Building Better with Brandon Bartneck

Latest Episodes:

#46 – Alan Dowdell | Wrightspeed – End-to-end Heavy Duty Electric Propulsion Systems Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

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

#45 – Katelyn Davis | Women Driven Mobility & Storytelling in the Mobility Sector Apr 12, 2021

Show notes

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

#44 – Tiffany Chu | Remix – Improving the Streets of the Future Apr 05, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#43 – James Taylor | Electric Last Mile Solutions – The Ideal Use for EVs? Mar 29, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#42 – Praveen Penmetsa | Monarch Tractor – Elevating our Food Ecosystem Mar 22, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#41 – Kay Cheng | Spin Access – Transportation Equity & Micromobility Mar 15, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#40 – Alisyn Malek | Reshaping Transportation Policy for a Better Future Mar 08, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#39 – Chase Drum | Power Grids, Texas, & EV Charging Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

#38 – John Pelliccio & Travis Hein | Bose – Beyond Great Sounding Music Feb 22, 2021

Show notes

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:

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

Special Episode - Favorite Books Feb 15, 2021

Show notes

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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