SAE Tomorrow Today

From California banning the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 to the scarcity of raw materials and political pressures related to lithium refineries, the questions surrounding EV battery technology and electrification are complicated to say the least.

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For insight on these headline-grabbing topics, we sat down with Bob Galyen, Owner of Galyen Energy, LLC shortly after his keynote at The Battery Show in Novi, MI. As one of the top executives in the global battery storage community, Bob’s distinguished career includes roles as CTO of CATL (the world’s largest battery manufacturer), Chairman of SAE International Battery Standards Steering Committee, SAE Fellow, Chairman Emeritus and CTO of NAATbatt International.

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Tune into this episode for Bob’s unique perspective on how the global EV market will impact the electrical grid, the cost of battery materials, the intersection of geopolitics in lithium refining, and how these factors impact businesses and consumers.

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As we look to the future, the evolution of standards related to battery technology will play a key role in accelerating EV adoption. SAE has expert committees to address this need, including 22 committees that report to Bob as part of the SAE International Battery Standards Steering Committee. If you’d like to get involved, please contact us at [email protected].

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Trucking, logistics and technology. The intersection of these three critical segments is creating disruption—and opportunity—across the supply chain.

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Leading logistics and transportation company, Ryder, is capitalizing on recent advances in technology with the launch of RyderVentures, a venture capital fund focused on investing in startups with the potential to revolutionize the supply chain. By piloting new innovation, RyderVentures is forming strategic alliances and shaping the future of logistics.

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We sat down with Mike Plasencia, Group Director of New Product Strategy and Managing Director of RyderVentures, to discuss recent investments in Gatik and Baton (which was acquired by Ryder), the impact of autonomous vehicles, and tackling disruption across the supply chain.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Stuck in traffic or cruising in the fast lane? Someday soon your EV could be charging wirelessly—whether your vehicle is in motion or sitting idle.

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As a first-of-its-kind program in the U.S., three companies—Electreon, NextEnergy and Jacobs—are working in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation to pilot a wireless EV charging road system for public transit vehicles in Detroit.

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The project involves embedding Electreon’s unique copper coil technology just below the surface of the road—a process that can be deployed overnight. A kit attached to the vehicle receives the wireless energy (whether it’s in motion or idle) and transfers it to the vehicle battery. This ground-breaking pilot program aims to be operational by 2023 and will pave the way for electrified roads across the U.S.

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We sat down with Stefan Tongur, Vice President of Business Development at Electreon, Jim Saber, President & CEO at NextEnergy, and Brian Burkhard, Vice President and Global Technology Lead for Advanced Mobility Systems at Jacobs, to discuss the partnership between their companies, the importance of piloting in a four-season environment, and how their technology will accelerate EV adoption for both the public and private sector.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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No airport security. 180 mph cruise speed. Zero emissions. This is the future of island hopping in coastal regions around the world made possible by a completely new mode of transportation: all-electric seagliders.

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As a pioneer in sustainable maritime mobility, REGENT recently achieved a revolutionary first in aviation for foil-to-wing take-off. We sat down with Billy Thalheimer, Co-Founder and CEO, REGENT, for an exclusive interview on his company’s ground-breaking Wing-in-Ground Effect (WIG) technology. He explains how seagliders are essentially two vessels in one—a hydrofoil ferry in the harbor that can take off onto its wings. Staying within about a wingspan of the water, seagliders can service routes up to 180 miles with existing technology, and 500 miles with upgradeable batteries.

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Backed by some of the world’s premier investors, including Mark Cuban, REGENT is transforming regional air travel, decarbonizing maritime, and pioneering the first successful foil-to-wing flight.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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From industrial to medical to space, laser additive manufacturing and 3-D printing has the potential to transform production across nearly every sector.

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With almost one hundred years in business and nearly half a century in laser technology, TRUMPF has long been known as the gold-standard in advanced manufacturing solutions that now include additive manufacturing and 3-D printing. The company’s advancements in production technology span space exploration, medical devices, and Smart Factory development.

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We sat down with Eliana Fu, Industry Manager for Aerospace & Medical at TRUMPF North America, to discuss how the company is transforming manufacturing processes for the better, both on earth and beyond. From assembling vehicles in space to manufacturing medical devices closer to the point of care to paving the way for the Smart Factory, TRUMPF is building the industrial world of tomorrow.

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As we look to the future, the evolution of standards related to additive manufacturing will play a key role in accelerating its adoption. SAE is building expert committees to address this need. If you’d like to get involved, please contact us at [email protected].

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Reducing the hassle of parking with technology. That’s the mission of Parkopedia, a global leader in digital parking services.

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Using real-time and prediction-based parking space information, Parkopedia has mapped over 90 million off- and on-street parking spaces across 90 countries. Their technology helps drivers find parking quickly and conveniently, including EV charging spaces. With the ability to instantly book and pay in one seamless transaction, world-class companies from Audi to Volkswagen are offering the technology within their connected services.

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We sat down with Dr. Brian Holt, Chief Technology Officer, to discuss Parkopedia’s data collection and indoor mapping technology, their “park and charge” EV initiative, and future plans to scale the company. One day, your car may even drop you off and park itself!

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

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Driving from LA to San Francisco on a single fast charge? Yes, please.

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QuantumScape is accelerating EV adoption with solid-state battery technology that significantly speeds charging time, making it one step closer to time spent at the gas pump.

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As the industry’s first anode-free cell design, QuantumScape delivers a flexible platform designed to pair with a variety of cathode chemistries. This game-changing battery cell technology can store energy more efficiently and reliably than today’s lithium-ion batteries. Not only does this speed charging time, but it also enables longer range, enhances safety, and provides the flexibility to benefit from future cathode chemistry advancements.

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We sat down with Will Hudson, Vice President of Product, to discuss QuantumScape’s ground-breaking solid-state technology, the importance of a responsible supply chain, and how solid-state batteries are bringing us closer to a low-carbon future.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Since the invention of the automobile, people have had an emotional connection to their driving experience. Cerence is capitalizing on that connection by bringing the consumer’s digital life into the car, enabling intuitive and powerful interactions between the driver and their vehicle.

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Cerence Co-Pilot is a first-of-its kind, multi-modal driving experience that transforms the automotive voice assistant into a proactive, AI-powered companion. It analyzes voice, gaze, gesture, and touch to understand complex situations both inside and outside the vehicle. This new level of intelligence not only enhances comfort and convenience, but also improves safety.

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Cerence recently partnered with Mercedes-Benz in Germany to introduce Cerence Look, a revolutionary product that enables drivers and passengers to interact with points of interest outside the car.

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As Senior Vice President and General Manager of Core Products, Dr. Ir. Christophe Couvreur is responsible for Cerence’s product management, working in lockstep with the company’s R&D and professional services teams worldwide. We sat down with him to discuss the history of conversational AI, the impact of Cerence’s technology, and how the company is extending interactions beyond voice into a multi-sensory experience.

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Through a charitable donation to the SAE Foundation, Cerence helps advance equitable STEM learning. And recently, Cerence team members judged an SAE contest for students. These initiatives ultimately build an inclusive, STEM-empowered workforce that will be key to the company’s mission of creating the next generation of conversational AI-powered mobility experiences.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Zero emission aviation is the future—and Hydroplane is paving the way with affordable hydrogen fuel cell powerplant technology.

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Founded by former NASA engineer Dr. Anita Sengupta, Hydroplane is focused on decarbonizing aviation for regional aircraft travel. As the winner of two U.S. Air Force Agility Prime contracts, Hydroplane’s team of space program-trained engineers have developed a drop-in hydrogen fuel cell powerplant solution designed to replace existing combustion powerplants in single engine and urban air mobility platforms. The result is lower cost and a significant improvement in range, endurance, and payload over battery power. Applications for this technology include flight training, commercial transportation, air taxi, cargo transportation, humanitarian aid, and government support.

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As a minority woman small business owner, Anita feels a personal responsibility to share her growth journey, from working for the space program to moving into entrepreneurialism. She serves as an SAE Foundation Trustee to support the STEM mission and advance equitable access to high-quality, hands-on STEM programming, and she is also on the SAE H2 working group. Anita recently spoke to a group of high school women participating in the SAE A World in Motion® (AWIM®) Fuel Cell Challenge as part of the CalStateLA LAunchPad program.

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We sat down with Anita to discuss her impressive career, her passion for decarbonizing air travel, and how she sees hydrogen fuel cell technology evolving over the next decade.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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Replenishing the environment for future generations through the power of collaboration. This is the belief that drives sustainability practices at Toyota Motor North America.

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From recycling water to improving biodiversity, Toyota is balancing a passion for performance with a love for the planet. Leading this charge is 30-year company veteran in sustainability practices, Kevin Butt, Senior Director of Environmental Sustainability.

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With full responsibility for Toyota Motor’s North American Environmental Action Plan, Kevin is passionate about educating team members and sharing the company’s environmental know-how with suppliers, partners, communities, and even competitors. As evidence of the company’s superior commitment to sustainability, Toyota’s North American manufacturing facilities totaled 713.8 million pounds of waste in 2020—and they recycled, reused or composted 93.2% of it.

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We sat down with Kevin to discuss environmental strategy, including the importance of water conservation and its impact on food supply. It’s an inspiring conversation that shows why Kevin gets up every day feeling good about what he does.

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We’d love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to [email protected]. Don’t forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today (and give us a review) on your preferred podcasting platform.

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