients.

About Gridwise

Launched in 2017, Gridwise is a rapidly growing platform that has developed a suite of gig mobility solutions that enable gig workers, cities, and enterprises to leverage the most powerful gig mobility data insights in the industry to empower their operations.

The Gridwise app is the leading business platform for gig economy drivers, helping them maximize their earnings and track their business performance all in one place. Their app is empowering 10% of all US drivers to run their business with unique gig demand insights, earnings and activity tracking, performance reporting, and a marketplace of gig worker benefits.

Growing one of the largest gig-driver networks in the mobility industry has enabled Gridwise to amass the most comprehensive gig mobility dataset in the industry and capitalize on a $50B data-as-a-service opportunity through Gridwise Analytics.

Gridwise is on its way to becoming the de facto operating platform for gig drivers and offer solutions that empower the entire ecosystem to improve the way people and goods move.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Chris Helsel is Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How tires are designed to handle various conditions
• The evolving role of tires for automated and electric vehicles
• The pursuit of an airless tire
• Sustainability, and second (and third) lives for commercial vehicle tires
• Different demands for off-road, commercial vehicle, micro mobility, and aviation tires
• The importance of having both operations and technology innovation within Chris’s responsibilities

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/chrishelsel
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-helsel/?trk=organization-update_share-update_update-text
• https://www.goodyearventures.com/
• https://www.goodyearsightline.com/
• https://corporate.goodyear.com/us/en/responsibility.html

Chris’s Bio

Chris Helsel is Senior Vice President, Global Operations and Chief Technology Officer for The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. Mindful of the inflection point in mobility, Helsel and his team operate with duality, working to enhance Goodyear’s core tire product while innovating “beyond” tires to enable the evolution and future of movement. Applying this segregated but synced approach, Helsel is responsible for a global network of tire technology, innovation, research and product development operations, focused on creating industry-leading solutions for consumer, commercial and off-the-road vehicles, in addition to aviation and racing.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 57 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Leif Babin is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as President/Chief Operating Officer, leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Leif’s background as a SEAL officer and training program leader
• Extreme Ownership, and what it truly means to take ownership as a leader and as a team member
• How start-up teams should think about leading a rapidly growing organization
• How mobility leaders should think about decision making within a rapidly evolving ecosystem
• The Dichotomy of Leadership
• Iterative decision making and the indirect approach for influence

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/leifbabin
• Leif Intro: https://vimeo.com/257539593
• Extreme Ownership: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-kyRZLE3hE&t=37s
• It’s not what you preach...: https://vimeo.com/174917673
• Echelon Front: https://echelonfront.com/

Leif’s Bio

Leif Babin is a former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as President/Chief Operating Officer, leadership instructor, speaker, and strategic advisor. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Leif served thirteen years in the Navy, including nine in the SEAL Teams. As a SEAL platoon commander in SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, he planned and led major combat operations in the Battle of Ramadi that helped the “Ready First” Brigade of the US Army’s 1st Armored Division achieve victory. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. Leif returned from combat and became the primary leadership instructor for all officers graduating from the SEAL training pipeline. There, he reshaped SEAL leadership training to better prepare the next generation of SEAL officers for the immense challenges of combat. During his last tour, Leif served as Operations Officer and Executive Officer at a SEAL Team where he again deployed to Iraq with a Special Operations Task Force. He is the recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and a Purple Heart. Upon his departure from active duty, Leif co-founded Echelon Front, a premier leadership consulting company that helps others build their own high-performance winning teams.

About Echelon Front

Echelon Front’s mission is to educate, train, mentor, and inspire LEADERS and organizations to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and achieve total victory.

Utilizing lessons learned and proven in combat, we help LEADERS develop the core ACTIONS and MINDSETS necessary to tackle issues including strategy, execution, safety and risk mitigation, mission planning, innovation, team building, and crisis management strategies, and cultural transformation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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David Roberts is the CEO and President of Verra Mobility, the global leader in smart mobility technology.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• What is meant by the term “smart mobility”
• How smart solutions can make transportation safer, more effective, and more accessible
• The three primary areas that Verra serves: government, commercial and fleet, and parking solutions
• Why past smart mobility implementations have failed, and how we can learn from these experiences
• How David’s mindset around leadership has evolved over time

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/davidroberts
• https://www.verramobility.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrobertsvrrm/

David’s Bio

David Roberts is the CEO and President of Verra Mobility, the global leader in smart mobility technology. He came to Verra Mobility in August 2014 as Chief Operating Officer bringing 25+ years of management experience to the company. Prior to Verra Mobility, David was the President and Chief Executive Officer of BillingTree, a multi-channel electronic payment platform company.

About Verra Mobility

Verra Mobility (NASDAQ: VRRM) is a global leader in smart mobility technology. Verra Mobility’s technology seamlessly connects people, technology and data across the smart mobility ecosystem, making transportation safer, smarter and more connected.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Graham Doorley is CEO of Solo Advanced Vehicle Technologies (Solo AVT), who is revolutionizing the freight transportation industry by bringing to market the first clean-sheet, battery-electric heavy truck.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why Graham wanted to create Solo AVT
• The potential for a 500+ mile battery electric truck
• The complexity of adding automated driving to a conventional trucking platform
• The benefit of building an electrified trucking platform from scratch
• Solo AVT’s vision for the future

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/grahamdoorley
• https://soloavt.com/
• https://twitter.com/SoloAVT
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/grahamdoorley/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/solo-avt/

Graham’s Bio

Graham Doorley is a life-long car enthusiast and an entrepreneurial engineer with experience working at future-looking transportation startups like Tesla and Waymo. Graham has eight years of experience as a senior engineer for self-driving systems as part of both Google’s self-driving car program and then at Waymo. While at Waymo, Graham was a project lead on the self-driving truck project, starting it with a small inhouse team before it grew into the Waymo Via platform. At Tesla, Graham was responsible for the design, engineering, production, and sourcing of the entire front and rear suspension of the ground-breaking Model S.

About Solo AVT

Solo Advanced Vehicle Technologies (Solo AVT) is revolutionizing the freight transportation industry by bringing to market the first clean-sheet, battery-electric heavy truck to truly decarbonize the future of freight. Boasting over 500 miles of range as an all-electric vehicle, compatible with any autonomous driving software, and offered via a Truck-as-a-Service model, Solo AVT’s hardware and software solutions are designed to maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and improve safety. Solo AVT was founded in 2021, built by alumni from Waymo, Tesla, BMW, Ford, Faraday Futures, Rivian, and more, and backed by leading investors including Trucks VC, Maniv Mobility, and Wireframe Ventures. Follow @SoloAVT on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

James Breyer is co-founder and CEO of Hercules Electric Mobility.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of decarbonizing marine applications
• Modular propulsion system architectures for recreational vehicles
• Hercules’s business model and path to commercialization
• Safety and charging for electric boats
• James’s experience leading and pivoting Hercules through the pandemic

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jamesbreyer
• www.Hercules-Marine.com
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/40708109/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesbreyer/

James’s Bio

James Breyer founded Hercules in December 2018 with the goal of changing how electric mobility is created, utilizing existing capacity and industrial knowledge to create premium electric vehicles, bringing them to market very quickly.

James has extensive experience at major automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers in the areas electrification and fuel cells. Prior to founding Hercules, he was Chief Technical Officer at XL Fleet Electrification and held numerous leadership positions, including Director of Advanced Engineering & New Technologies in Electrification, at Ficosa. He was the Lead Development Engineer at General Motors, launching the Chevy Volt and Spark EV. While at Ford Research he was Lead Engineer and was instrumental in the development and launch of the Fuel-Cell Focus.

James holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Detroit Mercy and an MBA from Regis University in Denver.

About Hercules

Hercules Electric Mobility is bringing advanced electric propulsion technology to the recreational boating industry. With our efficient design, we offer boat builders freedom to seamlessly integrate the Hercules eDrive system into their existing configurations taking up significantly less space than traditional gas or diesel engines.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

David Welch is the Detroit bureau chief for Bloomberg News and also covers the auto industry for Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. He is the author of Charging Ahead: General Motors, Mary Barra, and the Reinvention of an American Icon.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• GM’s rise, fall, and re-birth
• How traditional automakers are likely to fare against new entrants in the coming years
• GM’s bet on electrification and their path to executing on that strategy
• Mary Barra’s rise through the manufacturing ranks
• The importance of manufacturing know-how for companies targeting large-scale automotive production

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/davidwelch
• https://www.harpercollinsleadership.com/charging-ahead/
• https://mobile.twitter.com/davidwelch47
• https://www.bloomberg.com/authors/APyzrY4qwdE/david-welch

David’s Bio

David Welch is the Detroit bureau chief for Bloomberg News and also covers the auto industry for Bloomberg Businessweek magazine. He has been with Bloomberg for 12 years and was the Detroit bureau chief for BusinessWeek before that. He has written six cover stories about GM for Businessweek, as well as major articles and news-breaking coverage about all the major auto companies and related topics.

Welch’s work has won awards from organizations such as the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, the Clarion Awards, the New York Press Club, the Deadline Club, and the Society of Professional Journalists. He was a finalist for Global Business Journalist of the Year for his 2005 BusinessWeek cover story about GM’s decline, which predicted the company’s descent into bankruptcy four years later.

He is currently president of the Automotive Press Association, the hub of national and international media people in Detroit and in the automotive community across the United States.

About Charging Ahead

A decade ago, no one would have guessed that GM would be one of the companies poised to lead America into the future.

In Charging Ahead: General Motors, Mary Barra, and the Reinvention of an American Icon (HarperCollins Leadership – September 20, 2022), Detroit bureau chief for Bloomberg News, David Welch, captures the compelling story of GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, who against all odds took the reins at GM in 2014. Since that time, she has attempted to reinvent a century-old company and equip it for the biggest change in transportation since the internal combustion engine replaced the horse. In the process, she has been ripping out GM traditions by the roots—and taking flak from all sides. Her plan is to make GM—the company famed for the gas-burning Corvette, hulking Cadillac Escalade, and carbon-spewing Silverado pickup—purely electric and clean by 2035.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Kevin Mull is Director of Strategy, Planning and Business Development, Mobility Solutions - Americas at Robert Bosch LLC and is a co-founder of the Detroit Smart Parking Lab.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How the Detroit Smart Parking Lab is helping to advance mobility
• The complexity of automated parking from a business model perspective
• Potential use cases and downstream benefits of automated parking
• Bosch’s plan for NAIAS 2022

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/KevinMull
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-mull-82495312/
• https://www.acmwillowrun.org/detroitsmartparkinglab/
• https://www.bosch-mobility-solutions.com/en/

Kevin’s Bio

Kevin Mull is Director of Strategy, Planning and Business Development, Mobility Solutions - Americas at Robert Bosch LLC. In this role, Mull is responsible for regional strategy development and execution, business planning, and business development activities including new account development within the region. His role also includes mobility start-up engagement and partner activities with other business incubation and acceleration entities. In this role, Mull is also a co-founder of the Detroit Smart Parking Lab.

Since joining Bosch in 1992, Mull has held numerous leadership positions within the Automotive Aftermarket division. His previous position, beginning in 2013, was leader of the Connected Cloud Services business portfolio in North America, including sales and marketing, product management, engineering and operations. Prior to that, he started and led the EV Charging Infrastructure business, and has held various other business development and general management roles in both OEM and independent aftermarket business units that focused on vehicle diagnostic, service and training products, solutions and services.

Mull earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA. He lives in the City of Detroit and is an active volunteer in Special Olympics MI and Big Brothers Big Sisters Detroit.

About Bosch

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 402,600 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2021). The company generated sales of 78.7 billion euros in 2021. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Kent Robinson has product management responsibilities for Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS) fleet, truck stop, DEF, and alternative fuel dispensers in North America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Fueling for liquid fuels, including diesel and gasoline
• The complexity of fuel dispensing for gaseous fuels, including hydrogen
• Considerations for liquid hydrogen
• Payment processing, security, and user interface for fuel dispensers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/KentRobinson
• https://www.doverfuelingsolutions.com/

Kent’s Bio

Kent Robinson has over 35 years of experience in the fuel dispenser and control systems industry with an emphasis on fleet, high speed fueling, and alternative fuel applications. During this time, he has been involved in the development and launch of over 20 new products and shares three patents. His expertise includes product development, customer support, and communications. Currently, Kent has product management responsibilities for Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS) fleet, truck stop, DEF, and alternative fuel dispensers in North America.

About Dover Fueling Solutions

Dover Fueling Solutions ("DFS"), part of Dover Corporation, comprises the product brands of ClearView, Fairbanks, OPW Fuel Management Systems, ProGauge, Tokheim, and Wayne Fueling Systems, and delivers advanced fuel dispensing equipment, electronic systems and payment, automatic tank gauging and wetstock management solutions to customers worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DFS has a significant manufacturing presence around the world, including facilities in Brazil, China, India, Italy, Poland, United Kingdom and the United States.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Grace Donnelly is an Atlanta-based journalist covering climate technology for Morning Brew’s Emerging Tech Brew newsl

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Infrastructure for electrified vehicles and hydrogen
• Supply chain challenges for EVs
• Carbon capture technologies, including the different between carbon removal and direct air capture
• How to objectively choose and cover topics in the emotionally-charged climate tech space

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/GraceDonnelly
• Emerging Tech Brew’s free and virtual summit on September 29th: The Virtual Emerging Tech Brew Summit: The Next Decade of Tech
• Subscribe to Emerging Tech Brew: https://www.emergingtechbrew.com/
• Grace’s contributor page: https://www.emergingtechbrew.com/contributor/GraceDonnelly
• Grace’s Twitter profile (@gddonnelly22): https://twitter.com/gddonnelly22

Grace Donnelly

Grace Donnelly is an Atlanta-based journalist covering climate technology for Morning Brew’s Emerging Tech Brew newsletter. She writes about the tech innovations enabling decarbonization in the transportation sector as well as the clean energy transition and greenhouse-gas emissions reductions for Emerging Tech Brew's 450,000+ subscribers.

Previously, Grace worked as a staff writer at the Atlanta Business Chronicle covering transportation issues in the metro area including public transit, electric vehicles, logistics, and supply chain innovation. Before that, she was an associate editor for Fortune Magazine in New York City. Grace completed her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

About Morning Brew

Morning Brew is a media company providing approachable, digestible business news and insights through newsletters, podcasts, social media, events, and education programs.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Todd Rome is CEO of Moke America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The reinvention of the Moke
• The potential for electric low speed vehicles
• What Todd learned building Blue Star Jets

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ToddRome
• www.MokeAmerica.com
• https://www.instagram.com/mokeamerica/

Todd Rome

As a longtime luxury transportation entrepreneur, Todd Rome revolutionized private aviation with Blue Star Jets in the year 2001 by bringing a new concept to the way businesses and families traveled. He was one of the first entrepreneurs to charter luxury planes before the jet-for-hire business had been established.

In 2016, Rome turned his vision to innovating the electric car industry with Moke America.“I first fell in love with the Moke from my vacations to St.Barts,” he says. “After selling Blue Star Jets, it seemed like the right time to start another adventure-and the Moke was the perfect vehicle to embark upon a new journey with. I founded Moke America with the idea of, literally reinventing the wheel. The classic Moke, which was originally from Great Britain, had numerous problems but had an unbelievable look and feel and defined the word cool. The Moke touched cultural points from surf culture to Brigitte Bardot and many other celebrities like The Beach Boys and James Bond.”

Today, Moke America dominates the Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) market in North America, bringing electric technology to a heritage car brand. With over4,000 vehicles sold and a nationwide dealer network, Moke America is set up for exponential growth for many years to come.

“We took a 20th-century collectible car and reinvented it with 21st-centurygreen-friendly electric power,” Rome describes. “Even better, all the cars are built in Sarasota, FL. We also have a lot of celebrity fans of the brand including the Kardashian/Jenner family, Martha Stewart, Katherine McPhee and Jay Leno, among others.”Moke America also has an exclusive partnership with EON to produce special edition 007 Mokes, which celebrates the four James Bond movies the Moke was in.

Todd Rome resides in New York City and Sag Harbor with his family.

About Moke America

The Moke is back, baby! The throwback classic cruiser from the ‘60s, which was beloved by stars and socialites such as Brigitte Bardot, Cher, the Beach Boys, Princess Margaret and Jacqueline Onassis, has been reinvented by Moke America. Electric, street legal and versatile, Moke America runs on good vibes and electric power. Plug it in for 40 miles of fun, from the beach and golf course to the farmer’s market and city streets. Moke America reaches a top speed of 25 mph, allowing it for use on city streets with a posted speed limit of 35 mph or less. Customizable in one of 12 rainbow bright colors (+camo), this bespoke Moke turns heads and lights up Instagram feeds.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Tim Slusser serves as the Chief of Mobility Innovation, leading the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The objective of the Office of Mobility Innovation
• Why we need to move beyond technology pilots
• Deploying sustainable business cases for innovative technology
• Prioritizing problems to solve and solutions to deploy
• Why Detroit is the place to be for mobility innovation

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/TimSlusser
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/timslusser/

Tim’s Bio

Tim Slusser serves as the Chief of Mobility Innovation, leading the City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation. In this role, Tim works to direct the development of public-private partnerships and inform policies related to various mobility initiatives and deployments. He is an accomplished technology strategist and program manager with more than 14 years of business and economic development experience. His accomplishments include attracting the first $6 billion dollars of electric vehicle and energy storage investments in Michigan in 2009.

About The City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation

The City of Detroit’s Office of Mobility Innovation (OMI) exists to help the City of Detroit navigate the rapidly changing transportation and mobility industries. This includes working across city departments to coordinate cleaner, more accessible, and more equitable mobility solutions for residents and visitors. OMI collaborates with industry, academia, philanthropy, and local, state and federal government.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Cormac Martin is Project Director for MOVE America. With Future of Mobility being the Lead Podcast Partner for MOVE America, I wanted to sit with Cormac to discuss:

• The objective of the show
• How MOVE's approach to sustainability aligns with my own perspective
• How the event was design
• What attendees should expect (besides seeing me moderate a panel :) )

Links:

• https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move-america/index.stm
• https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move-america/tickets.stm

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Derek Caveney is a senior executive engineer in the Integrated Vehicle Systems (IVS) division at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) R&D in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The differences between ADAS and ADS systems optimized for convenience vs. optimized for safety
• How to develop ADAS and ADS systems with safety as the priority
• Toyota’s Teammate system
• The possibility to customize ADAS and ADS systems for specific drivers
• How ADAS and ADS systems can improve fuel economy and sustainability

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/DerekCaveney
• Toyota IVS Page: Integrated Vehicle Systems (IVS) - AMRD (toyota.com)
• Toyota AMRD Site: AMRD Home - AMRD (toyota.com)

Derek’s Bio

Derek Caveney is a senior executive engineer in the Integrated Vehicle Systems (IVS) division at Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) R&D in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he supports the global development of automated and connected driving technologies for safety, comfort and fuel-efficiency applications.

He joined Toyota in 2005 as a senior research scientist.

Caveney has been a member of the Society of Automotive Engineering since 2007 and represents Toyota at the Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium under SAE-ITC. In 2020, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed him to serve a three-year term on the Council on Future Mobility and Electrification.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in Applied Mathematics from Queen’s University, Kingston, in Canada, in 1999 and a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2001 and 2004, respectively.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 39,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 32 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, a quarter of the company’s 2021 U.S. sales were electrified.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

View Details

Dr. Gorazd Gotovac, CTO of Elaphe Propulsion Technologies, is a physicist who holds a PhD in electrical engineering and is a winner of several awards in business plan competitions

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The potential of in-wheel motors
• Why distributed drive EVs haven’t taken off at-scale yet
• How Elaphe’s technology overcome the typical challenges associated with in-wheel motors
• Elaphe’s partnerships with Aptera and Lightyear
• Innovator’s Dilemma and Crossing the Chasm

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/GorazdGotovac
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gorazdgotovac/
• https://in-wheel.com/en/news/aptera-and-elaphe-ink-deal-for-scale-production
• Elaphe is hiring, see open positions here https://in-wheel.com/en/careers/

Gorazd’s Bio

Dr. Gorazd Gotovac, CTO of Elaphe Propulsion Technologies, is a physicist who holds a PhD in electrical engineering and is a winner of several awards in business plan competitions. Within his role as the CTO, Dr. Gotovac heads the shaping and implementation of Elaphe’s development roadmap. As a part of the management team, he is also active in all business development activities and strategic decisions. Market knowledge, a general physics background and a specialization in the field of electromagnetics and heat transfer allow him to perform informed decision-making based on a holistic approach to electric propulsion, while continually being involved in a variety of R&D activities to provide fresh insight in the development status and challenges that arise. He is also a member of the first generation of Y-TILI (Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative), a European delegation of entrepreneurs selected by the US Department of State, and the 2018 recipient of the Rising Star in Automotive award in the field of electrification.

Elaphe Overview

Elaphe Propulsion Technologies Ltd. is a leading EU-based developer and manufacturer of disruptive in-wheel electric propulsion systems for electric and hybrid vehicles, such as LEVs, passenger cars of all segments, and public transportation. Elaphe off-the-shelf or custom-developed motors, combined with advanced power electronics and multiple-wheel control systems, present the simplest platform for the electric vehicles of tomorrow. Patented and innovative electromagnetic and mechanical designs for in-wheel propulsion enable Elaphe products to boast market-leading specific torque, compact design, modularity, and use of standard brake and bearings for in-wheel propulsion systems. The Elaphe distributed propulsion architecture is the ultimate propulsion platform for connected and automated vehicles, bringing new opportunities to mobility and transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Fedor Antonov Fedor is the CEO and co-founder of Anisoprint, a Luxembourg-based startup that develops and manufactures 3D printers for producing carbon fiber reinforced composites.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why composites haven’t lived up to their potential for mobility applications
• Structural design in nature
• Specific strength and space elevators
• What it takes to fully utilize the benefits of composite materials, starting with design
• Anisoprint’s Continuous Fiber Coextrusion technology in their 3D printers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/FedorAntonov
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/fedor-antonov/
• https://anisoprint.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/anisoprint/

Fedor Antonov - Bio

Fedor Antonov Fedor is the CEO and co-founder of Anisoprint, a Luxembourg-based startup that develops and manufactures 3D printers for producing carbon fiber reinforced composites. He holds a Ph.D. in Fundamental Mechanics and has authored 16 scientific publications and 5 patents.

Fedor is a former research fellow in the Institute of Mechanics at Moscow State University, and former Research Scientist for the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. He is both a scientist by heart but also a visionary thinker and passionate about the future of manufacturing. Fedor brings over a decade of academic and industrial experience in design and optimization of composites.

Anisoprint – Company description

Anisoprint is a deep tech startup and the only 3D printing OEM based in Luxembourg today. We’ve developed 3D printers, materials (carbon, basalt) and software for manufacturing anisoprinted composite parts: stronger, lighter and cheaper than metal or non-optimized composites.

Our patented Continuous Fiber Coextrusion (CFC) technology is used in aerospace, engineering, mobility, and many other areas to produce functional parts while cutting costs and increasing productivity. Anisoprinted parts are incredibly strong can actually replace metal parts in some applications.

Anisoprinting is already applied at BMW, Schunk Carbon Technology, Airbus, Brightlands Materials Center, Technical University of Munich, Bauhaus, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, etc.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Neha Palmer is the CEO and co-founder of Terawatt Infrastructure, a company that’s focused on scaling commercial EV charging infrastructure across the U.S.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The biggest challenges that need to be overcome while scaling commercial EV charging
• Neha’s learnings from her previous role as Head of Energy Strategy at Google
• The complexity of integrated renewables into the grid
• How to design a reliable and sustainable charging hub
• Commons misconceptions about charging networks

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/NehaPalmer
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/neha-palmer/
• www.terawattinfrastructure.com

Neha's bio:

Neha Palmer is the CEO and co-founder of Terawatt Infrastructure, a company that’s focused on scaling commercial EV charging infrastructure across the U.S. Neha previously served at the Head of Energy Strategy at Google where she led the development of electric infrastructure and electricity procurement for the global data center fleet, helping to make Google the first company of its size to achieve 100% renewable energy for operations. Previously, Neha held leadership roles at Pacific Gas and Electric, and worked as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs. Neha holds an MBA in Finance from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo.

About Terawatt

TeraWatt Infrastructure provides permanent, durable solutions for the future of fleet transportation. The company designs, operates and owns electric vehicle charging hubs for fleet operations leveraging a robust combination of property assets, financing capabilities and deep energy expertise. With a business model based on well-established economics of renewable energy project development and a proven real estate strategy, Terawatt was founded, in the absence of anything like it, to be the nation’s reliable, long-term partner in the inevitable transition to all-electric transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Alex co-founded Embark and serves as Chief Executive Officer

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Alex’s path to co-founding Embark
• Why they chose to focus on trucking automation as the first application for self-driving technology
• How Alex thinks about competition
• Why Embark is taking the “iPod approach” instead of the “iPhone approach,” and initially focusing on the sunny areas in the US
• Automated laundry folding and house construction

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/AlexRodrigues
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodriguesalex/
• https://embarktrucks.com/
• Inaugural NHTSA ADS Crash Data Release Shows Embark With Perfect Safety Record
• Embark Partners with Texas Law Enforcement Agency, Marking Key Progress on Emergency Vehicle Interaction Technology
• Embark Trucks Completes Industry-First Autonomous Testing in Winter Conditions

Alex’s Bio:

Alex co-founded Embark and serves as Chief Executive Officer. Upon closing of Embark’s SPAC merger with Northern Genesis Acquisition Corp II, Alex became the youngest CEO of a publicly traded company.

Alex started building robots at age 11. As a middle schooler, he won a world robotics championship competing against high school teams. While studying at the University of Waterloo, Alex and co-founder Brandon Moak built Canada’s first self-driving vehicle, a golf cart named “Marvin” that was used to take guests on tours of the campus. Alex is a Thiel Fellowship recipient and was accepted into Silicon Valley’s premier startup incubator Y-Combinator, where he launched Embark.

About Embark:

Embark is an autonomous vehicle company building software for carriers to enable autonomous trucks within their fleets. We’re on a mission to build a world where consumers pay less for the things they need, drivers stay close to the homes they cherish, and roads are safer for the people we love.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Special episode this week, focused on my move to Edison Manufacturing and Engineering and why I believe that low volume manufacturing is a critical problem that needs to be solved to enable the companies creating the safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible transportation ecosystem of tomorrow.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Daniel Barel is the Chief Executive Officer of REE.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How Daniel’s background in game theory has helped him shape the value REE aims to provide
• The design philosophy behind the REEcorner
• Why partnering with an existing platform provider can be cheaper and more effective than starting from square one
• The most promising applications for electrified and automated vehicles

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/DanielBarel
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielbarel/?originalSubdomain=il
• https://twitter.com/dbarel
• https://ree.auto/

Daniel’s Bio:

Daniel Barel has been the Chief Executive Officer of REE since 2013. Mr. Barel is a serial entrepreneur who founded several startups in the fields of medical devices, cyber security, and software applications. He co-founded SpecterX, an Israeli data management company in 2017 and has served as the chairman since 2019. Between 2007 and 2013, Mr. Barel served as Chief Executive Officer of CAUTES International, a boutique business consulting firm in Hong Kong that he founded in 2007. He previously served as chairman of WOOOF, a social networking platform he founded in 2012. Mr. Barel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business Administration from the Hebrew University.

About REE:

REE (Nasdaq: REE) is an automotive technology leader whose mission is to empower companies to build any size or shape of electric or autonomous vehicle – from Class 1 through Class 6 – for any application and any target market. REE aims to serve as the underpinning on top of which EVs and AVs will be built and envisions a future where EVs and AVs will be 'Powered by REE'.

REE's revolutionary technology – the REEcorner™ – packs critical vehicle components (steering, braking, suspension, powertrain and control) into a single compact module positioned between the chassis and the wheel, enabling REE to build the industry's flattest EV platforms with more room for passengers, cargo and batteries. REE uses x-by-wire technology for fully independent control of driving, braking and steering functions.

REE's EV platforms afford complete freedom of design, enabling auto-manufacturers, OEMs, delivery & logistic fleets, Mobility-as-a-Service providers and new mobility players to design mission-specific EVs and AVs based on their exact business requirements and significantly reduce their time-to-market, lower TCO and meet zero-carbon regulations.

Headquartered in Herzliya, Israel, REE has an Engineering Center in Coventry, UK, and Texas, U.S., ​​as well as subsidiaries including Japan and Germany. REE's unique CapEx-light manufacturing model leverages Tier-1 partners' existing production lines; the company's extensive partner ecosystem encompasses leading names including Hino Motors (truck arm of Toyota), Hitachi America, Magna International, JB Poindexter, Navya and American Axle & Manufacturing to provide a full turnkey solution.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex mobility products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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William Santana Li is a veteran entrepreneur who has guided success across multiple corporations and start-ups.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why security robots are an ideal application for electric and autonomous vehicle technology
• The key to a successful rollout of an autonomous security robot
• Common roadblocks, and how those are overcome
• The importance of manners
• Bill’s mission to make America the safest country in the world

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/WilliamSantanaLi
• https://twitter.com/wsantanali
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsantanali/
• https://www.knightscope.com/

Bill’s Bio

William Santana Li is a veteran entrepreneur who has guided success across multiple corporations and start-ups. He has extensive experience and expertise, which includes serving as a former executive at Ford Motor Company. In addition, Li is the founder of GreenLeaf, a company that grew to become the world’s second-largest automotive recycler and is now part of LKQ Corporation (NASDAQ: LKQ). a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

About Knightscope

Knightscope, Inc. is a leader in the development of autonomous security capabilities and on target to disrupt the $500 billion security industry. Founded in 2013 and based in Mountain View, California, Knightscope leverages unique technology that combines next generation functionalities including self-driving, robotics and artificial intelligence. The company builds Autonomous Security Robots ("ASRs") that are designed to provide 24/7/365 security to a variety of locations that include places where people live, work, visit and study. To date, Knightscope's client base covers a federal government contract, public institutions and commercial business operations that include multiple Fortune 1000 companies. Its ASRs have been proven to enhance safety across a range of locations including hospitals, corporations, school campuses, entertainment venues, logistics and storage facilities, and manufacturing plants. Knightscope's ASRs are highly cost-effective and may be deployed to enhance traditional security systems and law enforcement functions. They provide the added advantage of continuous, automated patrolling capabilities despite conditions that hinder operations, such as the pandemic. Knightscope's ASR solutions can be customized to suit specific needs of the location of deployment to enhance security and safety while also providing customer assistance capabilities.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Edison Manufacturing:

At Edison Manufacturing, our specialty is building and assembling highly complex products in annual quantities of ten to tens of thousands utilizing an agile, robust, and capital-light approach.

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Glenn Fogel, President and CEO of Booking Holdings and Booking.com.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Booking’s role in sustainable travel
• The objective behind the new Travel Sustainable Badge
• Why standard global criteria isn’t ideal for measuring and regulating sustainable behavior
• How Glenn maintains a skeptical eye on his own perspectives and prioritizes continual learning
• Why enabling an enriching experience of the world needs to be part of the conversation as we work to transform travel

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/GlennFogel
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennfogel/
• https://www.bookingholdings.com/sustainability/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennfogel/
• https://www.bookingholdings.com/

Glenn’s Bio

Glenn Fogel is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Booking Holdings, a position he has held since January 2017, and Chief Executive Officer of Booking.com, a position he has held since June 2019. He previously served as Head of Worldwide Strategy and Planning, an office he held from November 2010 to December 2016. He was also Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, a position he held from March 2009 to December 2016, and was responsible for worldwide mergers, acquisitions and strategic alliances. Glenn joined Booking Holdings in February 2000. Prior to that, he was a trader at a global asset management firm and prior to that was an investment banker specializing in the air transportation industry. He is a member of the New York State Bar (retired). Glenn is a graduate of Harvard Law School and earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

About Booking Holdings

Booking Holdings is the world’s leading provider of online travel & related services, provided to consumers and local partners in more than 220 countries and territories through six primary consumer-facing brands: Booking.com, Priceline, Agoda, Rentalcars.com, KAYAK and OpenTable. Collectively, Booking Holdings operates in more than 40 languages across Europe, North America, South America, the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Africa. The mission of Booking Holdings is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Alex Mitchell is the SVP Unlocking Innovation, where he oversees all founder-facing efforts, including recruitment, all incubation programs, as well as investments of the LACI Impact Fund and LACI Cleantech Debt Fund.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Alex’s remarkable career journey, and how that led him to LACI
• The unique value LACI provides for founders
• The most promising trends in cleantech for impact and financial returns
• When debt might be a better choice than giving up equity
• Project Drawdown and our options for decarbonization

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/AlexMitchell
• https://alexmitchell.substack.com/
• https://laincubator.org/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexmitchell98
• https://twitter.com/iamalexmitchell

Alex’s Bio

Alex Mitchell is the SVP Unlocking Innovation, where he oversees all founder-facing efforts, including recruitment, all incubation programs, as well as investments of the LACI Impact Fund and LACI Cleantech Debt Fund.

He joined LACI from Groupe PSA in Paris where he was VP of Corporate Strategy, co-leading the company’s acquisition of Opel from General Motors and leading the company’s work on autonomous mobility. Alex previously headed an automotive industry vertical at the World Economic Forum, with a focus on autonomous mobility. Alex has also served as the VP of retail sales at an LA-based EV startup Coda Automotive and worked at Toyota Europe and McKinsey.

Alex is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he obtained an MBA from the Wharton School and an MA from the School of Arts and Sciences as a Fellow of the Lauder Institute Global MBA program. He holds a BA from Stanford University. His rescue dog makes frequent guest appearances on his Zoom calls.

About The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation through helping scale cleantech startups, transforming markets through catalytic partnerships like the Transportation Electrification Partnership, and enhancing communities through green workforce training and pilots. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP) in 2011, LACI is recognized as one of the top 10 innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. To date, LACI has supported 315 startup companies that have secured more than $695 million in funding, generated more than $308 million in revenue, and helped to create an estimated 2,480 jobs with a long-term projected economic impact of more than $555 million.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Frank Heidinger and Evan Licht are co-founders of Halevai, a new concept boat manufacturer focused on design, reliability and conservation.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why decarbonizing marine vessels is so important
• Halevai’s decision to initially focus on the pontoon market
• How Frank and Evan’s unique backgrounds prepared them for this opportunity
• What makes Halevai’s electric vessel unique
• Halevai’s go to market strategy and long term plan

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/Halevai
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-heidinger-halevai/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-m-licht-4a4b962/
• https://www.halevai.net/
• https://www.instagram.com/halevaipower/
• https://twitter.com/halevaipower
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/halevai

Frank’s Bio

Frank Heidinger is an ocean lover, explorer, producer and entrepreneur. He was on the founding team at Parley for the Oceans, an environmental organization and global collaboration network focused around ocean fragility issues. He is the creative director of the Fari Islands Foundation. Frank has worked extensively on concert and large scale media production and international brand licensing throughout Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.

Evan’s Bio

Evan Licht is an inventive executive with 25+ years experience leading high growth and start-up companies in the consumer, media and technology sectors. Prior experience includes senior leadership roles at eLance (Upwork), SonicNet (MTVi) and most recently as Founding Partner/ CBDO for Blade Urban Air Mobility.

About Halevai:

Halevai is a new concept boat manufacturer focused on design, reliability and conservation. We provide creative direction, program development, production services, and create conscious products to preserve and protect our planet. We are committed to building better solutions that aid in correcting the course of environmental damage while providing approachable, meaningful and long-lasting experiences.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dr. Kevin Rhodes is Vice President of Battery Development at Lyten.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The need for improved battery cell chemistries
• The benefits of Lithium Sulfur batteries for aviation, aerospace, automotive, and more
• Overcoming the common challenges presented by Lithium Sulfur
• Lyten’s approach to commercialization
• Down-stream improvements enabled by safer and more energy-dense battery cells
• How Kevin has evolved as he has matured as a leader

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kevinrhodes
• Lyten Website: https://lyten.com/
• Kevin Rhodes LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinjrhodes/

Kevin’s Bio:

Dr. Kevin Rhodes is Vice President of Battery Development at Lyten. In this role he is responsible for planning and managing all lithium sulfur chemistry development, cell process and design optimization, and performance validation efforts as needed to deliver next generation batteries for aviation, aerospace, and automotive applications.

Prior to joining Lyten, Kevin was Chief Engineer and Electrification Segment Leader at AV. Before this, he spent nearly a decade working in R&D, electrification strategy, and supervising the Advanced Electrified Powertrain Systems group at Ford Motor Company.

Kevin received his doctorate in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee where he performed research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory related to advanced energy storage material synthesis and novel in situ battery characterization techniques. He holds an extensive list of publications and patents related to battery active materials, vehicle electrification, and energy storage which have received over a thousand citations and implementation on major electrified vehicle programs. Additionally, he has served as a committee chairman for the Electrochemical Society and earned graduate certificates in electric powertrain architecture design and advanced refinement techniques for X-ray and neutron diffraction data analysis.

About Lyten:

Lyten is an advanced materials company that developed Lyten 3D Graphene®, a patented set of carbon materials that have been designed into Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries, advanced composite systems, and chemical & passive sensors. Lyten’s next-generation Li-S batteries will deliver more than twice the energy density of conventional Lithium-ion batteries, and will also enable improved vehicle range, vehicle safety, and environmental sustainability for applications in electric vehicles, aerospace, aviation, off-highway, and defense. Founded in 2015, Lyten is a privately held company based in San Jose, California. Visit www.lyten.com for more information.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Rick Luebbe is the CEO and co-founder of Group14 Technologies, a global manufacturer of breakthrough silicon battery technology, which delivers up to 50% increased energy density across thousands of cycles for any application currently powered by a lithium-ion battery.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Group14’s $400 million funding round, led by Porsche
• The potential for Lithium Silicon batteries to provide a step-function improvement in battery technology
• How Group14 planned for large scale production from the start
• The importance of Commander’s Intent in a business

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rickluebbe
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-eric-luebbe-486a4976/
• https://group14.technology/ (Group14 is hiring!)
• https://twitter.com/group14tech
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/group14-technologies/

Rick’s Bio:

Rick Luebbe is the CEO and co-founder of Group14 Technologies, a global manufacturer of breakthrough silicon battery technology, which delivers up to 50% increased energy density across thousands of cycles for any application currently powered by a lithium-ion battery. Based in Woodinville, Washington, Group14 is manufacturing and delivering its mass market product at commercial scale to customers in sectors including EVs, consumer electronics, aviation and more.

Before founding Group14 in 2015, Rick co-founded and led EnerG2 as its CEO from 2003 until its acquisition by German multinational chemical company BASF in 2016. Rick began his career as an Army aviation officer, leading an aeroscout platoon in Desert Storm, where he was awarded the Bronze Star and two Air Medals in recognition for performance in combat operations against the Iraqi Republican Guard.

Group14 overview:

Founded to unlock the electrification of everything, Group14 elevates all batteries by enabling the transformational performance of silicon for all battery applications and use cases to accelerate the global transition to an all-electric future.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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This episode provides my 25 greatest lessons from 100 interviews with leaders working to make safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility a reality.

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Patrick Hupperich is a Member of the Executive Council of the FEV Group, Chairman of FEV Americas, and President and CEO of FEV North America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Patrick’s path from RWTH Aachen University to Chairman of FEV Americas
• What it takes to excel as an engineering service provider
• FEV’s path from a powertrain company to a full vehicle engineering partner
• Steering an organization within the rapidly evolving mobility and energy sectors
• The most important lesson Patrick has learned about being an effective leader

Listen here:

Apple Podcasts: link

Google Podcasts: link

Spotify: link

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/patrickhupperich
• Patrick’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-hupperich-8243371a/
• FEV’s website: https://www.fev.com/en/usa.html
• FEV.io: https://fev.io/

About FEV:

FEV is a globally leading engineering and digital mobility company. Together with our customers, we are shaping the future of the mobility sector for sustainable, carbon-neutral and efficient, connected, and safe transportation. Through our in-depth expertise we provide customers and society with cutting-edge solutions for the highest value of mobility and most advanced transport experience from A to B.

Our expertise includes intelligent software and sustainable propulsion system development, as well as full vehicle engineering. Additionally, our range of services includes sophisticated systems engineering, cyber physical system development, software- and E/E-integration for software defined vehicles with highly automated and safe driving functionalities as well as vehicle integration. FEV’s engineering capabilities span the entire mobility ecosystem including all on-road applications as well as rail, marine, aerospace, agriculture, construction, mining, and industrial applications. Additionally, we transfer our elaborate know-how and innovations to adjacent markets, such as the energy sector, to deliver best-in-class industry solutions.

The FEV Group currently employs 6,500 highly qualified specialists in customer-oriented development centers at more than 40 locations on five continents.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Daryl Adams is President and CEO of the Shyft Group, the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly and upfit for ecommerce-driven parcel delivery, as well as the broader commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The value of a modular and right-sized approach to EV batteries for commercial applications
• The difference between Blue Arc’s EV Chassis and a skateboard platform for passenger car applications
• How Daryl has helped to optimize organizational health and performance at The Shyft Group
• Shyft’s approach to customized solutions for their customers, including a purpose-built vehicle configuration for Starbucks
• How Blue Arc is addressing the full EV ecosystem with their Power Cube

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/daryladams
• Daryl’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darylmadams/
• Shyft Group’s website: https://theshyftgroup.com/
• Shyft Group’s YouTube channel

About Daryl and The Shyft Group

The Shyft Group (NASDAQ: SHYF) is the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly and upfit for ecommerce-driven parcel delivery, as well as the broader commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets. With expertise second to none, Shyft leverages deep last mile expertise and industry-leading innovation to deliver a better, more sustainable future for all. The company’s go-to-market brands – including Utilimaster, Royal Truck Body, DuraMag, Strobes-R-Us, Spartan RV Chassis, and Builtmore Contract Manufacturing – employ over 3,800 employees in 16 campus operations across 10 states and two countries. In 2021, The Shyft Group reported earnings of $991.8M from continuing operations.

Adams joined the organization in 2014 as the COO and was moved into the role of President and Chief Executive Officer within just six months. Adams’ approachable and upfront style, combined with his willingness to challenge the status quo for the good of the business, echoes the company’s nimble, assertive stance. He combines his more than 30 years of manufacturing experience with a will to win.

As President and CEO, he’s more than doubled the Company’s earnings and scale, invested heavily in talent, led the development of multiple industry-first solutions, successfully completed five acquisitions and one divestiture, as well as a full company rebranding effort. Adams also sits on The Shyft Group’s board of directors, providing insight related to the Company’s operations and strategic direction.

Adams has also been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Crain’s Detroit Business, MiMfg Magazine, Greater Lansing Business Monthly, The Detroit News, and Forbes for his work in transforming Spartan Motors into The Shyft Group. Adams and his wife have three children and live in Novi, Michigan.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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Tara Andringa is the Executive Director of Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE), a nonprofit coalition focused on engaging with the public about automated vehicles and their potential to improve the safety, mobility and sustainability of our transportation system.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why PAVE was created and the significance of PAVE’s purely educational objective
• The critical importance of effective user and public education for assisted and automated driving
• The number of autonomous private use vehicles on the market today
• The obligation for industry insiders to help educate their friends and families

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/taraandringa
• Tara’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taraandringa/
• PAVE’s educational resources: https://pavecampaign.org/resources/
• PAVE’s home page:https://pavecampaign.org/

Tara’s Bio:

Tara Andringa is the Executive Director of Partners for Automated Vehicle Education (PAVE), a nonprofit coalition focused on engaging with the public about automated vehicles and their potential to improve the safety, mobility and sustainability of our transportation system. Ms. Andringa has led the group since its public launch in January 2019.

Ms. Andringa has more than 25 years of experience in communications, policy and coalition management. Prior to joining PAVE, Ms. Andringa spent two decades as a communications director in the United States Senate, managing public relations for a U.S. Senate office and several Senate committees, including the Senate Auto Caucus.

Ms. Andringa received her B.A. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania.

About PAVE:

PAVE is a coalition of industry partners and nonprofit groups with one goal: To bring the conversation about automated vehicles (AVs) to the public so everyone can play a role in shaping our transportation future. PAVE’s mission is purely educational—we don’t advocate for a particular technology or specific public policies. Our members believe that we will best achieve the potential benefits of driverless technology if the public and policymakers know the honest facts of what is on the roads today and what is possible for the future.

They believe that our roads can be safer, more accessible, and more environmentally friendly than they are today. They believe that the technical challenges of creating driverless vehicles -- while substantial -- are solvable, and that people will someday be able to choose the benefits of driverless technology. PAVE is a bet on the power of knowledge: they believe that if the public knows the facts, it’s far more likely that the full capability of these technologies can be realized.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Andy Smart is a highly respected member of the connected automated vehicle (CAV) community and within Stantec GenerationAV™, he is the AV Safety Principal focusing upon safety, testing, and technical standards supporting the safe deployment of connected and automated vehicles

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The transition from ADAS to ADS for passenger car application
• The state of the industry for passenger car, ride hail, and commercial vehicle applications
• The differences between companies currently pursuing various degrees of assisted and automated driving
• How to think about meaningful objectives to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of ADS systems (beyond miles per disengagement)
• How we can effectively educate and prepare drivers

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/andysmart
• Andy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewsmartconsulting/
• Stantec GenerationAV: https://www.stantec.com/en/markets/transportation/smart-mobility/stantec-generation-av

Andy’s Bio:

As an Independent Consultant, Andy brings over 3 decades of experience delivering automotive technologies as a technical and business leader in Europe, Asia, and the United States. Andy is a highly respected member of the connected automated vehicle (CAV) community and within Stantec GenerationAV™, he is the AV Safety Principal focusing upon safety, testing, and technical standards supporting the safe deployment of connected and automated vehicles. While CTO of the American Center for Mobility, he delivered one of the first purpose-built large-scale CAV test facilities in North America. While CTO of SAE International, he was responsible for all technical programs including voluntary standards development with the production of the first recommended practice for driving automation levels (J3016) which has since been adopted globally. He has also held executive leadership positions with global technical consultancies and a European based OEM and is founder and chair of the AV Test Site Community of Practice which is a global task force under SAE’s On Road Automated Driving Committee.

Stantec GenerationAV

GenerationAV was formed in 2020 by global consulting firm Stantec to accelerate the adoption of autonomous vehicles (AVs). With a goal of creating a safer, cleaner, more equitable world, we guide clients through the safe adoption and operation of AVs. We see the immense opportunity this emerging technology presents and understand that the path to autonomy isn’t always clear. Through focused solutions built to educate, engage, and guide our clients, we’re helping to build a mobility future fueled by autonomy.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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This episode comes from the panel discussion portion of the first Future of Mobility LIVE virtual event, recorded on March 24, 2022. The conversation features Santosh Sankar, Founding Partner at Dynamo Ventures, and Tyler Lancaster, partner at Energize Ventures.

Key topics include:

· The importance of quickly and effectively cleaning up our grid if we want to realize the benefits of electrification

· The most attractive technologies for automating logistics

· Why soft costs play a critical role in electrified vehicle adoption

· The role of software in transforming our future mobility and energy ecosystems

· Finding the “picks and shovels” within the current shift in mobility

Links:

· Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/FoMLIVE2

· Tyler’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-lancaster-2108/

· Engergize Ventures’s website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/energize-ventures/

· Santosh’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/santoshsankar/

· Dynamo Ventures’s website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamovc/

Santosh’s bio:

Santosh Sankar is a Founding Partner at Dynamo Ventures. Santosh has been an early investor in several distinguished supply chain technology startups including Stord, Gatik AI, and SVT Robotics.

Prior to his career in venture capital, Santosh was a public equities analyst. Santosh started his first company, an IT support business, when he was 13 years old. Santosh was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2017.

Tyler’s Bio:

Tyler Lancaster is a partner at Chicago-based Energize Ventures, a leading global alternative investment manager focused on the digitization of energy and sustainable industry, where he drives investment activity and portfolio management. Prior to joining the Fund, Tyler worked at Accenture Strategy, where he shaped new business models and investment plans for Fortune 500 electric utilities and private equity. His work focused on distributed energy resources, regulatory innovation, grid modernization, and transportation electrification. Tyler is a Board Director for Aurora Solar, as well as a Board Observer for Volta Charging and Jupiter Intelligence. Additionally, he helps manage and support Energize portfolio companies Matroid and Optimus Ride. Tyler began his career building commercial solar PV and energy efficiency projects for an energy services company. He holds a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Engineering from Columbia University, where he was an Egleston Scholar.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licen

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Tekin Meriçli, Ph.D. is a co-founder and the CTO of Locomation, a company re-engineering the world’s supply chain for autonomy with a portfolio of AV products and a suite of tools that enable their clients to implement an operating model for autonomous vehicles

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Tekin’s background in robotics and how he got into automated driving, including the DARPA Urban Challenge
• The efficiency and sustainability benefits of Locomation’s Autonomous Relay Convoy
• How Locomation is providing backend tools to enable their customers to realize the full potential of automated driving
• How Tekin thinks about his role as CTO, and what it takes to excel
• The importance of safety and reliability as Locomation heads towards commercialization

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/tekinmericli
• Locomation website: https://locomation.ai/
• Tekin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tekinmericli/
• Future of Mobility episode 27 with Locomation’s CEO, Çetin Meriçli: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/27-%C3%A7etin-meri%C3%A7li-locomation-automated-driving-for-semi/id1511658261?i=1000499886635
• Locomation’s announcement with Christenson Transportation: https://locomation.ai/christenson-transportation-selects-locomation-to-deploy-its-autonomous-truck-service-will-boost-capacity-increase-profits-and-reduce-emissions/
• Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Tekin’s Bio:

Tekin Meriçli, Ph.D. is a co-founder and the CTO of Locomation. Prior to Locomation, he was a Special Faculty – Commercialization Specialist at the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) of Carnegie Mellon’s Robotics Institute where he was also a Senior Robotics Engineer. Since 2003, Dr. Meriçli has been practicing systems engineering across a wide variety of robots and systems including autonomous and semi-autonomous ground vehicles, mapping, state estimation, and operator assist systems, perception and motion planning for ground and aerial robots, industrial automation and process improvement, wheeled tour guide and service robots, intelligent assistive robotic manipulators and search and rescue robots, and various legged robots. He also has over 40 publications in the areas of robotics and computer sciences, including best paper award recipients.

About Locomation:

Locomation is re-engineering the world’s supply chain for autonomy with a portfolio of AV products and a suite of tools that enable our clients to implement an operating model for autonomous vehicles. Launched in 2018 by veterans of Carnegie Mellon’s National Robotics Engineering Center,

the Locomation team includes some of the world’s foremost experts in robotics technology, artificial intelligence, trucking, freight optimization, safety, and automotive.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

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Harrold Rust is the President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Enovix Corporation, a position he has held since the inception of the company in 2007.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The unique benefits from utilizing a 3D battery cell architecture

• How Harrold and the Enovix team decided to take a novel approach to energy storage

• The keys to unlocking the value of a silicon anode

• Enovix’s plan to scale up in application size and production volume

Links:

· Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/harroldrust

· Enovix website: https://www.enovix.com/

· Harrold’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrold-rust-7075362/

· Powering Our Mobile Future. Pt. 1: Battery Life and Consumer Satisfaction

· Powering Our Mobile Future. Pt. 2: User Experience, Functionality, and Consumer Satisfaction

· Powering Our Mobile Future Pt. 3: Capacity and Consumer Satisfaction

Harrold’s Bio:

Harrold Rust is the President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Enovix Corporation, a position he has held since the inception of the company in 2007. The founders of Enovix shared the view that the Li-ion battery badly needed a technical overhaul, given that battery advancements were not keeping pace with fast-moving technology sectors such as AI, Electric Vehicles and Virtual Reality.

Under Harrold’s leadership, Enovix has grown from a handful of employees to more than 200+. He also guided the company through its public offering in 2021.

Harrold is an expert on 3D technology design and cost-effective manufacturing innovation. Prior to Enovix, Harrold was vice president of operations at FormFactor, and spent 17 years in operations management at IBM. Harrold earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from U.C. Davis and an M.S. in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

About Enovix:

Enovix is a leader in advanced silicon-anode lithium-ion battery development and production. The company's proprietary 3D cell architecture increases the energy density and a maintains high cycle life compared to competing Li-ion battery designs.

While other battery start-ups have solely focused on developing new battery chemistries and materials, Enovix has completely reimagined the battery design – throwing out the century-old “jellyroll” design to build a more efficient, 3D design that enables the use of a 100-percent active silicon anode.

Enovix’s unique approach addresses significant technical challenges associated with the use of high energy density silicon, challenges which Enovix has gone to great lengths to solve. Silicon has long been heralded as a critical component for the batteries of the future. It’s a more plentiful and sustainable ingredient for powerful batteries than the graphite anode used in conventional Li-ion batteries today. A silicon anode can theoretically store more than twice as many lithium ions as a graphite anode.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Larry Burns is a pioneer in the electrified and automated vehicle space, highly successful industry veteran, and author of Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car – And How It Will Reshape Our World.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The potential for automobility to improve people’s lives through safer, more sustainable, more effective, and more accessible transportation
• Why Autonomy is the best book I’ve read on the topic of future mobility
• The benefit of a two-mode assisted/automated driving solution
• The power of the skateboard platform for electrification, and how Larry and his team at GM demonstrated this approach two decades ago
• The future – merging transportation with information and communication

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/larryburns
• Larry’s website: https://www.lawrencedburns.org/
• Autonomy book: https://www.amazon.com/Autonomy-Quest-Driverless-Car-Reshape/dp/0062661124

Larry’s Bio:

Larry Burns advises organizations on the future of mobility, logistics, manufacturing, energy and innovation. His current clients include Goodyear, Kitson & Partners, Niron Magnetics and Namoramic Laboratories. Larry served as General Motors Corporate Vice President of Research & Development and Planning from 1998-2009. Between 2010 and 2021, Larry was a consultant to Waymo (Google Self-Driving Cars), Professor of Engineering Practice at the University of Michigan, Director of the Program for Sustainable Mobility at Columbia University, and an advisor to several major companies.

Full bio: Larry Burns extended bio

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Dr. Michael Richter is Scantinel’s Commercial Managing Director in charge of strategy, finance, investor relations, and sales & marketing

Key topics in this conversation include

• The difference between frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR and time of flight (TOF) LiDAR
• How FMCW provides greater sensing range, velocity data, and object detection information
• The massive potential of photonic semiconductors
• The path to mass market adoption for FMCW LiDAR

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/michaelrichter
• Michael’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michael-richter-a2079268/
• Scantinel Website: https://scantinel.com/
• Scantinel LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scantinel

Michael’s Bio::

Dr. Michael Richter is Scantinel’s Commercial Managing Director in charge of strategy, finance, investor relations, and sales & marketing. He has a long-lasting senior international management background in the semiconductor, sensor and high-tech industry with a successful history of formulating and implementing sustainable business plans, organizations, and techniques. Michael holds a Doctoral and Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Siegen in Germany.

About Scantinel:

Scantinel Photonics is a world leading FMCW LiDAR start-up company in Ulm, Germany. Incubated in the global optics leader Carl Zeiss AG in 2016, Scantinel spung off as an independent company in 2019 and is backed by ZEISS Ventures and Scania Growth Capital.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Pete Bigelow is a senior reporter at Automotive News in Detroit, where he covers the convergence of transportation and technology.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The responsibility for media to accurately present complex technical topics
• The current state of automated driving technology and how this technology is likely to progress
• How Pete decides which topics to cover
• The intersection of technology, public perception, and regulation
• The future for more effective and sustainable aviation

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/petebigelow
• Pete’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-bigelow-a947263/
• Pete’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/petercbigelow
• Shift podcast: https://www.autonews.com/shift-podcast-mobility

About Pete:

Pete Bigelow is a senior reporter at Automotive News in Detroit, where he covers the convergence of transportation and technology. He’s the host of Shift: A Podcast About Mobility, a weekly show that features conversations with top newsmakers from across the transportation landscape. Pete’s previous work has appeared in publications like The New York Times, Popular Mechanics and Car and Driver. A one-time certified flight instructor, he’s now ground-based in southeast Michigan, where he lives with his wife, three children and dog.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Gunnar Froh is CEO & Founder of Wunder Mobility, the leading global tech and service platform for new mobility solutions.

Key topics in this conversation include

• Gunnar’s background in shared asset utilization, including leading Airbnb’s international efforts
• Why shared mobility is so important for developing an effective and sustainable mobility ecosystem
• What it takes to develop a successful shared vehicle offering
• Gunnar’s vision for a Netflix-like mobility experience
• Wunder Mobility’s role enabling shared mobility companies

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/gunnarfroh
• Gunnar’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunnarfroh/
• Wunder Mobility website: https://www.wundermobility.com/

Gunnar’s Bio

Gunnar Froh is founder and CEO of Wunder Mobility, the international provider of software and hardware for new mobility services. Founded in 2014, the company develops a technology platform that enables companies, cities and startups to launch and scale new mobility services.

Froh joins from Airbnb, where he played a senior role in its internationalization until late 2013. Airbnb acquired Accoleo, a housing marketplace he founded in 2011. Prior to that, Froh gained experience as a consultant at McKinsey and founded the nonprofit car-sharing organization CampusCar.

In addition to his role as CEO of Wunder Mobility, Gunnar Froh is active as an angel investor in the field of mobility and sustainability. He is a member of the Innovation Advisory Board of the United Nations Population Fund and host of the Wunder Mobility Podcast.

Born in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, he completed his business studies at WHU in Germany and at the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago, USA. He lives and works in Hamburg.

About Wunder Mobility

Wunder Mobility is the world’s leading provider of software and hardware for scooter, bike, moped, and car sharing. The mobility tech company provides robust and feature-rich white-label solutions that enable enterprises, startups and cities worldwide to launch and scale sharable station-based and free-floating fleets to deliver sustainable, convenient and secure mobility. Its industry-defining full-stack solution for mobility is complemented by a catalog of IoT-connected hardware built in partnership with leading manufacturers.

More than 100 customers use the Wunder Mobility platform to monitor, manage and finance shared vehicle fleets, to optimize daily operations and add comfortable on-demand mobility to existing transport modes in more than 900 cities across six continents.

The global Wunder Mobility team, which encompasses more than 40 nationalities, consists of veterans from the technology and mobility industry 50% of whom work in product and engineering. Wunder Mobility was founded in 2014 by Gunnar Froh. The headquarters are in Hamburg, with additional locations in Dortmund and Los Angeles.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Trent Broberg is CEO of ACERTUS, the only tech-enabled automotive logistics marketplace to move, store, recondition, title & register finished vehicle.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The impact of electrification on finished vehicle logistics
• How emerging OEMs home deliveries impact deliveries
• The importance of end user education for electrified and automated vehicles
• Building a positive culture and leading effectively

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/trentbrogerg
• Trent’s LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentbroberg/
• Home Delivery is Here to Stay! Customers Demand Remote Options
• Ensuring Excellent Home Deliveries: Walk-throughs, White-Glove Service and More

Trent’s Bio

As the CEO of ACERTUS, Trent Broberg is hyper focused on expanding the company’s possibilities and creating a new era of growth. He is dedicated to creating technology enabled solutions for ACERTUS and the transportation industry at large. Prior to joining ACERTUS in March 2021, Trent served as the Chief Operating Officer at Truckstop.com. Before serving in that role, he held senior executive positions at Swift Transportation, DB Schenker and Real Time Freight. Drawing from more than 15 years of experience in the transportation realm, he uses his industry knowledge and leadership skills to carve out high levels of growth and develop profitability. Trent holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from Arizona State University

About ACERTUSACERTUS is the only tech-enabled automotive logistics marketplace to move, store, recondition, title & register finished vehicles. This start-to-finish, omnichannel offering is driven by a transformative combination of tech, people & expertise turning once complicated logistics into a competitive advantage.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Anne Schneider is the Vice President of Autonomous Trucking at RR.AI | Robotic Research.

Key topics in this conversation include

• What it takes to deliver an autonomous kit for military applications, assuming no comms, no prior data, and no infrastructure
• Robotic Research’s Leader Follower program
• RR.AI’s successful push into commercial applications, including forestry, mining, and various on-road applications
• Why they decided now was the time to raise significant capital
• Similarities and differences comparing autonomous trucks and autonomous tactical vehicles

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/anneschneider
• Anne's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annerachelschneider/
• RR.AI website: https://rr.ai/

Anne’s Bio

Anne Schneider is the Vice President of Autonomous Trucking at RR.AI | Robotic Research. With over twelve years of experience in robotic systems development, Ms. Schneider has extensive expertise in system/software architecture design, sensor processing, and systems integration. During her tenure at Robotic Research, Ms. Schneider has worked as the Technical and/or Project Lead for a variety of government ground vehicle robotics programs, including the Autonomous Ground Resupply and Expedient Leader Follower programs, which rapidly produced and issued 60 Leader/Follower enabled autonomous trucks to soldiers for a multi-year Operational Technical Demonstration. She is currently leading RR.AI's push into the commercial autonomous trucking market.

About RR.AIRR.AI is the commercial division of Robotic Research––a global technology company that has delivered autonomous mobility and robotics solutions for more than two decades. RR.AI’s vehicle-agnostic, full-stack autonomy kit (AutoDrive®) is a proven autonomous driving system for both on and off-highway environments and is trusted by industry-leading OEM partners. It is uniquely suited to provide an end-to-end, 360° autonomous driving solution for commercial transportation that spans across complex operational design domains (ODDs).

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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David Byron is Director of Innovation Strategy at Sundberg-Ferar.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The importance of thoughtful product design if we want to make an impact
• Why we need to deeply understand the problem at-hand before developing solutions
• Applying expertise to new application segments
• How Sundberg-Ferar developed the walking ELEVATE Ultimate Mobility Vehicle for Hyundai
• What makes a product appealing

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/davidbyron
• David's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-j-byron-6727b54/
• Sundberg-Ferar website: https://sundbergferar.com/
• Sundberg-Ferar CES trend report: https://app.box.com/s/df9g6ocbkdrudqsbzc3chkfj4ndgn2lm
• Mobility Genesis: https://sundbergferar.com/mobilitygenesis/

David’s Bio

David’s passion for design and cars led him to the Motor City where he graduated from CCS in Transportation Design. He spent his early career at GM and ASC before becoming Lead Designer at Saleen where he penned the 2008 S5S Raptor supercar and 2010 Saleen S281. David then jumped from sports cars to sports equipment when he joined New Balance’s hockey and lacrosse brand, Warrior, where he lead the helmet design team. David has a strong ability to edit, communicate and execute concepts that connect on an emotional level while delivering real world solutions. His diverse background provides a wide perspective when tackling the vast array of design challenges experienced at Sundberg-Ferar. He stays active in the art community teaching design courses at CCS and has judged multiple times at the National Fine Arts Festival.

Sundberg-FerarWe design innovative, beautiful products that make people’s lives better. That’s how our work propels companies in new mobility, consumer, and commercial product markets. We consider everything, from the needs of our clients to the ideal user experience, and after nearly 90 years of design, we know what it takes to elevate solutions from purely functional to exceptional.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Rainer is Stargate Hydrogen’s Chief Technology Officer, applying his advanced degrees in Electrochemistry and Chemical Engineering to drive the development of the company’s turn-key electrolysis solutions.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The challenge of decarbonizing locomotive applications
• Rainer’s background in electrolysis
• Why fuel cells are ideal for shunting locomotives
• Stargate’s ongoing project to retrofit 40 diesel locomotives

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/rainerkungas
• Rainer's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rainer-k%C3%BCngas-6133a41b/
• Stargate Hydrogen website: https://stargatehydrogen.com/
• Stargate Hydrogen LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stargate-hydrogen/
• Operail project coverage: https://www.h2-view.com/story/stargate-hydrogen-to-retrofit-40-diesel-locomotives-to-fuel-cell-power-in-estonia/

Rainer’s Bio:

Rainer is Stargate Hydrogen’s Chief Technology Officer, applying his advanced degrees in Electrochemistry and Chemical Engineering to drive the development of the company’s turn-key electrolysis solutions. He has extensive knowledge and experience in fuel cells and electrolysis stacks, including materials, physical and electrochemical characterization, lifetime limiting factors and system considerations.

About Stargate:

Stargate Hydrogen offers turn-key electrolysis solutions for the production of green hydrogen with renewable energy. The company designs, implements and maintains systems from hydrogen production and compression to storage and dispensing. Stargate also provides solutions for retrofitting freight locomotives with a zero-emission hydrogen powertrain.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Shiva Bhardwaj is the Founder and CEO at Pitstop, who is disrupting the automotive industry by unlocking vehicle data to create a more efficient, safer, and cleaner future.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The keys to effective predictive maintenance
• Examples of how effective use of data can help fleet owners
• Maximizing vehicle uptime
• Determining whether data can be trusted

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/shivabhardwaj
• Shiva’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivabhardwaj/?originalSubdomain=ca
• Pitstop website: https://pitstopconnect.com/fleet/?utm_source=futurem

Shiva’s Bio:

Shiva Bhardwaj is the Founder and CEO at Pitstop. While earning a degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering from UWaterloo, Shiva spent time working at NVIDIA and Blackberry. Shiva started his entrepreneurship journey by inventing ShockLock which brought a safe, simple and cost-effective hardware solution to the automotive world. His largest and most recent accomplishment is Pitstop, a predictive maintenance platform for the automotive industry founded in 2015. It has since secured investments from Sensata, Verizon, Ripple Ventures & BDC to name a few and is partnered with some of the biggest players in the industry. Pitstop's proprietary algorithm - a unique blend of embedded automotive domain knowledge, time-series data, AI technology and machine learning - provides customers with the ability to gain insight from their data in order to save costs, reduce downtime and recalls and increase safety. Shiva has also been recognized as the Vaughan Entrepreneur of the Year & SEMA 35 Under 35.

About Pitstop:

Pitstop is disrupting the automotive industry by unlocking vehicle data to create a more efficient, safer, and cleaner future. Combining multiple data sources with leading AI and ML technology, Pitstop generates actionable insights for customers to improve overall operations by reducing costs, GHG emissions and increasing safety.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Doron Frenkel is the Founder and CEO of Driivz. He is an experienced entrepreneur with over 25 years’ international management experience in the EV charging, telecommunications and fleet industries.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The role of software in enabling an efficient and effective EV charging system
• How fleets and charging providers can solve their biggest problems
• The potential for auxiliary battery packs and vehicle-to-grid solutions for improving our power ecosystem
• Driivz’s role in the transition towards more sustainable transportation
• How Doron works to lead Driivz as a purpose-driven company

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/doronfrenkel
• Doron’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doronfrenkel/
• Driivz website: http://www.driivz.com.
• Driivz blog: https://driivz.com/blog/

Doron’s Bio:

Doron Frenkel is the Founder and CEO of Driivz. He is an experienced entrepreneur with over 25 years’ international management experience in the EV charging, telecommunications and fleet industries. Prior to Driivz, Doron was co-founder and CEO of We!Secure and before that he held the position of GM of Israeli operations at Sphera. As a Director at Amdocs (NYSE:DOX), Doron led business relationships worth hundreds of millions dollars with top customers such as Nextel and T-Mobile.

About Driivz:

Driivz is the leading global software supplier to EV operators and service providers, accelerating the plug-in EV industry's dynamic and continuous transformation. The company's intelligent, cloud-based platform spans EV charging operations, energy management, advanced billing capabilities and driver self-service tools. Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, Driivz's team of EV experts serve customers in more than 20 countries, including global industry players such as Volvo Group, EVgo, Gilbarco Veeder-Root, ElaadNL, ESB, Mer and eMobility Power. Driivz's platform manages tens of thousands of EV chargers in North America, Europe, and APAC, used by almost 1 million EV drivers.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Martin Rudigier is Principal at HELLA Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital fund focused on mobility, deep tech, and industrial manufacturing investments on behalf of German automotive supplier HELLA.

Key topics in this conversation include

• What makes HELLA Ventures unique as a corporate venture fund
• The promise of solutions and companies that are able to effectively utilize the vast data being collected by vehicles
• How to find legitimate value amongst seemingly inflated valuations
• Martin’s transition from Germany to Silicon Valley, and the cultural changes experienced along the way
• When an MBA is the right choice, and when it might not be

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/martinrudigier
• Martin’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinrudigier/
• HELLA Ventures website: www.hellaventures.com

Martin’s Bio:

Martin Rudigier is Principal at HELLA Ventures, a multi-stage venture capital fund focused on mobility, deep tech, and industrial manufacturing investments on behalf of German automotive supplier HELLA. During his tenure at HELLA Ventures, Martin has invested in Ridecell, AEye [NASDAQ:LIDR], Wejo [NASDAQ:WEJO], Oculii (acquired by Ambarella [NASDAQ:AMBA]), and Auto Motive Power. He currently serves as a Board Observer at Ridecell and Auto Motive Power. In addition, Martin has been an early angel investor in Prodigy (acquired by Upstart [NASDAQ:UPST], Firefly, Zoomo, and Skyways, among others.

Martin brings to HELLA Ventures more than 10 years of experience working at the intersection of Germany’s auto industry and Silicon Valley’s tech ecosystem—both as an operator and investor. Prior to HELLA Ventures, Martin was Vice President of Finance and Business Operations at Apex.AI, where he raised more than $20M in venture capital from top tier financial and strategic investors and helped the company scale from 5 to 30+ employees. Before Apex.AI, he advised Daimler’s Board of Management and Supervisory Board on multibillion-euro M&A deals and strategic opportunities, consulted DAX30 clients at McKinsey, and was part of the investment team at Autotech Ventures, a transportation-focused venture capital firm with $270M+ in AUM.

Outside of work, Martin is passionate about education equality and has helped hundreds of students gain admission to the world’s top universities. He is also a PADI Rescue Diver and involved in various marine conservation efforts in the Caribbean.

About HELLA Ventures:

Founded in 2015, HELLA Ventures is a multi-stage venture capital fund focused on mobility, deep tech, and industrial manufacturing investments. In addition to our own automotive expertise, we leverage our connection with Tier 1 global auto supplier HELLA as an industrialization and/or channel partner into the automotive industry to maximize our portfolio companies’ success.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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2021 was a great year for the Future of Mobility podcast. In this special episode, I take a few minutes to reflect on 2021, look forward to 2022, and thank everyone who has been listening along the way.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Matthew Shenton grew up on a ranch in southeastern Idaho. He has always been interested in agriculture equipment. That lead him to complete his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State University. He reached out to Dr. Leachman about the work he was accomplishing with cryogenic hydrogen at Washington State University. Matthew’s research topic is characterizing the hydrogen boiling curve to improve the designs of storage vessels. This will allow cryogenic hydrogen to be commercially viable as an energy carrier. His vision is to see farms running on hydrogen and other renewable energy sources.

Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/matthewshenton

Listen here:

Apple Podcasts: link

Google Podcasts: link

Spotify: link

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

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brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Oren Rosenzweig is the CBO, co-founder and board member at Innoviz Technologies, a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world’s roads.

Key topics in this conversation include

• Innoviz’s planned launch in BMW’s Level 3 system
• Functional safety for automated driving
• Why Innoviz is initially targeting Level 2-4 private use vehicle applications
• Why different applications need perception to occur in different locations
• The potential for LiDAR in non-automotive applications

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/orenrosenweig
• Oren’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orenrosenzweig/?originalSubdomain=il
• Oren’s Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/theorenzweig
• Innoviz YouTube: Innoviz Technologies - YouTube
• Innoviz Website: https://innoviz.tech/

Oren’s Bio:

Oren Rosenzweig is the CBO, co-founder and board member at Innoviz Technologies. He has spent over 17 years in development, management and advisory roles in the technology field. Oren spent seven years in the elite technological unit of the Intelligence Corps of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), where he developed cutting-edge communications systems and led several large scale projects. His roles included leading the development of mobile memory products at Anobit (acquired by Apple), and while at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), advising Fortune 100 Tech companies on topics such as Strategy, Pricing and Growth. Oren holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

About Innoviz:

Innoviz Technologies is a global leader in LiDAR technology, working towards a future with safe autonomous vehicles on the world’s roads. Innoviz’s LiDAR and perception software “see” better than a human driver and reduce the possibility of error, meeting the automotive industry's strictest expectations for performance and safety. Operating across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Innoviz has been elected both by an internationally-recognized premium car brand for use in consumer vehicles as well as by other commercial and industrial leaders for a wide range of use cases. For more information, visit www.innoviz.tech.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Carmen Murer is Head Corporate Communication at Synhelion, which produces solar fuels to decarbonize transportation.

Key topics in this conversation include

• Why synthetic fuels are needed
• The different types of synthetic fuels
• What happens when we reverse the combustion process
• How solar fuels are create and the role they can play decarbonizing transportation
• Synhelion’s path to scale up production

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/carmenmurer
• Carmen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-murer-0b941886/
• Overview of synthetic fuels: https://synhelion.com/news/synthetic-fuels-explained
• Synhelion's history: https://synhelion.com/news/the-road-to-market-for-solar-fuels
• Series B funding announcement: https://synhelion.com/news/synhelion-raises-chf-16-million

Carmen’s Bio:

Carmen is Head Corporate Communication at Synhelion and holds a degree in Multilingual Communication. Before joining the company in 2020, she worked in the language industry. At Synhelion, Carmen combines her professional experience with her passion for clean technologies and sustainability.

About Synhelion:

Synhelion produces solar fuels to decarbonize transportation. Our solar fuels replace fossil fuels as they are fully compatible with existing global infrastructure and competitive. We have a unique technology that uses concentrated solar heat to turn CO2 into fuel. As we close the carbon cycle, we drive a world connected by clean, sustainable transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Abhilash Arora is a MS in Electrical Engineering candidate at NC State University, he has an experience of 3 years in System Development for High Voltage Vehicle Electrification at Mahindra EV Technology Centre, India. Abhilash is also a Graduate Student Researcher with FREEDM Systems Centre, at NC State. His research interests are in Electrification of  Automotive and Aerospace spanning Wireless Charging and its application, electric machine topology and motor controls development for vehicle electrification.

Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/abhilasharora

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Emily Phillips is Vice President, Advanced Solutions at XPO, where she is responsible for pricing and solution design for the Last Mile business unit. She is also a champion for sustainability, leading XPO’s global strategic sustainability discussions around electric vehicles, recycling, and alternative fuels.

Key topics in this conversation include

• The future of last mile delivery
• Unexpected ways to drive sustainability in logistics
• Incorporating electrified vehicles into customized logistics solutions
• How Emily was able to merge her passion for sustainability with her day job

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/emilyphillips
• Emily’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilyphillips404/
• XPO website: xpo.com
• XPO sustainability report:https://sustainability.xpo.com/

Emily’s Bio:

Emily Phillips is a veteran of Supply Chain and Final Mile Delivery, having worked in the operational, technology and retail segments of the industry over the past 20+ years. In her current role as Vice President, Advanced Solutions she is responsible for pricing and solution design for the Last Mile business unit.

Emily is a champion for sustainability, leading XPO’s global strategic sustainability discussions around electric vehicles, recycling, and alternative fuels.

About XPO:

XPO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: XPO) is a leading provider of freight transportation services, primarily truck brokerage and less-than-truckload (LTL). XPO uses its proprietary technology, including the cutting-edge XPO Connect® automated freight marketplace, to move goods efficiently through supply chains. The company’s global network serves 50,000 shippers with 756 locations and approximately 42,000 employees, and is headquartered in Greenwich, Conn., USA.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Francis Dunne is a 2nd year doctoral student in Materials Science at the Hydrogen Properties for Energy Research (HYPER) laboratory at Washington State University. He is interested in developing new storage methods for liquid hydrogen and oxygen made out of polymeric materials for both the aerospace industry as well as clean energy applications.

Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/francisdunne

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Anurag Kamal is a co-founder at ElectricFish, a company reinventing the electricity Grid for our new energy economy.

Key topics in this conversation include

• Why our current electric grid is broken, and how we got here
• How a distributed grid can help with reliability, sustainability, and equality
• ElectricFish’s business model and vision for the future
• What is takes to effectively implement an extreme fast charging solution

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/anuragkamal
• Anurag’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anurag-kamal/
• ElectricFish’s 350 Charger: 350² Charger | ElectricFish
• ElectricFish on Instagram: Electricfish.co is on Instagram
• Blog: The Energy We Deserve.. With electric vehicle adoption being… | by Anurag Kamal | Medium

Anurag’s Bio:

Anurag Kamal is an e-mobility engineer, and a researcher with a core-expertise in quantifying degradation of batteries. With a firm belief that mass scale energy storage and electrifying transportation is the solution to countering climate change, he currently leads the founding team at ElectricFish, working towards problems that constrain the growth of EV’s and their supporting infrastructure.

He got his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra in 2014, his master’s degree from Michigan Tech in 2018; and his entrepreneurial education from Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2020, through the Ignite program.

About ElectricFish

ElectricFish is a diverse team of energy engineers, researchers, climate policy enthusiasts, that have come together to reinvent the electricity Grid for our new energy economy. They are building a network of energy storage devices, that can charge cars at extreme fast speeds, and serve power backup for communities at scale.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Gus Block is a director and founding employee of Nuvera Fuel Cells, a company established in 2000 to provide hydrogen and fuel cell solutions for commercial vehicles and equipment

Key topics in this conversation include

• How the fuel cell industry has evolved over the past 20+ years
• Why decarbonization of shipping ports is so important
• How fuel cells could play a valuable role in cleaning up port equipment
• The best off-highway uses for hydrogen fuel cells

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/gusblock
• Gus’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gusblock/
• Nuvera website: https://www.nuvera.com/

Gus’s Bio:

Gus Block is a director and founding employee of Nuvera Fuel Cells, a company established in 2000 to provide hydrogen and fuel cell solutions for commercial vehicles and equipment. His focus at Nuvera is on eliminating the barriers to fuel cell adoption primarily for medium- and heavy-duty motive applications currently powered by diesel.

Gus serves on the governor’s Zero Emissions Vehicle Commission in Massachusetts, and is chair of the Communications and Marketing Committee of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association.

Gus earned a mechanical engineering degree from The Cooper Union, and studied philosophy at Brandeis University. As a Fulbright fellow, Gus built a wind-powered electrolyzer in Sri Lanka. He also taught boatbuilding as part of a United Nations initiative for two years in the Maldive islands.

About Nuvera

A leading provider of fuel cell solutions for both on- and off-road motive applications, Nuvera is at the center of the hydrogen-powered clean transportation revolution. Nuvera provides products and applications support to enable e-mobility for commercial vehicles, and helps OEMs get reliable and durable fuel cell vehicles to market quickly with fuel cell engines designed for ease of integration.

Nuvera® E-45 and E-60 Fuel Cell Engines power vehicles such as buses, trucks, and container handling, and non-road equipment for ground support, mining, agriculture and construction. Nuvera sells and services fuel cell engines and components globally.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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This episode comes from the panel discussion portion of the first Future of Mobility LIVE virtual event, recorded on November 11, 2021. The conversation features Chris Thomas, Co-Founder and Partner at Assembly Ventures and Gabriel Scheer, Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator.

Future of Mobility LIVE is designed to bring together individuals who are working towards the common mission of making transportation safer and more sustainable. The event includes live networking sessions designed to plant the seeds for future collaboration, as well as a panel discussion focused on having a transparent discussion about the optimal path forward.

If you missed this event, make sure to follow me (Brandon Bartneck) on LinkedIn to catch the next LIVE event in early 2022.

For now, please enjoy the audio from the panel discussion.

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/FoMLIVE1
• Gabriel’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielscheer/
• Elemental Excelarator’s website: https://elementalexcelerator.com/
• Chris’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherthomas/
• Assembly Ventures Medium page: medium.com/assembly-ventures

Chris’s bio:

Chris Thomas is a Co-Founder of the Detroit Mobility Lab, an entity dedicated to helping Detroit become one of the world’s foremost future mobility ecosystems. He is also Co-Founder and Partner of Assembly Ventures. Prior to the Detroit Mobility Lab he co-founded Fontinalis Partners and worked to build it into one of the premier investment firms in next-generation mobility. While at Fontinalis, he participated in some of the largest exits in the mobility space, including nuTonomy, Karamba Security, ParkMe, Parkmobile, Life360, Ouster, and SmartKargo. Prior to Fontinalis Chris served in the U.S. Army as a Communications Officer in the U.S. and Iraq. Before joining the military, Chris worked as an Investment Banker at UBS within its Technology and Energy groups in New York and San Francisco.

Gabriel’s Bio:

Gabriel Scheer is Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, working with the organization’s energy and mobility portfolio companies and partners. He leverages his deep experience with mobility, renewables, and energy efficiency to help companies grow and thrive, with the aim of shifting the global paradigm away from carbon-based solutions. Prior to Elemental, Gabriel worked for three different micromobility companies, and was on the founding team at Lime as the first government relations staffer. He has also previously served as General Manager for car-sharing company Zipcar. Additionally, he spent three years at Frog Design and built his own social innovation consultancy.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

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Pace Ralli is an entrepreneur and impact investor in the maritime, transportation and energy sectors. He is co-founder of Clean Marine Energy, SWITCH Maritime, MidOcean Wind, and partner of MidOcean Marine Partners

Key topics in this conversation include

• The current state of propulsion system technologies for marine applications
• Why SWITCH chose hydrogen fuel cells over battery electric, hybrid, or alternative fuel ICEs
• Sea Change, the World’s First Commercial Ferry Powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cells
• How larger marine applications can decarbonize

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/paceralli
• Future of Mobility LIVE registration: https://www.linkedin.com/events/futureofmobilitylive-investingi6856659498245984256/
• Pace’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pralli/
• Pace’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/paceralli?lang=en
• SWITCH website: https://www.switchmaritime.com/

Pace’s Bio:

Pace Ralli is an entrepreneur and impact investor in the maritime, transportation and energy sectors. He is co-founder of Clean Marine Energy, SWITCH Maritime, MidOcean Wind, and partner of MidOcean Marine Partners. He graduated with a BA from Middlebury College in 2002, and with a MBA from Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in 2009. Pace’s previous background ranges from corporate finance and business development to energy efficiency financing and utility renewables. Pace and his partners saw the opportunity to unlock wide-scale emissions reductions in the maritime shipping industry. He is now broadly focused on financing the path to zero emissions shipping while advancing innovative sustainable technologies. Current project areas include clean ship fueling infrastructure, offshore wind farm installation and zero-emissions passenger transport.

About SWITCH

SWITCH Maritime (“SWITCH”) is a U.S. maritime investment company constructing and owning North America’s first commercial fleet of zero-emissions maritime vessels. SWITCH believes electrification, using both hydrogen fuel cell as well as battery, has the potential to address “hard-to-decarbonize” high horsepower transportation sectors, including maritime shipping.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Vitaly M. Golomb is a tech investment banker with over 20 years of experience on all sides of the table as a venture-backed CEO, venture capitalist, M&A advisor

Key topics in this conversation include

• The most promising mobility trends as of today
• How new founders can accelerate their learning curve and growth
• The role of investment banking in the rapidly evolving mobility ecosystem
• Vitaly’s path from CEO to VC and now M&A advisor and tech investment banker
• The importance of learning from biographies

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/vitalygolomb
• Future of Mobility LIVE registration: https://www.linkedin.com/events/futureofmobilitylive-investingi6856659498245984256/
• Vitaly’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalyg/

Vitaly’s Bio:

Vitaly M. Golomb is a tech investment banker with over 20 years of experience on all sides of the table as a venture-backed CEO, venture capitalist, M&A advisor. Vitaly is the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Partner at award-winning global M&A investment bank, Drake Star Partners. He has deep expertise in the transportation and mobility sector, in addition to experience in artificial intelligence, software/SaaS, and advanced materials.

Vitaly served as an advisor to Rimac Automobili (Bugatti Rimac), where he successfully secured its first major financing round and joint venture that established it as the world'stop brand in high performance electric vehicles. Some of his other notable clients include Fisker, Taiga Motors, HyperloopTT, Damon Motorcycles, and Polaris. He has contributed to TechCrunch and Boss Magazine, and authored the best-selling Accelerated Startup. He is an in-demand keynote speaker and trainer on startups, venture capital, and corporate innovation, as well the host of "Accelerated" Podcast.

About Drake Start Partners:

Drake Star Partners is a global investment banking firm serving the technology, media and communications sectors with offices in New York, London, Paris, Munich, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Berlin, Geneva, Singapore and Dubai. The firm focuses on M&A and corporate finance for its clients worldwide. Drake Star Partners completed over 400 transactions since 2004, 70% of which are cross- border.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Sterling Anderson is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Aurora, the company delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Aurora’s decision to pursue several AD applications in parallel
• How Sterling is thinking about partnerships and commercialization
• How Aurora is working towards long term success rather than trying to display technology in specific, niche applications
• How Aurora tests “smarter, not farther”
• Similarities and differences for automating a class 8 truck and a passenger car application

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/sterlinganderson
• Future of Mobility LIVE registration: https://www.linkedin.com/events/futureofmobilitylive-investingi6856659498245984256/
• Sterling’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinganderson/
• For more on Aurora, including partnerships with FedEx, Uber, Toyota, Volvo, and PACCAR, as well as their Aurora Driver Development Program, Safety Case Framework, product announcements, Fusion hardware kit, blueprint for ride-hailing, and more, visit their blog.

Sterling’s Bio:

Sterling Anderson is the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Aurora, the company delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. A longtime developer of autonomous vehicle technology, Sterling developed the MIT Intelligent Co-Pilot, a shared autonomy framework that paved the way for broad advances in cooperative control of human-machine systems. In 2014, he joined Tesla, where he led the design, development, and launch of the Tesla Model X and then led the team that delivered Tesla Autopilot. Sterling holds several patents and over a dozen publications in autonomous vehicle systems and earned his Masters and Ph.D. from MIT.

About Aurora:

Aurora, founded by the leading experts in self-driving, is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly with the Aurora Driver. The Aurora Driver is a platform that brings together software, hardware, and data services to safely operate any vehicle without a human driver. Backed by Amazon, Sequoia, and others, Aurora has partnerships with FedEx, Toyota, Volvo, Uber, PACCAR, and more. Aurora tests in the Bay Area, Pittsburgh, and Dallas, has offices in those cities and four other locations.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Moshe Cohen is founder and CEO of Gravity Inc. and Gravity Technologies. Gravity, Inc is a sustainable mobility startup focusing on EV fleets and supporting infrastructure.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Moshe’s path from lawyer to economics and finance professor at Columbia, and now sustainable mobility solution founder
• Why Level 2 charging doesn’t cut it in the city
• The challenges of operating an effective and profitable EV fleet in an urban area
• Gravity’s True Fast Charging site in Manhattan
• Reinvigorating the famous yellow taxi with an all-EV fleet

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/moshecohencohen
• Moshe’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/moshe-cohen-7b202399/

Moshe’s Bio:

Moshe Cohen is founder and CEO of Gravity Inc. and Gravity Technologies. Earlier in his career, Moshe was a finance and economics professor at Columbia business school, teaching MBA and PhD students courses in capital markets and investments and empirical corporate finance. With a PhD in economics from MIT and law degree from the Hebrew University, Moshe’s academic expertise includes structural estimation of large scale empirical industrial organization questions including network optimization, market structure, corporate strategy, discrete choice, new product introduction and regulatory structures. He lives in Manhattan.

About Gravity:

Gravity, Inc is a sustainable mobility startup focusing on EV fleets and supporting infrastructure. Gravity’s solutions bring together best-in-class equipment and integrated software, seamless customer interfaces and unique amenities that increase productivity. Gravity is opening Manhattan’s first and only True Fast Charging site later this fall and is preparing to launch a pioneering all-EV yellow taxi fleet, reinvigorating one of New York City’s most iconic brands. Gravity partners with building owners and parking operators to customize portfolio-wide conversions to electric vehicle charging, with the ability to support both individual EV drivers and large EV fleets. Learn more at GravityT.com.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Tomi Ristimäki is the CEO of Kempower, which designs and manufactures DC fast charging solutions for electric vehicles and machines.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How DC charging works
• Differences in charging requirements for various mobility applications
• The role of software in optimizing the charging experience
• Charging solutions for fleet owners
• Why 150 kW charging might be enough (and why the charger isn’t the limiting factor for charging speed)

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/tomiristamaki
• Tomi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomi-ristim%C3%A4ki-7719883/
• DC Charger recycling release: https://kempower.com/information-center/news/kempower-announces-99-end-of-lifetime-recyclability-rate-for-its-dc-charger-commits-to-carbon-neutrality-by-2035/
• Gibarco partnership release: https://kempower.com/information-center/news/kempower-launches-partnership-with-gilbarco-veeder-root-to-offer-ev-charging-solutions/

Tomi’s Bio:

Tomi is the CEO of Kempower, with over 20 years’ experience in electrification and more than 10 years’ involvement in the e-mobility sector. He has worked in cleantech throughout his career, specifically focusing on electrification and unlocking energy savings for all stakeholders. Tomi is passionate about making the world cleaner and more sustainable by enabling the electrification transition.

Tomi joined Kempower in 2019 and leads the company as it establishes itself as the market-leading provider of DC fast charging devices and services for electric cars, off-highway machines, marine vessels and commercial vehicles. Before joining Kempower, he spent nearly a decade at Danfoss Editron, with primary responsibility for business development in the company’s vehicle electrification business unit. Tomi also counts cleantech industry heavyweights in Vacon and Honeywell as previous employers.

About Kempower:

Kempower designs and manufactures DC fast charging solutions for electric vehicles and machines. The company comprises a team of electric vehicle enthusiasts with a deep understanding of the charging market and a hands-on mentality. Kempower's product development and production are rooted in Finland, with over 90% of its materials and components sourced locally. The company focuses on all areas of transportation, from personal cars and commercial vehicles to mining equipment, boats and motorsports. With 70 years of experience in perfecting power sources, Kempower sets the bar in engineering and user-experience design.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Nino Di Cara is the founder and president of Electric Autonomy Canada

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Why Nino started Electric Autonomy Canada
• How to think about the role of media and providing an accurate perspective on emerging technology
• Why we need to move to decarbonize now if we want to save our way of life
• The Electric Fueling Station of the Future: A Design Competition
• Decarbonize of non-automotive applications

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ninodicara
• Nino’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshiav/
• Electric Autonomy Canada website: https://electricautonomy.ca/
• Design competition website: https://designawards.electricautonomy.ca/

Nino’s Bio:

Nino Di Cara is the founder and president of Electric Autonomy Canada. He is the past president of the National Media Awards Foundation and recipient of the EV Society’s 2020 Howard Hutt Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Electric Transportation.

About Electric Autonomy Canada:

Electric Autonomy Canada is the leading news publication reporting on the transition to electric vehicles, autonomous transportation and new mobility services.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Dr. Ameya Joshi is the director of emerging technologies and regulations at Corning Incorporated

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The importance of clearly defining our objective – to reduce CO2 and particulate emissions
• What to do when science and public perception point in different directions
• Why environmental justice is so critical as we clean up transportation
• The disproportionate role of cold-start emissions, and technologies to address this
• Regulations, including Euro 7, and the propulsion systems that will define our future
• The downside of blanket bans on ICEs

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ameyajoshi
• Ameya’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshiav/
• Ameya’s Mobility Notes website and newsletter https://mobilitynotes.com/
• Corning website: https://www.corning.com/worldwide/en.html

Ameya’s Bio:

Dr. Ameya Joshi is the director of emerging technologies and regulations at Corning Incorporated, where he follows advances in engines, emissions control technologies and electrification, for the company’s Environmental Technologies division. He provides credible technical guidance to engage regulators, customers and other automotive suppliers on the direction of emissions regulations globally and their impact on future technology choices.

Ameya currently serves as an associate editor for the SAE Journal of Engines, Publishing Editor for the journal Emission Control Science and Technology and Editorial Board Member of the Transportation Engineering Journal. He is also a reviewer for various projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office through the Annual Merit Review. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Delaware in Mechanical Engineering.

About Corning:

Corning is one of the world's leading innovators in materials science, with a 169-year track record of life-changing inventions. Corning applies its unparalleled expertise in glass science, ceramics science, and optical physics, along with its deep manufacturing and engineering capabilities, to develop category-defining products that transform industries and enhance people's lives. Corning succeeds through sustained investment in RD&E, a unique combination of material and process innovation, and deep, trust-based relationships with customers who are global leaders in their industries.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Tarik is co-founder and CEO of GPR.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The current state of assisted and automated driving
• Why these technologies likely can’t excel using only the dataset that’s available to humans
• GPR’s roots in military applications
• How ground penetrating radar provides an additional, reliable dataset for accurate positioning of the vehicle
• The importance of working towards a clear vision when tackling long-term, complex challenges

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/tarikbolat
• Tarik’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarikbolat/
• GPR website: www.GPR.com

Tarik’s Bio:

Tarik has a passion for building high-performing startups rooted in powerful scientific discovery. Most recently he was the Executive Vice President at Renewable Energy Trust where he helped build one of the leading independent solar and wind power producers in North America. He's also spent time as a venture investor and management consultant. Tarik holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA from Columbia University.

About GPR:

GPR, formerly known as WaveSense, is pioneering the safest and highest performing assisted driving and autonomous capabilities through its Ground Positioning Radar™. As the world's most precise and reliable vehicle positioning system, GPR allows vehicles to determine their precise location with centimeter-level accuracy, no matter how challenging road conditions become. Whether it’s on-road in challenging conditions like unmarked roads, poor weather, or urban canyons, off-road, or even underground, vehicles that incorporate Ground Positioning Radar™ are able to deliver a more robust, higher quality assisted and autonomous driving experience that other sensors can’t. GPR is working closely with OEMs and Tier 1 partners to help vehicles safely navigate where current ADAS sensors, including lidar and camera-based systems, fall short.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Porter Harris is CEO and founder of Power Global.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Comparing battery technology for space, automotive, forklift, and rickshaw applications
• Why it’s so important to improve the sustainability of transportation in India and other parts of Asia
• How Power Global chose swappable batteries on a subscription basis for their initial offering
• Why Porter started Power Global

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/porterharris
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/porter-harris-39868312/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/porter_harris?lang=en
• Power Global website: https://www.power.global/

Porter’s Bio:

Porter Harris is CEO and founder of Power Global. Having previously served as co-founder of Romeo Power Technology, chief battery engineer at Faraday Future and lead battery pack designer at SpaceX, Porter has worked on some of the most technologically advanced products of the decade. At Power Global, he leads the company's vision, battery design and product development.

Power Global Description:

Power Global is bringing access to affordable, reliable electric mobility solutions across the world, including emerging markets such as India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and others. With a mission to deliver cleaner air and a better quality of life in these markets, Power Global is re-engineering more sustainable light mobility vehicles such as auto-rickshaws, a $16B underserved market.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Jack McCauley was co-founder and chief engineer at Oculus VR, and is Jack McCauley is Innovator-in-Residence, Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at the UC Berkeley College of Engineering, an American Engineer, Car Expert, Inventor, Hardware Designer, Gaming & Gaming-Interface Developer and Philanthropist.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Encouraging innovation
• The biggest opportunities for significant improvements to the latest electric vehicles
• What Jack and his students have learned while building and improving their own electric and hybrid vehicles
• The two most valuable pieces of career advice that Jack gives his students
• The current state of Virtual Reality technology, and most promising applications for the transportation sector

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jackmccauley
• Jack’s personal site: http://jackmccauley.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-j-mccauley-9237bb5/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jackmccauley1

Jack’s Bio:

Jack McCauley is Innovator-in-Residence, Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at the UC Berkeley College of Engineering, an American Engineer, Car Expert, Inventor, Hardware Designer, Gaming & Gaming-Interface Developer and Philanthropist. He is best known as a co-founder and former chief engineer at Oculus VR, a pioneering company in the field of Virtual Reality, which was acquired by Facebook for $2.3 Billion in 2014. Jack is also known for his work in designing the guitar-and-drum interface for the 2005 cultural phenomenon, the Guitar Hero video game series, and is also credited for inventing the first scrolling feature for the computer mouse. Aside from being one of the originators of the USB port standard, Jack also holds numerous U.S. patents for inventions in software, audio effects, virtual reality, motion control, computer peripherals, and video game hardware and controllers.

Jack currently sits as a Board Trustee at his alma mater, UC Berkeley College of Engineering. He is also an avid philanthropist in the areas of education and science, where his efforts and contributions led to the recent establishment of the McCauley Chair in Drug Policy Innovation at the RAND Corporation, aimed at supporting fact-based drug policy research to improve the health and well-being of communities around the world.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Kevin Antcliff is the Product Lead of Xwing, a startup whose mission is to dramatically increase human mobility using fully autonomous aerial vehicles

Key topics in this conversation include:

• What Kevin learned in nearly a decade of work on electrified aircraft at NASA
• The promise of regional air mobility
• The history of automated flight
• How Xwing is approaching autonomous aircraft development
• The role of autonomous flight in enabling sustainable, efficient, and convenient regional flight for cargo and passengers

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kevinantcliff
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinantcliff/
• Xwing website: xwing.com
• Xwing LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xwing/
• Regional Air Mobility paper: bit.ly/rampaper

Kevin’s Bio:

Kevin Antcliff is the Product Lead of Xwing, a startup whose mission is to dramatically increase human mobility using fully autonomous aerial vehicles. Kevin is passionate about making the joy of flight affordable, sustainable, and accessible for all. Kevin joined Xwing from NASA where he was the Deputy Lead of Emerging Applications and Technologies in the Aeronautics Systems Analysis Branch. In this role, he led the development of a white paper in collaboration with experts from industry and academia to cast a vision for Regional Air Mobility. He also served as the Co-PI on the High-efficiency Electrified Aircraft Thermal Research, or HEATheR, project and led the design of several electric and hybrid-electric aircraft concepts including the Parallel Electric-Gas Architecture with Synergistic Utilization Scheme (PEGASUS) concept and multiple Urban Air Mobility concepts within the Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) project. Kevin earned his BS and MS in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech.

About Xwing

Xwing is the first company to introduce autonomous technology for regional air cargo. With the goal of meeting growing unmet logistics demand, Xwing’s human-operated software stack seamlessly integrates with existing aircraft to enable regional pilotless flight. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Nathan Armstrong is CTO of Aptera Motors.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Challenges and benefits of utilizing a solar roof
• Vehicle design choices to minimize weight and improve sustainability
• The importance of weight and drag reduction when developing a sustainable vehicle – even (or especially) if it’s an EV
• Tom Robbins, Terry Pratchett, and Douglas Adams

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/nathanarmstrong
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-marks-3bb25782/
• Aptera website: http://www.aptera.us
• Aptera Twitter: @aptera_motors
• Aptera LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/apteramotors

Nathan’s Bio:

Nathan Armstrong is a design engineer, business entrepreneur, and CTO of Aptera Motors. He has previously had various roles in the aerospace and automotive sectors with Arrowhead Products, Metalcrafters, Aria Group, Boeing, Motive Industries, Draganfly Drones, Havelaar, Genesis Robotics, and ACF.

Nathan has received a few awards for business and engineering work, including: Top 40 under 40, Alberta Venture Business Person of the Year, TechRev award for Technology Innovation, ASTech Honouree Award in the field of Technology Futures, ABCTech Entrepreneur of the Month, Popular Science Innovation Award and Law Enforcement Award for Best New Vehicle.

About Aptera

Aptera Motors delivers the world’s most technologically advanced solar electric vehicles (sEVs), made possible by breakthroughs in battery efficiency, aerodynamics, material science, and manufacturing. A lightweight three-wheeler, Aptera is the first in a series of eco-friendly vehicles that will be offered for consumer and commercial use. It has the longest range of any production vehicle with 1,000 miles per charge and the ability to travel up to 46 miles a day on free power from its integrated solar panels. With only four key structural parts, Aptera’s unique body shape allows it to slip through the air using far less energy than other electric and hybrid vehicles on the road today. Learn more and configure your vehicle at www.aptera.us.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Mitch Marks is in business development for electrification at HBK.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Testing of electric vehicles

• How electrification has put additional pressure on the performance of measurement equipment

• The challenge of communicating technically complex topics to a wide range of audiences

• Why electrification has changed much more than the powertrain

• Parallels to industries outside of automotive

Links

· Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/mitchmarks

· LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-marks-3bb25782/

· HBK: https://www.hbm.com/en/3153/electrical-machine-and-powertrain-testing/

Mitch’s Bio:

Mitch has worked in electric motor development for 8 years and specializes in the test and measurement of traction motors and drives. He focuses on developing new testing techniques and accelerating the development process through testing. He has been with HBK since 2017 as a member of the electric power testing team. He has an undergraduate and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Madison WEMPEC program.

About HBK

HBK (Hottinger, Brüel & Kjær) provides scalable test and validation solutions that enables engineers in transportation, aerospace and defense, and telecom markets to cut time-to-market, drive innovation, and take the lead in a highly competitive global marketplace. HBK offers technology for sensing, data acquisition, data analytics and simulation to cover all aspects of product design, development and deployment. Key applications include electric power train performance calibration, durability testing, and electromechanical analysis.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Ryan Duffy launched Emerging Tech Brew and is an emerging tech writer at Morning Brew.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Emerging Tech Brew’s transformation into a media company
• The state of ADAS/AD, including Ryan’s experience riding in driverless Waymo vehicles
• The state of the electric vehicle market
• Ryan’s deep dive into artificial intelligence
• Trends to keep an eye on

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ryanduffy2
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rfduffy/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyanfDuffy
• Ryan’s personal site: https://xn--8p9h.fm/
• Emerging Tech Brew: link
• Electrified Aircraft with Max Liben: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/maxliben
• Electrification for mining, marine, and industrial equipment with Kimmo Rauma: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kimmorauma

Ryan’s Bio:

Ryan is an emerging tech writer at Morning Brew. Over two years ago, he launched Emerging Tech Brew, a newsletter that has evolved into a media franchise with a team of four and 300,000+ subscribers. Ryan's beat spans machine learning, robots, digital assets, and all the other technologies shaping the future of business. Ryan's writing has previously appeared in the New York Times, the Verge, the Texas Tribune, and a number of print magazines.

About Emerging Tech Brew:

Emerging Tech Brew is the tech-focused publication of Morning Brew. The flagship product, a newsletter, goes out thrice a week to technologists around the world. In addition to the newsletter, Emerging Tech Brew publishes everything from reported stories to long-form guides. Morning Brew is a media company committed to helping young professionals become smarter in minutes. The company started with a single daily email newsletter and now produce a portfolio of podcasts, videos, events, and newsletters (naturally!) that guarantee to inform and entertain.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Charlie Levine is Chief Marketing Officer at ElectReon

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How wireless charging for electric vehicles works
• ElectReon’s role in enabling smaller battery packs and consequently more environmentally friendly electric vehicles
• Common objections to wireless charging and how these are overcome
• ElectReon’s decision to offer financing options for charging system installations
• Commercialization of wireless charging

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/charlielevine
• Charlie’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-levine-171a444a/
• Electreon website: https://www.electreon.com/

Charlie’s Bio:

Before joining ElectReon, Charlie held several key positions in marketing and business development in several Israeli start-ups including, Moovit - the Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) provider. There she built and scaled Growth and Operations teams and was responsible for multiple new markets and regions for the company. Charlie holds a BA Magna Cum Lauda in Middle Eastern Studies from University College of London (UCL) and an MA Magna Cum Laudain Sustainability and Environmental Studies from Tel Aviv University, where she specialized in sustainable business models for off-grid wastewater projects in the Global South.

About ElectReon:

ElectReon is the leading provider of wireless charging solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), providing end-to-end charging infrastructure and services to meet the needs and efficiency demands of commercial fleet operators and consumers. The company’s proprietary inductive technology dynamically (while in motion) and statically (while stopped) charges EVs quickly and safely, eliminating range anxiety, lowering total costs of EV ownership, and reducing battery capacity needs—making it one of the most environmentally sustainable, scalable, and compelling charging solutions available today. For more information, visit electreon.com.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Sandra Witzel is Chief Marketing Officer at SkedGo.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The role of Mobility-as-a-Service in the mobility ecosystem
• The current state of MaaS, and key developments on the horizon
• Common misconceptions about accessibility
• How SkedGo is addressing sustainability while also increasing user convenience
• The big “aha” moment that propelled Sandra’s marketing efforts

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/sandrawitzel
• Sandra’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrawitzel/
• SkedGo website: https://skedgo.com/

Sandra’s Bio:

Sandra Witzel is Chief Marketing Officer and Board Member at SkedGo, a company that provides the technological building blocks enabling governments, leading start-ups and corporations to develop their own tailored mobility solutions, quickly and cost-effectively. Based in London, Sandra has worked remotely for several years.

Sandra began her tech career in Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), moving on to marketing roles in online gaming and fintech. Upon taking up her position at SkedGo, Sandra helped the team transition from a B2C company to a well-known B2B technology operator.

About SkedGo:

SkedGo was founded in 2009. Its HQ is in Sydney, Australia and the enterprise has teams in Germany, UK, Vietnam and Argentina. SkedGo provides the technological building blocks, which include its award-winning TripGo API, to create optimal MaaS solutions for governments, leading start-ups and corporations.

In 2016, TripGo spin-off RioGo won the official Rio Olympic City Transport challenge for the Olympic games. In 2017, SkedGo was named Gartner Cool Vendor for Smart Cities Applications and Solutions. Also in 2017, SkedGo won the Smart Cities & Accessibility Challenge run by the NSW Department of Finance, Service and Innovation with Transport for NSW and Slingshot to include more features for wheelchair users.

In 2018, TripGo was named ‘Best Smartphone App’ by industry publication Business MaaS. Strategic consultancy Ptolemus nominated SkedGo as ‘Best Mobility Platform Provider’ in 2019.

In 2020, SkedGo was awarded Smart City Platform of the year at the Future Digital Awards.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Max Liben is co-founder and CTO of H3X.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How electrified Regional Air Mobility (RAM) can have a huge impact on the mobility sector
• The need for drastically improved electric drives to enable widespread electric flight
• How H3X is reimaging electric drives from the ground-up
• Key levers H3X is pulling to radically exceed the state-of-the-art for electric drive performance and efficiency
• Lessons learned from Max’s experience with Y Combinator

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/maxliben
• Max’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-liben/
• H3X website: https://www.h3x.tech/
• NASA Regional Air Mobility (RAM) report: https://sacd.larc.nasa.gov/ram/

Max’s Bio:

Max Liben received his B.S. degree in mechanical engineering and his M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. During his undergraduate studies, he co-founded the engineering student organization Wisconsin Racing Formula SAE Electric and went on to design high power density in-hub motors for their electric racecar. During his graduate studies, he was a Research Assistant to Prof. Daniel C. Ludois at the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC), with a research focus on permanent magnet ring machines with integrated propellers. After graduation, he worked at Tesla as a Powertrain Performance Modeling Engineer before co-founding H3X Technologies, where he is currently developing high-performance integrated motor drives for flight applications.

About H3X:

H3X makes high performance integrated motor drives for electric aircraft. They are small group of elite specialists that are laser-focused on developing advanced electric propulsion technology to enable sustainable aviation. The company was founded by former Tesla and SpaceX engineers who built electric racecars together in college. Their Skunkworks-style operation allows them to iterate and innovate rapidly, and in an industry that is ripe for disruption, H3X is poised to emerge as a new leader.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Shweta Shrivastava is Senior Product Leader at Waymo, leading product management for autonomous driving capabilities.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Waymo’s mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to get where they’re going
• Benefits of focusing on fully automated driving
• Keys to successful product management
• How Waymo is learning from real-world applications, including their fleet in Phoenix
• How Shweta is leveraging experience gained in past roles with Nauto, Amazon, Cisco, and McKinsey

Links:

• · Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/shwetashrivastava
• · Shweta’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shshrivastava/
• · Waymo’s website: https://waymo.com/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Danielle Harris is Managing Director of Engagement & Innovation at Elemental Excelerator.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How Danielle is helping to inspire action in the push for social justice and climate action goals
• Why we should be optimistic, despite all of the climate challenges we’re facing
• Proactively identifying and overcoming the common challenges that founders face
• Common misconceptions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Elemental Excelator’s 5-Year Strategy

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/danielleharris
• Danielle’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/innovation_dj
• Danielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/djlanharris/
• Elemental Excelarator’s website: https://elementalexcelerator.com/
• Elemental Excelerator’s 5-Year Strategy: https://elementalexcelerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Elemental-5Y-Strategy-Scaling-Climate-x-Social-Equity-Solutions.pdf

Danielle’s Bio:

A passionate advocate for environmental and racial justice, Danielle oversees Elemental’s “Inspire Action” pillar of its 5-Year Strategy, committed to invigorating the hearts and minds of the many to reach our social justice and climate action goals. Previously, Danielle led Elemental’s mobility strategy and portfolio as Director of Mobility Innovation, working directly with Elemental’s mobility portfolio companies, partners and cities to catalyze collaboration within the transportation industry. As a thought leader in new mobility, Danielle provides a systems approach to help both startups and companies strategize and thrive within the ever-evolving transportation revolution. She sees mobility as a vital tool to resolve the challenges of today and unlock the potential of tomorrow. At Elemental, Danielle has worked with notable water companies such as Xos Trucks, ChargerHelp!, Ampaire, Scoot, Proterra.

Prior to Elemental Excelerator: Danielle was the Innovation Strategist for San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) Office of Innovation. She integrated her background in land use and transportation planning to create dynamic teams with both city departments and tech companies. Danielle used the city’s physical and companies’ digital infrastructure to implement pilots that focus on the user experience. By designing for hearts and minds, these pilots successfully improved roadway safety, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and addressed environmental inequities. After nine years with the City and County of San Francisco, she came to Elemental Excelerator to harness the power of tech to solve the big problems of climate change and environmental injustice. A proud Bay Area Native and Oakland resident, Danielle’s approach is rooted in genuine curiosity, collaboration, and compassion. She is committed to bringing different voices to the table to build unconventional teams that together develop innovative and holistic solutions centered around people.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Ethan Escowitz is CEO and Founder of Arris Composites.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• How lightweighting can cut emissions – independent of the propulsion system
• Arris’s revolutionary Additive Molding process
• Composites in aerospace and high-volume automotive applications
• Turning 17 components into 1
• Aligned composite fibers for maximum strength-to-weight ratio

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ethanescowitz
• Arris’s website: https://arriscomposites.com/
• Ethan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethane/

Ethan’s bio:

Ethan Escowitz is CEO and Founder of Arris Composites. In his role, Ethan leads the company’s strategic direction with a big mission: to unlock advanced composites for world-changing high volume products. Ethan has a rich history of experience that spans a formative period in manufacturing that has witnessed the rise, fall, and stabilization of additive manufacturing. His ascent to Arris Composites CEO has included roles across the organization and across the product and manufacturing space, including product developer, business developer, marketer, inventor, fundraiser, day-to-day business operator, hacker, and leader. Ethan holds a BS in Geology from University of Vermont.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Jay Giraud is co-founder and chief executive officer of Damon Motors.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The role of motorbikes in the transportation ecosystem
• Damon’s 10-year vision for creating the optimal motorbike of the future
• The role of rider assistance technology in increasing motorbike safety
• How their flagship HyperSport is paving the way for the future
• Building a team and maintain excitement around a common mission

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jaygiraud/
• Damon website: https://damon.com/
• Jay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaygiraud/
• Jay’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaygiraud?lang=en

Jay’s bio:

A serial entrepreneur, Jay has focused his efforts on redefining mobility with Damon, creating a safer, smarter and seamlessly connected motorcycle experience. Jay is the author of multiple patents and has spoken extensively about automotive, mobility and cleantech at conferences globally. In addition to his entrepreneurial efforts, Jay is an extreme sports enthusiast. He traveled the world as British Columbia’s top-ranked professional snowboarder in all four freestyle disciplines in 1998. Jay has been riding motorcycles for over 20 years and has ridden hundreds of different motorcycles on track and the road. His favorite place to ride is Northern California and aims to tour Montana and Wyoming in the future. Jay has a passion for sport and supersport bikes, as well as an appreciation for touring bikes. Jay has ensured the experiences of all three are in the Hypersport design.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Jean-Louis Kindler is Co-Founder and CEO of Ways2H Inc., a global provider of facilities that convert the world’s worst waste into renewable hydrogen for mobility and power generation.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Jean-Louis’s experience spending the past two decades working on hydrogen generation
• The technology deployed by Ways2H
• How waste can provide hydrogen with net negative emissions
• Ideal applications for on-site hydrogen production
• The Horseman

Links:

• Ways2H website: https://ways2h.com/
• Jean-Louis’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanlouiskindler/
• Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jean-louiskindler

Jean-Louis’s bio:

Jean-Louis Kindler is Co-Founder and CEO of Ways2H Inc., a global provider of facilities that convert the world’s worst waste into renewable hydrogen for mobility and power generation. With a first facility completed in Tokyo, the company is working on a pipeline of renewable hydrogen facilities in the U.S., the U.K., Europe, and other regions that use a carbon-neutral, non-incineration process to convert municipal solid waste, sewage sludge, plastics or other refuse into clean hydrogen fuel for the growing hydrogen economy.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Badr Abduljawad is Co-Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, and Patrick Steiche is Manager of Hydrogen Systems Integration for Hydra Energy, the world’s first Hydrogen-as-a-Service provider for commercial fleets.

Key topics in this conversation include:

· Diesel and hydrogen co-combustion

· Hydrogen combustion compared to fuel cell and battery electric propulsion systems for commercial vehicles

· How Hydra can upfit diesel propulsion systems at no charge and offer hydrogen for cheaper than diesel

· The long-term vision towards 100% hydrogen production

· Hydra’s clean method of hydrogen production from existing chemical plants

Links:

Show notes:brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/hydraenergy

Hydra’s website: https://hydraenergy.com/

Email address for more information: info@hydra-energy.ca

Badr’s bio:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/badrabduljawad/

Having spent much of his life surrounded by car enthusiasts, Badr developed a keen interest in automotive engineering.

Coupled with a passion for technology he decided to follow the path of Cleantech innovation. Driven by a love of the environment and an overriding desire to reverse climate change, he believes a hydrogen powered future is the way forward.

In addition to Hydra Energy, Badr has co-founded LaunchCode, a software solutions company and GridGear, a hardware and software manufacturer of electrical smart meters.

Patrick’s bio:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-steiche/

After a joint research project between the University of British Columbia and Hydra Energy, Patrick joined the team in 2017. Since then he has been involved in Hydra’s hydrogen dual-fuel technology application, where he leads the on-road performance and emission measurement campaigns

These days Patrick is focused on Hydra’s Research and Innovation Council, where he is working together closely with academia and other research groups to find solutions to advance Hydra’s technology and to grow Hydra’s IP portfolio.

Patrick holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Dr. Kimmo Rauma is Vice-President of Danfoss Editron.

Key points include:

• The case for electrification of heavy duty machinery

• Why electric rock crushers are so much more productive than diesel

• Comparing heavy duty electric propulsion systems to automotive applications

• Electric motor and inverter design decisions

Links

Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/kimmorauma/

Kimmo’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmorauma/

Danfoss Editron website: https://www.danfoss.com/en-us/about-danfoss/our-businesses/power-solutions/danfoss-editron/

Kimmo bio

Dr. Kimmo Rauma is Vice-President of Danfoss Editron. He co-founded and was CEO of Visedo before the company became Danfoss Editron following its acquisition by the Danfoss Group in December 2017. Before pioneering heavy-duty electrification with Visedo, Kimmo founded several technology start-ups in various fields, from dental technology to machine learning.

Kimmo holds both Master’s and Doctorates degrees in Electrical Engineering from LUT University in Finland. He is also a member of the Electric Vehicle Systems Program steering group of the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, as well as a member of LUT University’s Board of Directors.

Danfoss Editron description

Danfoss Editron is changing the way the world moves with electric and hybrid powertrain systems for heavy-duty and commercial vehicles and machines on both land and sea. The company’s EDITRON system has been designed from the ground up to ensure maximum efficiency at real-world load speeds. The software-based approach allows for greater intelligent management of power distribution, delivering superior performance for heavy-duty applications in even the most demanding environments.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Kelly and Felix join to talk about their new book Racing Toward Zero – The Untold Story of Driving Green. Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. Felix Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, a post held jointly with that of Fellow and Tutor in Engineering Science at Keble College

Order the book now: https://www.sae.org/publications/books/content/r-501/

Questions or comments? Send an email to podcast@fev.com.

Show notes: linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/racingtowardzero

About Racing Toward Zero:

In Racing Toward Zero, the authors explore the issues inherent in developing sustainable transportation. They review the types of propulsion systems and vehicle options, discuss low-carbon fuels and alternative energy sources, and examine the role of regulation in curbing emissions.

All technologies have an impact on the environment, from internal combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and hybrids—there is no silver bullet. The battery electric vehicle may seem the obvious path to a sustainable, carbon-free transportation future, but it’s not the only, nor necessarily the best, path forward. The vast majority of vehicles today use the internal combustion engine (ICE), and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Improving the ICE and its fuels—entering a new ICE age—must be a main route on the road to zero emissions.

How do we go green? The future requires a balanced approach to transportation. It’s not a matter of choosing between combustion or electrification; it’s combustion and electrification. As the authors say, “The future is eclectic.” By harnessing the best qualities of both technologies, we will be in the best position to address our transportation future as quickly as possible.

Kelly’s bio:

Linkedin page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/senecal/

Kelly Senecal is a co-founder and owner of Convergent Science. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a co-founder and director of the Computational Chemistry Consortium (C3), and an associate editor of the journal Transportation Engineering. Kelly is a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), a member of the executive committee of the ASME ICE Division, a member of the board of advisors for the Central States Section of the Combustion Institute, and the 2019 recipient of the ASME Internal Combustion Engine Award.

Felix’s bio:

LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-leach-67713987/

Felix Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, a post held jointly with that of Fellow and Tutor in Engineering Science at Keble College. His research interests are in emissions and efficiency of thermal propulsion systems and air quality. He has focused particularly on particulate emissions from gasoline direct injection engines and developing a fundamental understanding of NOx emissions from diesel engines.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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John Zelasko is Vice President of Business Development at FEV North America.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• FEV’s role within the mobility ecosystem
• Challenges and opportunities presented by the rapid pace of technology development
• Evolving from powertrain specialists to full vehicle engineering
• Humility and leadership

Links:

• Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/johnzelasko
• John’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/john-zelasko-87012a12/
• FEV’s website: fev.com/usa

John’s Bio:

John manages a team responsible for North American business development and marketing and has a passion for developing and executing strategies to create and grow new business. His team covers a wide range of application segments, across a full range of vehicle engineering services. John enjoys working with his colleagues around the globe to effectively build global partnerships. In his spare time, John relishes all things active, specifically any opportunity to be on the ocean.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Chris Thomas is a Co-Founder and Partner at Assembly Ventures and he previously co-founded Detroit Mobility Lab and the Michigan Mobility Institute.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Rethinking the mobility ecosystem
• The ISA framework for identifying and creating value for mobility
• The unique approach taken by Assembly Ventures
• The importance of candor in Chris’s life and career
• How Chris built a lasting relationship with Bill Ford during an internship

Links:

• Show notes: brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/christhomas
• Chris’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherthomas/
• Assembly Ventures Medium page: medium.com/assembly-ventures

Chris’s bio:

Chris Thomas is a Co-Founder at Partner at Assembly Ventures, the first trans-Atlantic mobility fund in the world based in Detroit and Berlin. Prior to Assembly Ventures he co-founded Detroit Mobility Lab and the Michigan Mobility Institute, entities dedicated to helping Detroit become one of the world’s foremost future mobility ecosystems and creating the future of mobility talent in North America. Prior to the Detroit Mobility Lab and the Michigan Mobility Institute Chris co-founded Fontinalis Partners and for over a decade worked to build it into one of the premier investment firms in next-generation mobility. While at Fontinalis, he served as a board member for nuTonomy (acquired by Aptiv in October 2017) and Karamba Security, and as a board observer at ParkMe (acquired by INRIX in September 2015), Parkmobile (acquired by BMW in January 2018), Life360 (IPO in May 2019), Ouster (SPAC in December 2020) and SmartKargo.

Prior to Fontinalis, Chris served in the U.S. Army as a communications officer in the U.S. and Iraq. Before joining the military, Chris worked as an investment banker at UBS within its Technology and Energy groups in San Francisco and New York. Additionally, Chris acts as a senior advisor to the COMMIT Foundation and is a member of the Global Cleantech 100 expert panel. He is also a co-owner of Buddy's Pizza, the birthplace of original Detroit-style pizza, and an avid angel investor. Chris has previously served as the chairman of Read to a Child, a national children’s literacy and mentoring nonprofit in the United States and acted as a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Personal Transportation Systems.

Chris earned his master’s degree in business administration from the Yale School of Management. While at Yale he served on the Honor Committee and graduated with distinction in former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s seminar on Faith and Globalization. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in both economics and international relations from Michigan State University. Chris is a resident of the city of Detroit where he lives with his wife and sons. He is a staunch advocate of connected communities, early childhood literacy, and the doctrine of the strenuous life.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Josh Sobil is Chief Commercial Officer at Exro Technologies, a clean technology company pioneering intelligent control solutions in power electronics to help solve the most challenging problems in electrification. Exro has developed a new class of control technology that expands the capabilities of electric motors, generators, and batteries. Exro enables the application to achieve more with less energy consumed.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The role of inverters in electric propulsion systems

• Exro’s novel approach with their Coil Driver

• The benefit of two different torque profiles from a single electric machine

• The potential to make two-speed EDUs unnecessary

• Ideal applications for this new technology

Links:

Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/joshsobil

Exro’s website: https://www.exro.com/

Josh’s LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-sobil/

Josh Sobil Bio:

Josh has over a decade of experience in the power conversion industry, beginning his career with GE and moving to Siemens Canada where he led the growth of its Mining business in Western Canada. He is a graduate of McMaster University with a Bachelor of Engineering & Management in Mechanical Engineering and holds MBA from the Schulich School of Business.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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John McElroy is the president of Blue Sky Productions, and is a legend in the automotive media landscape. He has decades of experience as a journalist, lecturer, commentator, and entrepreneur. Some of contributions include his TV program, Autoline This Week, and his weekly live webcast, Autoline After Hours. He also broadcasts three daily radio segments in the Detroit area, in addition to seemingly countless appearances on different media platforms.

Key topics in this conversation includes:

• The role of media in the automotive industry

• Different electrification strategies from OEMs and start-ups

• Predicting how the automotive landscape will look 5-10 years from now

• The current state of automated driving and how that’s expected to evolve

Links:

Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/johnmcelroy

Autoline: http://www.autoline.tv/whatisad/

John’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mcelroy-77534bb/

John McElroy Bio:

John McElroy is an influential thought leader in the automotive industry. He is a journalist, lecturer, commentator and entrepreneur. He created “Autoline Daily,” the first industry webcast of industry news and analysis. He is also the host of the television program “Autoline This Week,” an Emmy Award-winning, weekly half-hour discussion program featuring top automotive executives and journalists. And he co-hosts “Autoline After Hours,” a weekly live webcast that focuses on new cars and technology. The show can be seen online at www.Autoline.tv

McElroy also broadcasts three radio segments daily on WWJ Newsradio 950, the CBS affiliate in Detroit. He writes a blog for Autoblog.com and a monthly op-ed article for Ward’s Auto World.

As a journalist, McElroy put his automotive background to good use. His past experience includes five years at Detroit Editor for Road & Track, and as the American correspondent for World Cars, published by the Automotive Club of Italy. He was also invited to write the annual automotive entry for the Encyclopedia Britannica Yearbook. He spent most of his career at the trade magazine Automotive Industries where he ultimately rose to Editorial Director.

McElroy has appeared as an automotive expert on ABC World News Tonight, CBS News, and NBC Nightly News. He is often interviewed by CNN, NPR, and CBC in Canada. He is frequently asked to speak to automakers, suppliers and industry organizations. He is a member of the jury of the North American Car and Truck of the Year, and has won numerous awards for editorial excellence.

John McElroy is the president of Blue Sky Productions, Inc., which produces television, radio, and digital content, including video production.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

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Alan Dowdell is vice president of business development at Wrightspeed, a company striving to design and build the world’s most efficient battery electric vehicle powertrains.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Alan’s focus on structural shifts in industries – LCD glass, telecommunications, and now electrification

• The importance of first principles engineering as an enabler for success

• Wrightspeed’s unique role as a turnkey, end-to-end electrified propulsion system provider

• Attractive use cases for a range extender for heavy duty applications

• Wrightspeed’s approach to propulsion system development

• Applying engineering thought processes to business development

Links:

Alan’s LinkedIn: link

Wrightspeed website: link

Alan’s Bio:

Alan Dowdell is vice president of business development at Wrightspeed. In his role, Alan leads the development of the company’s strategic vision, creating new partnerships and driving new resources to expand and grow the organization. Alan is an international business leader with over 15 years of experience specializing in technology-focused growth. Prior to Wrightspeed, Alan led the energy and transportation practice at 19Y Advisors, helping companies craft and execute strategic business plans and alliances. Alan also previously served as VP of business development and strategic partnerships at ChargePoint, the world’s largest network of electric vehicle charging stations, where he led initiatives on autonomous vehicles and fleets, smart cities, and energy management, among others. Alan holds an MBA from MIT Sloan as a Sloan Fellow and a BS in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Katelyn Davis is co-author Women Driven Mobility and is Director of the Mobility practice at Antenna, a strategic communications and integrated marketing agency that works with innovative B2B companies solving meaningful global challenges such as transportation, sustainable tech, and other disruptive technologies

Key topics in this conversation include:

• Her motivation for writing Women Driven Mobility

• The importance of highlighting diversity in STEM fields

• Marketing and communications in the rapidly evolving mobility space

• Storytelling in a technical B2B setting

• Appealing to millennials

Links:

Women Driven Mobility: https://www.womendrivenmobility.com/

Katelyn’s website: https://www.katelynshelby.com/

Katelyn’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/katelynshelby

Katelyn’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelynsdavis/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Tiffany Chu was CEO and Co-founder of Remix. Now she is SVP at Via after Via recently acquired Remix.

Key topics in this conversation include:

• The role of transportation planning in making meaningful positive change for communities

• Common challenges for transportation planners

• How to think about equity

• Remix’s solution to help improve planning and decision making

• Remix’s unique origin story and journey to acquisition

Tiffany’s Bio:

Tiffany Chu is a designer, planner, and the CEO & Co-founder of Remix (remix.com). She and her team build a collaborative software platform for 350+ cities around the world to plan their mobility future. She has been named in Forbes' 30 Under 30, LinkedIn's Next Wave of Leaders Under 35, Curbed’s Young Guns, and featured at SXSW, Helsinki Design Week, the New York Times Cities for Tomorrow Conference and more.

Remix has been recognized as both a 2020 World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer and BloombergNEF (New Energy Finance) Pioneer for the company’s work in empowering cities to make transportation decisions with sustainability and equity at the forefront. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, Energy Impact Partners, Y Combinator, and Elemental Excelerator. Remix was acquired by Via in 2021 for $100M.

Tiffany currently serves as Commissioner of the San Francisco Department of the Environment, and sits on the city’s Congestion Pricing Policy Advisory Committee. Previously, Tiffany was a Fellow at Code

Remix website: Remix | The Collaborative Platform for Transportation Decision-Makers

Tiffany’s LinkedIn: Tiffany Chu | LinkedIn

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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James Taylor is Co-founder and CEO of Electric Last Mile Solutions.

Key topics in this conversation:

• The case for electric vehicles in the last leg of delivery

• ELMS’s unique approach to minimize vehicle costs

• How ELMS plans to deliver their first vehicle in 2021

• James’s experience in leadership roles at GM and then other electric vehicle companies before leading ELMS

James’s Bio:

James is a highly accomplished automotive executive with over 30 years of experience building and leading global automotive brands. As Co-Founder and CEO of ELMS, he is now applying his extensive experience to disrupt the commercial last mile delivery sector. James has spent the last decade in the emerging EV segment, most recently as CEO of SF Motors and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Karma Automotive, where he established the company’s brand and market positioning and built a successful network for sales, service and distribution focused on providing a world-class customer experience. James was previously one of the founding members of Workhorse Group and served as the company’s Chairman and CEO. During his tenure, he raised capital investments and pivoted the company’s focus from the electrification of cars and SUVs to medium duty commercial trucks. Earlier, James ran some of General Motors’ most well-known and unique brands, serving as President of Cadillac and CEO of Hummer. James graduated from McMaster University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Business.

ELMS website: https://electriclastmile.com/

James’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamestaylor111/

ELMS LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/electric-last-mile-solutions/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Praveen Penmetsa is co-founder and CEO of Monarch Tractor, where they’re developing an electric and automated compact tractor.

Key topics:

• The role of mobility solutions in supporting farmers and our food ecosystem

• The potential cost advantages of electric and automated compact tractors

• The unique challenges presented by farming use cases

• Challenges and lessons along the entrepreneurial journey

Praveen Bio:

Praveen Penmetsa has over 18 years of hands-on experience in translating creative visions into products for clients ranging from start-ups to Fortune 50 companies. His formative years were spent building race cars and new mobility solutions under highly compressed timelines and in the last 4 years he has focused his efforts in Agtech solutions. He loves the creative energy that permeates the product engineering lifecycle-especially on seemingly impossible projects. Praveen is CEO of Monarch Tractor and Motivo Engineering, outside of the office, you will find Praveen at the local race track with his vintage BMW.

Links:

Video of Monarch tractor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcpi4vR-_44

Monarch Tractor website: www.monarchtractor.com.

Praveen LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/praveenpenmetsa

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Kay Cheng is director of Streets at Equity at Spin. Key topics in this conversation include:

• The newly redesigned Spin Access program

• Their research to enable a micromobility offering to help underserved populations

• The role of micromobility within the greater transportation ecosystem

• How Spin is striving for transportation equity, beyond the Spin Access program

Kay’s background:

Kay Cheng believes in people centered design and that cities should be responsive and adaptive to the changing needs of its residents. She's excited to be part of a future where roads and public spaces can be easily reconfigured to optimize safety, efficiency, sustainability and enjoyment for all.

Currently, she leads a team at Spin that designed and runs the Safe & Livable Streets Program and Equity Initiatives. Her team at Spin helps cities and advocates provide safer experiences for users, and people walking, biking and rolling on the street. Prior to Spin, she had a long tenure with the San Francisco Planning Department and led many of the Department’s innovative projects.

Combining previous experience working at New York City Planning, landscape design, architecture and transportation planning firms she has a knack for pushing the cities to try new things. She has an MS in Urban Planning from Columbia University and a BA in Urban Studies and minor in Digital Design from the University of California Riverside.

Kay’s social: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaycheng/; https://twitter.com/hikaycheng?lang=en

Spin website : https://www.spin.app/

Spin social: https://twitter.com/ridespin; https://www.linkedin.com/company/ridespin/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Alisyn Malek is the Executive Director for the Commission on the Future of Mobility. She is also the founder and CEO of Middle Third, a boutique mobility consultancy helping clients to unlock the potential of technology and transportation. Prior to these roles, she co-founded May Mobility building autonomous vehicle transportation solutions. She grew the company from laboratory concept to operations in three states and a strong pipeline for growth in less than three years. Alisyn started her career as an engineer working on electric vehicle charging technology at General Motors before moving to their corporate venture arm, leading investments across electrification, connected vehicles, mobility and autonomy. Alisyn was recognized as an Automotive News All Star in 2019, a top ten female innovator to watch by Smithsonian in 2018 and a top automotive professional under 35 to watch by LinkedIn in 2015

Topics include:

• The importance of policy in enabling transportation improvements

• Why the Commission on the Future of Mobility was founded

• Their six key principles and their blueprint for making a difference

• Alisyn’s journey from EV engineer to venture capital, May Mobility, and now the Commission

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisynmalek/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/cofomobility/

https://twitter.com/m_alisyn

https://twitter.com/cofomobility

Also, if you like this show, I recommend you check out the Wunder Mobility Podcast with Gunnar Froh and Sam Baker, the co-founders of Wunder Mobility. They cover topics across the new mobility ecosystem and already have invited inspirational thought leaders from the mobility sector to share their visions, products, successes, and setbacks. A really great interview they have done recently is with Ozgur Tohumcu CEO of Oxbotica around the actual and honest status quo of autonomous mobility.

https://wundermobility.podigee.io/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Chase Drum is an electric vehicle consultant and host of Grid Connections podcast. His podcast looks at how the electrical grid is becoming the intersection between clean transportation, new digital technologies and next gen electric infrastructure.

Topics include:

• How the electrical grid works

• The state of the US grids

• What led to the recent challenges in Texas

• Considerations for increased load caused by electric vehicles

• Sustainability

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chasedrum/

https://twitter.com/ConnectionsGrid

Further Reading:

Polestar life cycle analysis https://www.polestar.com/uk/electric-sustainability/transparency/

Renewable energy is the fastest growing source of energy in the U.S.

Tracking changes in cost and efficiency of solar over time

The cost of EV batteries has dropped 89% in 10 years

https://evtool.ucsusa.org/

https://blog.ucsusa.org/hanjiro-ambrose/the-second-life-of-used-ev-batteries

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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John Pelliccio is Head of Product Communications for the Automotive Division at Bose and Travis Head of the Automotive advanced development team for Active Sound Management technologies. John leads a global team responsible for creating the communications tools required to help describe and demonstrate the unique offerings Bose brings to the automotive marketplace. Travis manages a team of engineers working on sound and noise management solutions for Bose’s automotive OEM customers.

Topics include:

• The relation between noise-cancelling headphones and an automotive environment

• Engine harmonic cancellation

• Other aspects of active sound management

• Bose’s collaboration with DSP-Concepts

• The impact of electrification and automated driving on in-cabin experience

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/bose-automotive/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-pelliccio-7770a09/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thein/

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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In this special episode, I answer a question that I ask each of my guests by covering four books that have had a significant impact on me. Books mentioned: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius Discourses by Epictetus Letters to Lucilius by Seneca Obstacle is the Way, Ego is the Enemy, Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday So Good They Can't Ignore You by Cal Newport Deep Work by Cal Newport Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman This Is Marketing by Seth Godin

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/ http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Joe Britton is Executive Director of the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), an industry coalition advocating for national policies that will enable 100% electric vehicle sales throughout the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors by 2030.

This conversation is focused on electric vehicles, including their benefits, challenges, and what needs to be done to achieve ZETA’s aggressive goal.

ZETA website:

https://www.zeta2030.org/

Joe Britton Bio:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-britton-23835b4/

Joe has spent the past fifteen years working in the U.S. Senate, most recently serving as Chief of

Staff for U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM). Prior to that he spent five years as Deputy Chief

of Staff and Legislative Director for Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and six years with Senator Ben

Nelson (D-NE) serving as a Legislative Assistant. He also served as a Senior Advisor to USDA

Secretary Tom Vilsack, helping to oversee the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm

Service Agency, and the Forest Service. He helped launch the Zero Emission Transportation

Association alongside 35 member companies in November 2020.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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This episode is a Future of Mobility first – a three-way discussion featuring Tom Gould and John Gomez from Adient, a leading global automotive seating supplier. Vehicle interiors, and seating in particular, have a lot of room for growth as autonomous and shared vehicles continue to gain traction. In this conversation, we hear how Tom and John are thinking about the impact of these new technologies on future interiors.

Tom Gould bio:

Thomas Gould leads Design and Technology at Adient. This Includes the Industrial Design and Craftsmanship team that provides product solutions for the Adient automotive seating business unit for production work as well as the Technology and Innovation team that explores advanced concepts that are tied to relevant consumer and business needs.

He has been with the company since 1989.

Tom earned his degree in product and transportation design from Wayne State University and is a certified professional innovator.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasgould/

John Gomez bio:

John Gomez is the Advanced Studio Design Manager for Adient North America. He leads the Design and Innovation Studio, which is responsible for delivering solutions for seating products that add consumer value while addressing the needs of their automotive customers.

The Adient Advanced Design Team leans heavily on both consumer and market research to identify new opportunities that benefit the end-user experience. Pairing these opportunities with the latest technologies and a capable design and engineering team, sets the groundwork for product development and interior concepts, like the Ai19, which was showcased at CES this past year.

John is an Industrial Design graduate from the College for Creative studies and has been with the company for over 20 years.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gomez-0031a116/

Adient AI19 Demonstrator

https://www.adient.com/advancements/ai19

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Bryan Stevens is Creative and Exhibitions Director for the Petersen Automotive Museum, located in Los Angeles.  This conversation focuses on providing context for new technology amidst the tremendous shift we're currently experiencing in the automotive segment. Electric vehicles are highlighted, looking back to their roots in the early 1900s, as well as looking at the technology and adoption both now and in the future. https://www.petersen.org/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7l9_nNV7JWaSnNMqNjTEAQ

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/ http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Greg Hunt is Senior Research Chemist for Strategic Research at the Lubrizol Corporation. Greg has a PhD in Chemistry from England’s 3rd oldest University - Durham University. He has published 18 research papers and has a handful of patents on corrosion. Additionally, Greg is Co-Inventor of the wire corrosion test.

This discussion is centered on the role of fluids for electric vehicle propulsion systems, with a focus on the risks, causes, and mitigation of wire corrosion. This topic is critical as we look to improve efficiency and lifetime for electric vehicles.

To address this issue, Lubrizol and FEV have collaborated to provide the innovative Wire Corrosion Test for anyone working in this field. This test is the first of its kind and is optimized to provide quick, quantitative feedback to assist in the development and validation of corrosion-resist fluids. Contact either Greg or Brandon through LinkedIn to learn more.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-hunt-6a84ab28/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-lubrizol-corporation/

https://www.lubrizol.com/

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Marc Ausman is CEO & Co-founder of Airflow.aero, a startup developing the first electric Short Take-Off and Landing (eSTOL) aircraft designed for middle-mile logistics. Marc has quite a list of relevant experience, including working on the Airbus Vahana project.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcausman/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/airflowaero/

https://www.airflow.aero/

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, and equitable mobility solutions, with a focus on the people and technology advancing these fields.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Asaf Weisbrot is Chief Commercial Office at Otonomo, a company working to make car data as valuable as possible for drivers, passengers, and the transportation ecosystem.

Vehicles collect a mind-boggling volume of data, but this data often isn’t used to its full potential. In this conversation, Asaf and I talk about the different types of data that is available, and practical examples of how this data can be used to improve safety and efficiency for various aspects of the mobility sector. We also touch on key points such as privacy and security.

https://otonomo.io/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/asaf-weisbrot-1286281/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/otonomo/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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As the year comes to a close, I cover three main topics in this special episode:

1. Why was the podcast started in the first place?

2. What are the key trends that have emerged through the first 31 interviews?

3. What's next?

Thanks to everyone who has listened and followed along.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Abhishek Kar is a Regional Associate Product Manager at Shell, focused on their Lubricant business in the Americas region. Abhishek was recently named as one of the 35 Under 35 Chemical Engineers by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) for his significant contribution to the field and potential for the future, especially in Energy and Environment.

This conversation is pretty evenly split in two. The first part is a technical discussion focused on lubricants and the role of Abhishek’s work in creating a sustainable future, and the second half provides interesting insights into the way Abhishek has approached his career so far.

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishek-kar-1b96436/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/shell/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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John Reimers is a PhD candidate at McMaster University, and his PhD thesis topic is integrated traction inverter and battery charger topologies, including challenges for practical implementation, new topology development, and modelling and experimental validation.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Mark Frohnmayer is founder and president of Arcimoto, a mobility company pushing to catalyze the shift to a sustainable transportation system. They’re developing and introducing right-size electric mobility solutions with names such as the Fun Utility Vehicle (FUV), the Deliverator, and Rapid Responder.

This conversation provides holistic view at the role of transportation, and the opportunities Mark sees for introducing smaller purpose-built vehicles for the most common trips that we make.

http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

https://www.arcimoto.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/markfrohnmayer/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/arcimoto/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Shreshta is a PhD candidate at Ohio State,  working with the Center for Automotive Research in the domain of optimization and simulation of electrified propulsion systems in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Richard Steiner is Head of Policy and Communications at Gatik. Gatik is developing autonomous vehicles for B2B short-haul logistics with the mission of delivering goods safely and efficiently using autonomous vehicles.

Gatik has an existing partnership with Walmart and has recently announced a partnership with Canada’s largest retailer, Loblaw. As you’ll hear, Gatik is focused on the “middle mile,” as opposed to the more popular long haul truck or last-mile applications. During this episode, you’ll hear why this was selected as the focus, and what this focus has meant for the way Gatik develops and implements their solution.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Media Sina is currently an R&D Engineer Intern at Coreshell Technologies with a background in Chemical ad Biomecular Engineering from UC Berkeley.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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David Oord is Head of Regulatory Affairs Americas at Lilium, which is a German company developing a revolutionary air taxi service. As David and I discussed in this episode, Lilium has recently announced that a brand new vertiport will be constructed in Orlando, Florida, as a major development in the US for this new era of air mobility.

https://lilium.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/lilium-aviation-gmbh/?originalSubdomain=de

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-oord/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Çetin Meriçli is CEO and Co-founder of Locomation, which is a Pittsburgh-based startup with the goal of making trucking safer and transportation more efficient through automated driving technology.

They’re already showcasing the benefit of the first manifestation of this technology, their Autonomous Relay Convoy (ARC), and Locomation has a longer term vision of progressing this into full-self driving technology. We spent much of this conversation focused on Locomation’s approach, and the challenges associated with automating semi-trucks.

https://locomation.ai/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/locomation/

https://twitter.com/LocomationAI

https://twitter.com/cmericli

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cetinmericli/

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Nat Ford is CEO of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (or JTA). Mr. Ford’s storied career includes tenures as CEO of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.

He has received an incredible list of accolades, including the American Public Transportation Association’s Outstanding Public Transportation Manager for 2020, as well as the White House Champion of Change award.

This forward-looking conversation focused on the role automated vehicles can play in public transportation, as well as the different ways in which a transportation authority (and specifically JTA) can have a significant impact on its community.

JTA website: https://www.jtafla.com/

During the conversation, we discussed JTA's approach to hiring and developing their culture. Mr. Ford highlighted the Leadership Characteristics that the JTA has developed, which are shown in the show notes.

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Dr. Anita Sengupta is a rocket scientist and aerospace engineer with over 20 years of experience developing technologies that have enabled the exploration of Mars, Asteroids, and Deep Space. Some of her roles include responsibility for the supersonic parachute system for the Curiosity Rover that landed on Mars in 2012, leading and managing the development of the Cold Atom Laboratory, and serving as Senior Vice President of System Engineering at Virgin Hyperloop.

Her research at USC now includes eVTOL, hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft, supersonic boom mitigation technology, and in space power and propulsion systems.

Dr. Sengupta’s personal site: https://anitasengupta.com/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Ryan Duffy created and writes Emerging Tech Brew. If you aren’t familiar with the newsletter and you like anything that’s been covered in this podcast so far, I recommend you check it out. Emerging Tech Brew is under the Morning Brew umbrella and is one of the world’s largest tech newsletters. https://www.morningbrew.com/emerging-tech

This discussion is a fun journey through the key technology trends that are affecting mobility, as well as several other related topics along the way. We also spent some time at the beginning talking about what makes Morning Brew so special.

Ryan’s personal site : https://xn--8p9h.fm/

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Liza Dixon is a PhD Candidate at RWTH Aachen University, focused on the human-machine interaction in automated driving and trust in advanced driver assistance systems.

Our discussion centers around education and communication for assisted and automated driving systems, including a dangerous practice Liza has labeled as autonowashing. Overall, an incredibly important, and I think timely, discussion.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Jim Adler is Founding Manager Director at Toyota AI Ventures.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Clare Jones is the Chief Commercial Officer at what3words, which has split the entire world into 10 ft x 10 ft squares in an attempt to change the way  we talk about location.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Kelly Senecal is co-founder and owner of Convergent Science, an SAE Fellow, and an advocate for an eclectic transportation future.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Paul Comfort joins again (see episode 9) to discuss his latest book, Public Transportation - from Tom Thumb to the Hyperloop and Beyond.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Tim Slusser is Director of Smart Mobility Initiatives at NextEnergy Center, where he is helping to accelerate innovation and shape the future of mobility and smart cities through partnerships and thought leadership. His current focus is providing support for designing programming to educate consumers and communities on the benefits of EVs, project and contract management for hydrogen R&D, and project management and business model analysis for a 400 kW EVSE demonstration funded by the Department of Energy. Additionally, he's working on business models and demonstrations in the areas of autonomous vehicles, mobility-as-a-service platforms, vehicle-to-grid services, mobility and safety infrastructure, and big data.

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Becky Soltanian is head of computer vision and sensor fusion at a stealth mode start-up after previously serving in various development roles related to LiDAR and automated driving systems.

Our discussion focused on machine learning, including various applications and aspects of machine learning that play a key role in the development of automated driving solutions.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Katrina Fritz is Executive Director of the California Stationary Fuel Cell Collaborative, with extensive experience in the hydrogen industry, including with Plug Power and UTC Power (which then became ClearEdge Power).

This conversation is centered around stationary power applications for hydrogen fuel cell which, although not directly applicable for "mobility solutions" provides significant overlap in some of the key areas such as hydrogen production, hydrogen distribution, and PEM fuel cell development.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Mark Thomas is Vice President of Marketing & Alliances at Ridecell, who claims to be the mobility platform to launch & scale successful subscriptions, short-term leases, carsharing & ridesharing services.

We had a wide-ranging discussion around all things shared mobility including the different business models, the importance of operational and pricing optimization, and the different ways in which Ridecell supports their customers.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Trevor Pawl is the Chief Mobility Officer for the State of Michigan and he heads the newly created Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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In this special episode, I pull from my conversations with Chris Cowland, Brian Van Batavia, and Santosh Sankar to answer a single question - is the IC engine dead?

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Nicolas Pocard is Director of Marketing & Strategy at Ballard Power Systems, a developer and manufacturer of PEM fuel cell products for markets such as heavy-duty motive, portable power, and material handling.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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In this special episode, I pull insights from Santosh Sankar, Ed Olson, and Chris Borroni-Bird.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Will Creighton is a Research Engineer for Driver Assist Technologies at Ford Motor Company.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Frantz Saintellemy is President and Chief Operating Officer at LeddarTech, a leader in Solid State LiDAR solutions with its unique and innovative Leddar Engine which comprised of a high performance compatible suite of SoCs and LeddarSP Signal Processing Software technology to enable OEMs and Tiered automotive customers to develop their own high performance, low-cost solid state LiDAR solutions

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Santosh Sankar is a Founding Partner of Dynamo Ventures, a seed-stage fund focused on founders building startups in supply chain and mobility.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Jackie Birdsall is a Senior Engineer in the Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle group of Toyota Motor North America Research and Development, specializing in hydrogen infrastructure, high-pressure hydrogen systems, and associated codes, standards, and regulations.

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Paul Comfort is a veteran in the transportation industry, previously serving as CEO of the Maryland Transit Administration. He is currently VP of Business Development for the Trapeze Group, host of the Transit Unplugged podcast, and author of “The Future of Public Transportation”

This conversation is quite a change from my typical episodes. We spend some time talking about public transportation and the technology trends impacting the industry, but Paul also supplements that with nuggets from his own life on leadership, communication, and the likes.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Ed Olson is Chief Executive Officer and Founder of May Mobility, a mobility startup striving to transform cities through autonomous technology. Ed's involvement in autonomous vehicles started with the original DARPA challenge back in 2007, and he remains a top robotics professor at the University of Michigan.

Ed and I talk about his motivation for starting May Mobility, their unique business model, their role and value proposition for both government and commercial customers, the role of automation in public transportation, and much more.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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In this special episode focused on Innovation, I pull insights from Chris Borroni-Bird, Phil Gott, Brian Van Batavia, and Chris Cowland regarding different aspects of innovation.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Michele Mueller has spent over 25 years with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and currently is Senior Project Manager for Connected and Automated Vehicles at MDOT Michele and I talk about the role of connectivity on future mobility solutions, the ways in which the state of Michigan is thinking about building transportation infrastructure for connected and automated vehicles, the importance of working with cutting edge industry partners to define future technology roadmaps, and much more. Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Phil Gott is an industry veteran who has spent much of his career focused on technology trends and new technology introduction, both from a developmental standpoint as well as a society-driven technology pull perspective. He spent over two decades with IHS.

Phil and I talk about the unique situation we're currently in thanks to the combination of the COVID crisis and accelerated technology growth, Phil's passion for racing, ways in which past technologies have been packaged to improve consumer adoption, and much more.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

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Bob Chiaravalli has served as VP of Human Resources and Chief Labor Counsel with large automotive organizations, and has spent the past two decades as President of his consulting company, Strategy Labor and Human Resources. This discussion certainly comes from a different angle than the other ones I've had so far, and it's one that I particularly enjoyed. We covered a lot of ground, including topics such as the fight to attract and retain specialized talent, the critical interaction between branding and Human Resources, the importance of leaders and executives responding to the COVID crisis, and much more. Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Chris Borroni-Bird has experience as Chief Engineer of Future Programs at Waymo, VP of Strategy at Qualcomm, Director of Advanced Technology Concepts at GM, and lead for Chrysler's fuel cell development. He now spends much of his time focused on a mobility solution for underserved areas, called Afreecar.

Chris and I talk at length about his Afreecar project, the skateboard platform for electric vehicles (which Chris helped to pioneer in the early 2000s), robotaxis, and many more fascinating topics.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Brian Van Batavia is the Technical Director at Bollinger Motors, an exciting start-up developing all-electric trucks and utility vehicles. Before joining Bollinger Motors, Brian had various engineering positions with companies such as MTS Systems, Eaton, and Polaris.

Brian and I talk about the importance of his electronics and systems engineering background, the unique he brings to systems engineering, his decision to take on a leadership position at a start-up, the way he thinks about competition, his role in branding, and much more.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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Chris Cowland has had several exciting roles throughout his career, and is best known for his time with Chrysler, which then became FCA, where he most recently served as Director of Advanced and SRT Powertrain, overseeing the development of dynamic projects such as the Apache, Viper, Hellcat, and Demon engines. Chris now provides valuable powertrain engineering consulting through C Squared Engineering. Chris and I talk about his unique career path, the future of halo products and supercars, the role of electrification and the IC engine as we move forward, and much more. Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

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The Dutch are the best in the world at using cycling for everyday transportation.

In this episode, Chris Bruntlett discusses the benefits of the way the Dutch move around, the ways in which other cities can learn from the Dutch, and the various roadblocks we need to overcome before cycling, and other forms of micro-mobility, can take hold in cities around the world.

Music credit: Slow Burn Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License