27: Building a Better Battery (in America) with Deeana Ijaz, Our Next Energy
Our Next Energy (ONE) is developing LFP battery cells in Michigan. If you're an EV nerd, you know how big of a deal that is. These kinds of chemistries are what are going to enable durable, long lasting, and most importantly, affordable EVs and China already specializes in them and currently basically chokes the world's supply, not just in terms of minerals, but also IP know-how and manufacturing for this super valuable battery chemistry.
But ONE came to the market at a time a few years ago with a promise to make a hybrid battery, called Gemini, utilizing some LFP and an anode-free manganese-rich chemistry to give you the best of all worlds—performance and long range. They demonstrated this in a BMW iX chassis showing that vehicle to double its factory range at the time.
The Gemini battery never came to market in production cars. However, ONE has been toiling away quietly—working on continuing LFP chemistries for not only the automotive industry, but also battery energy storage systems, which are crucially important in the age of AI and data center where we can't make our grid resilient quickly enough.
Max speaks with the Chief Strategist at One, Deeana Ijaz. , She's the daughter of the founder and CEO Mijeeb Ijaz. Deanna come from a neuroscience and public health policy background but is leading the charge at ONE in turbulent times for the automotive industry to survive and thrive.
Watch the full episode on YouTube
Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
More about Our Next Energy
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26: Making EVs An Electric Grid Asset, with WeaveGrid CEO Apoorv Bhargava
You've probably heard that the electric grid is under severe strain and that electric cars are of no help. And this is in some ways a little bit overblown, but it's also true, particularly in the era of large data centers and AI. But it doesn't have to be that way.
Electric vehicles can be part of the solution. We've spoken on this show briefly before about concepts like vehicle to grid and vehicles like the Ford F-150 lightning being used as a home backup power source but to do grid solutions at scale. That's going to take a lot of smart software and coordination, enter WeaveGrid.
WeaveGrid CEO Apoorv Bhargava speaks with Max Patten on how they work with utilities, OEMs, and customers to enable a new kind of smarter power grid. The upshot for ratepayers, aka customers? You pay less and maybe even realize incentives for letting your EV flexibly charge (and one day, discharge) while you sleep.
Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/-uyEtDhQVT8
Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more:
WeaveGrid Incentive Finder
WeaveGrid's Active Programs for Drivers/Consumers
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25: EV Fleets with Libby Bittman, Wex
One of the biggest sources of electrification isn't your home or your neighbors', but the commercial fleets and trucks that power American business. Wex is a company doing fuel card services, but their EV charging solutions have taken off and they're continuing to invest in it despite federal headwinds.
In this episode of Directly Current, host Max Patten speaks to Libby Bittman, the Business Development Director for EVs and Mobility at Wex. Previously, she's worked at companies like ChargePoint, ChargeLab, and Tesla. Libby also has an EV car, truck, and motorcycle in her household, so she's no stranger to the electric liffetyle. Max and Libby discuss how EV adoption continues to prove itself on cost of ownership merits in the commercial sector even without the White House's support. Regardless of politics, businesses love margins!
Some of the ground Max and Libby cover;
Why Fuel Cards Need an EV Analogue
Charging Hubs dedicated to business fleets
Electric motorcycles are very fun, but unlike cars and light duty, aren't yet cost-competitive!
Libby is a great speaker, advocate for EVs, and a pragmatic and seasoned participant in the business world. Enjoy!
Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VeV_AXRb88
Or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Learn more:
Wex for EVs
Sawatch Labs Fleet Electrification/Emissions Software
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Support our work at American EV Jobs Alliance
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24: Charging Ahead with Electric Era, CEO Quincy Lee
Max speaks to Quincy Lee, founder and CEO of Electric Era, a charging business that's integrating high-quality hardware with smart software and batteries to deploy rapidly at retailers like Costco for low cost. It's a story of entrepreneurship, quality-obsession, and paving the infrastructure for the future.
Electric Era's Site
Quincy's Twitter
Quincy's LinkedIn
American EV Jobs Alliance Messaging Campaign
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23: Improving EV Towing and Camping with Toby Kraus, CEO of Lightship
Electric towing is hard, particularly when you're hauling a big family-sized camper that can halve a Rivian's range. Lightship is a startup that's laser-focused on solving that pickle by engineering a smart trailer that not only makes itself more aerodynamic in motion, but also pulls its own weight with an e-axle and independent battery system. It's a clever piece of tech but it also costs a pretty penny.
Max speaks with Toby Kraus, the CEO of Lightship, on what it's like building EV hardware in Colorado and how he and the team are dealing with challenges like unpredictable tariff policy. He also hints at some future developments that might drive down the price tag much as EVs themselves have gotten cheaper and more accessible.
Lightship's Website for the AE.1
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Learn More About the American EV Jobs Alliance
EV journalist and law student Max Patten speaks to experts in government and the auto business to de-polarize electric cars and learn about how they’re key for a renewal of American manufacturing and the survival of our auto industry.
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