Shift: A podcast about mobility

David Liu, CEO of automated-driving tech company Plus, discusses how $300 million in proceeds from an expected SPAC merger with Churchill Capital Corp IX will fund the company’s next phase of growth.He details ongoing partnerships with Volkswagen’s Traton Group, Hyundai and Iveco, and underscores the company’s vision for rolling out autonomous trucks at global scale. Further, Liu discusses efforts to develop trucks equipped with both autonomous-driving software and equipped with hydrogen-fueled powertrains, and how the two might make a potent team for long-distance trucking.

Kurt Kelty, vice president of battery, propulsion and sustainability at General Motors, discusses a flurry of recent battery developments that underscore the automaker’s long-term electric vehicle outlook.They include a new foray into energy storage systems alongside Redwood Materials, for which GM will provide both new and second-life batteries, production plans for lithium iron phosphate batteries with Ultium Cells in Spring Hill, Tenn., and work on a lithium manganese-rich chemistry. Kelty, a Tesla veteran, also talks about his time building Tesla’s Gigafactory with JB Straubel and Elon Musk, and why it was so important that the upstart make its own battery cells.

Siyu Huang, founder and CEO of Factorial Energy, provides updates on the company’s ongoing work with Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai, and details the company’s efforts in developing solid-state batteries that allow for much faster electric vehicle charging times.She discusses what the end of federal tax credits will mean for EV sales and the expected trickle-down fallout on battery startups.Further, Huang explains why Factorial pursues both semisolid and solid-state battery innovations, how the company is using artificial intelligence in those efforts, and describes which will be tested in a fleet of Dodge Daytonas next year.

Lankton, chief commercial officer at Redwood Materials, details why the company just opened its Redwood Energy business unit and how it is repurposing used electric-vehicle batteries in energy storage systems. He discusses Redwood’s first major project, a system that utilizes more than 700 used EV battery packs that’s already the largest microgrid in North America. That system powers an AI data center at a Redwood facility in Sparks, Nevada. Further, Lankton explains the economics behind repurposing, and how it fits alongside Redwood’s traditional recycling business.

Michael Dunne, CEO and founder of advisory firm Dunne Insights, details how Chinese automotive startups like BYD asserted dominance over Detroit’s legacy carmakers. He explores Ford CEO Jim Farley’s effusive praise of Chinese automakers during the recent Aspen Ideas Festival and the difficulty legacy automakers have in keeping pace with clean-sheet tech startups.Finally, Dunne discusses a workaround that American consumers might utilize in purchasing Chinese EVs and avoiding high tariffs – buying lightly used vehicles from a Mexican dealership just across the border and then driving them into the U.S.

Jeremy Bird, executive vice president of driver experience at Lyft, explains how the company is working with Mobileye, May Mobility and others to launch robotaxis in the near term.He explores the complementary and competitive aspects of relationships between ride-hailing networks and self-driving tech providers, and the pricing differences between human-driven and automated rides. Further, Bird addresses how Lyft’s human drivers feel about their jobs in an environment when self-driving technology is becoming a reality in several American cities.

Kathleen Rizk, senior director in J.D. Power’s global automotive practice, and Lisa Boor, senior manager in the firm’s mobility benchmarking unit, address consumer confusion in the realm of driver-assist systems.They detail their latest consumer surveys, which reveal motorists do not find many driver-assist features useful and are unsure if these systems benefit safety or convenience.Rizk and Boor explore what that means for automakers, which have invested billions developing automated driving systems and intend to derive subscription revenue from next-generation technology.Further reading on that topic can be found here. 

Join Alex Roy, a venture-capital partner and founder of the Human Driving Association, as he unpacks the economics of Tesla's upcoming robotaxi launch. He shares insights from his time in the robotaxi startup world and evaluates the business viability of self-driving technology. Delving into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software, he contrasts it with Waymo's established presence and identifies four companies poised to lead the market. Roy navigates concerns over safety and public perception, shedding light on the future of automated transportation.

The founder and co-director of MIT’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium, Bryan Reimer, says the auto industry has been distracted by the allure of highly automated driving and should place short-term focus on developing smarter collaborations between motorists and machines.Reimer further explores the nuances involved in distracted driving discussions and the business models associated with fully autonomous driving. Finally, as the Advanced Vehicle Technology Consortium marks its 10th anniversary, he details the state of transportation research at a time of precarious federal funding.

Bob Lee, the North American president of LG Energy Solution, details how the ongoing tariff turmoil has both helped and hindered the company’s long-term planning efforts.He details how the company’s decision to invest in a variety of battery chemistries, produced at eight different North American factories, has brought a growing number of interested customers, despite a more tepid electric vehicle market. Further, he discusses what happens next now that LG has bought General Motors’ stake in a former joint venture.