Anything that Moves

How did the world's most successful company become completely dependent on a single country for its survival… and how does that story translate across industries? We talk with Patrick McGee of the Financial Times about his book, Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company. The episode explores to what extent the lessons of Apple’s China story translates to Western automakers racing to compete with a new generation of Chinese EV competitors.

Gabe Klein has experience across the worlds of entrepreneurship and policy, including a leadership role at Zipcar and - most recently - as head of the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. Gabe explores how policy and infrastructure affect technology adoption. Gabe shares insights from scaling startups like Zipcar and navigating municipal and national government initiatives for EV infrastructure, electric school buses, and more. He also lends a unique perspective to the pace of AV deployment from robotaxis to trucks.

Igino Cafiero of Bear Flag Robotics recounts his entrepreneurial path to autonomous technology for farm tractors, culminating in the company's acquisition by John Deere. Cafiero delves into the pressing issue of labor shortages in agriculture and how autonomy offers a solution without displacing existing labor. He shares the specific technological hurdles involved, such as GPS-denied environments and complex obstacle detection. Finally, Cafiero discusses his current role at John Deere, emphasizing the synergy between startup agility and corporate scale in driving the future of farming, and articulates a vision for autonomy and AI to unlock unprecedented levels of agricultural productivity.

Blake Scholl of Boom Supersonic joins Anything That Moves to discuss the future of supersonic flight: why did it disappear with the last flight of the Concorde? Why is now the time to bring it back? And… despite the name, might supersonic cruise be boomless?After listening, check out the company’s first supersonic flight here (and here for those itching for the full two hours.)

Ian Arthurs of Circular joins Anything That Moves to discuss why sourcing and procuring new materials is hard. Why has recycled plastic historically cost more than virgin plastic? Is that "green premium" possibly bridgeable with better data?

Gary Ong of Celadyne cuts through the noise to break down the "why" of hydrogen. What it is hydrogen useful for today, and why has so much hope been pinned on it for tomorrow? What needs to be true for it to be a game changer in the energy economy?

Mike Murphy, a political media consultant and founder of EV Politics, explores the intriguing intersections of politics and electric vehicle (EV) adoption. He discusses how political affiliations impact EV ownership, revealing stark differences among voters. Murphy also addresses challenges like infrastructure gaps and economic hurdles while analyzing the competition between U.S. and Chinese automakers. Listeners are treated to insights on taxation, self-driving vehicles, and innovative solutions for commercial fleets navigating the electric shift.

Oana Duma, from Arval, leads insights on full-service vehicle leasing, while Zingha Lucien from Element directs strategic advisory in fleet management. They analyze the vast data from 3.2 million vehicles, discussing the lag in electrification for commercial fleets compared to passenger vehicles. With a look at telematics, they underscore its underutilization in enhancing safety and efficiency. Cultural contrasts between North America and Europe are explored, emphasizing the evolving landscape of mobility solutions and sustainability in transportation.

Venki Padmanabhan joins the podcast to discuss all things manufacturing, supply chain, and labor in the mobility world. So many promises have been in mobility innovation... Venki talks about what is involved in actually building the damn thing. He also suggests a new paradigm for labor relations in the automotive world, and answers whether a sub-$20,000 vehicle is even possible anymore.

Mike Granoff, former Board Director at Better Place... and Maniv's Founding Partner, looks back at the audacious startup that tried - and failed - to spur large-scale vehicle electrification 15 years back. Mike explains the logic behind the startup's battery swap model, and explores why the company declared bankruptcy six years and $850M in investment after its founding. Mike even tackles his decision to back Better Place in place of Tesla's Series B investment round. For bonus Better Place reading, Mike's reflections on the ten year anniversary of the startup's founding can be found here.