Batteries are everywhere. They’re powering our cell phones, laptops, watches, and now, our electric vehicles. But while many of these products are ever-evolving, the battery space has remained somewhat stagnant. We’re still relying on the lithium-ion battery, which is dated, heavy, expensive, depends on a limited resource and poses some safety issues. Developing lower-priced and high-performing batteries to power our EVs is crucial to making EVs more affordable and accessible. Here to discuss how we can move beyond lithium, and what the future holds for EV batteries, is Donald Sadoway, Professor Emeritus at MIT, a co-founder of numerous battery companies and a “firm believer in science in service of society.”
Now that the the first set of EV buyers are starting to trade in their cars for newer models, we’re seeing a wave of used electric vehicles hit the market. But buyers understandably have a lot of questions, especially about the uncertainty around residual value of an electric vehicle. We don’t have a consistent track record to draw from. There are questions around battery life. Many times, a buyer may know more about a used EV than the dealer selling it. Here today to discuss this issue, and how to effectively address it, is Jimmy Douglas, a former Tesla executive and founder and CEO of Plug, a wholesale auction that aims to empower dealers by offering up vetted and transparent EV data.
So many of our everyday products are getting better and smarter at a rapid rate. But much of the infrastructure in the US is still trapped in the 1950s. So many roads are riddled with potholes and many communities have poor internet connectivity, just to name a couple of issues. We need initiatives to bring the right people and organizations together to bring our infrastructure to the 21st century, so that the US can step in as a world leader in this space. Here, today, to discuss what it will take to innovate our cities is Jeff DeCoux, Chairman of the Autonomy Institute, an Austin-based nonprofit, that’s stepping in and spearheading this initiative. This organization is working to deploy intelligent infrastructure to help eliminate the digital divide, build stronger more resilient communities and so much more.
Puerto Rico is no stranger to natural disasters. As it continues to rebuild in the aftermath of numerous devastating hurricanes, Puerto Rico is quickly becoming a benchmark for sustainability in many areas -- including its use of solar panels and the strengthening of the power grid. Helping to spearjead this effort is Glenn International, the leading supplier of renewable energy, electrical, lighting and telecom equipment for the Caribbean. In episode 8 of Driving Mobility, Kristin Slanina, ParkMyFleet's CIO, sits down with Ignacio Diaz of Glenn International to discuss the innovations that could protect Puerto Rico from further devastation and what the rest of the globe can glean from the island's efforts.
Across the US, power outages are happening more frequently and are lasting longer than ever before. This is due to extreme weather and an aging electric grid. Outages aren’t just inconvenient. They’re costly and can have serious health consequences, leading to heat illness, hypothermia and even death. This is where microgrids often come in to help. Enchanted Rock, a Texas-based company, is a leading microgrid provider whose solution is cleaner and quieter than others on the market and is Net-Zero carbon. ParkMyFleet’s CIO Kristin Slanina sits down with Nick Casas, Vice President of Sales at Enchanted Rock, to discuss our aging grid, microgrids and how we can better address these outages to support vulnerable companies and communities.