Future of Mobility Brandon Bartneck

Ian Rust, founder and CEO of Revoy, discusses their innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles. Revoy's solution involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup, allowing for significant cost savings and decarbonization.

Links


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ianrust
Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-rust-85a41b43/
https://www.revoy.com/

Takeaways:


Revoy's innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup.
The main challenge in electrifying the commercial vehicle space is the high cost and limited lifespan of current electric vehicle technology.
Revoy addresses this challenge by using lithium iron phosphate batteries, which have a longer cycle life and can go over 10,000 cycles.
Revoy also offers a battery swapping technology that integrates with the existing trailer-to-truck interface, allowing for quick and efficient swaps during long-haul trips.
The hybrid solution provided by Revoy improves efficiency, performance, and safety for commercial vehicles. Revoi coordinates the electric powertrain with the pedal to make the transition to electric trucks seamless for drivers.
The commercial model charges based on the unit of energy, similar to diesel, and there is no need for modifications to fill up the tank with a pre-charged battery pack.

Chapters


Hybrid Vehicles and Propulsion Systems
Electrifying Commercial Vehicles: The Modular Approach
Operational Considerations and Safety in Electric Vehicle Deployment
Strategic Viability and Cost Competitiveness
Building a Strong Team: Trust, Empowerment, and Passion
Cultural Focus: Safety, Minimum Viable Product, and What Not to Do
Early Adoption of Electrification in Fleets
Rethinking the Tractor-Trailer Setup
Advancements in Technology
Conclusion

Ian Rust Bio:

Ian Rust is an innovator, founder and roboticist with over 14 years of experience of automation and robotics in the clean transportation and the sustainability industry, with the goal of moving trucking into a more sustainable future. Ian has been passionate about technology and how it is impacted by and impacts people and historical trends.Ian founded Revoy (formerly SixWheel), a company backed by Y Combinator, in 2021, creating an autonomous vehicle technology to address climate change. Prior to founding Revoy, Ian led robotics projects at Amazon Lab126 and Google X, later moving into starting notable robotics companies as the founding engineer of Cruise Automation and serving on the early team at Covariant and Petra.



Rust holds a B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he focused on robotics.

About Revoy:

Revoy, a simple and truly viable alternative solution to decarbonize the trucking industry, is democratizing electric trucking and providing a clear pathway for existing trucking fleets to completely eliminate emissions. Revoy’s charging infrastructure and innovative Revoy swapping network aims to be the backbone of the future of electric road freight, allowing fleets to lower carbon emissions and costs, while increasing MPG by over 150%. This technology is made in the USA, FMVSS compliant and compliant with all length and weight (bridge and GVW) regulations.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.c

Chris Birroni-Bird joins for a Round 2 discussion on the Future of Mobility podcast. Summary

The conversation explores the broken transportation ecosystem and how the developed world can learn from the developing world. The focus is on creating a transportation system that is accessible, affordable, and sustainable. The discussion highlights the need to right-size vehicles, embrace solar power, and rethink mobility in city centers.

Links:


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/chrisborronibird
Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home

Takeaways


The transportation ecosystem needs to be accessible, affordable, and sustainable.
Right-sizing vehicles can meet 90% of transportation needs and reduce costs.
Solar power can extend the range of vehicles and reduce emissions.
Rethinking mobility in city centers can improve safety and create local manufacturing opportunities.
Low-speed or banned cars and smaller form factor vehicles can enhance the urban environment. Implementing speed limits in city centers can improve safety, noise, and air quality.
Electronically governing the speed of vehicles can create opportunities for low-speed vehicles to provide affordable mobility for underserved populations and cheaper delivery of goods.
Building locally with locally available materials can create good quality jobs and promote sustainability.
Right-sizing vehicles and leveraging solar power can make mobility solutions more affordable and environmentally friendly.

Chris Birroni-Bird

Dr. Christopher Borroni-Bird is Founder of Afreecar LLC and an expert on sustainable and affordable mobility for ALL the world’s people. This builds on his 25-year career leading advanced mobility initiatives at several major organizations as well as volunteering in sub-Saharan Africa.

At Afreecar he is a senior advisor on future mobility to McKinsey and is also sought out to provide independent technical due diligence on future mobility solutions and companies in vehicle autonomy, connectivity and electrification.

Separately, Afreecar is also developing an e-kit that power assists non-motorized vehicles while also transforming them into mobile power sources, which has many applications in both the developing and developed worlds.

He served as Waymo’s Chief Engineer for Future Vehicle Programs and has been a Research Scientist at MIT Media Lab. From 2012 to 2017, he was Qualcomm’s VP of Strategic Development, responsible for wireless automotive solutions. Prior to this, he led GM’s Electric Networked Vehicle (EN-V), the world’s first drivable vehicles to demonstrate today’s accepted vision of future mobility (and extensively deployed at the 2010 Shanghai World Expo). He led GM’s Autonomy, Hy-wire and Sequel “skateboard” electric vehicle concepts, now widely adopted by the Auto Industry, and has 50 patents. He is co-author of “Reinventing the Automobile: Personal Urban Mobility for the 21st Century”, with Larry Burns and the late Bill Mitchell (MIT Press, 2010). Before joining GM in 2000, he led Chrysler’s gasoline fuel cell vehicle development. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame as a Young Leader in 2000 and was one of Automotive News’ inaugural “Electrifying 100” in 2011

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

Jason Marks is co-founder and CEO at TELO. TELO makes intelligently designed, compact electric vehicle trucks for city living and weekend adventuring.

Links:


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jasonmarks
Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
https://telotrucks.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonmurraymarks/

Keywords

Telo Trucks, electric mini trucks, purpose-built, urban living, weekend adventuring, truck size, negative impacts, safety, sustainability, battery pack, sensor-based safety systems, Telo, vehicle safety, pedestrian safety, collision outcomes, cost-effective manufacturing, customer demand, efficiency and effectiveness

Takeaways


Telo Trucks is focused on building electric mini trucks optimized for urban living and weekend adventuring.
Trucks have become too big, causing negative impacts on the environment, safety, and mobility.
Telo Trucks is taking a purpose-built approach, designing a vehicle that is optimized for its intended use.
They have developed a battery pack that is 50% more space efficient and implemented sensor-based safety systems to anticipate and prevent collisions. Telo is focused on building a vehicle that prioritizes the safety of pedestrians and vulnerable road users.
They aim to optimize the design of the vehicle to minimize the risk of severe injuries or fatalities in the event of a collision.
Telo emphasizes the importance of cost-effective manufacturing by leveraging state-of-the-art technologies and contract manufacturing.
They have demonstrated customer demand through pre-orders and fleet discussions, and believe it is possible to build a sustainable company by focusing on efficiency and effectiveness.

Chapters


00:00 Introduction and Problem Statement
05:41 The Need for a Different Approach
12:55 Designing and Developing the Vehicle
18:33 Active and Passive Safety Systems
25:35 Cost-Effective Manufacturing for Low and Mid-Volume Vehicles
28:06 Demonstrating Customer Demand through Pre-Orders and Fleet Discussions
35:11 The Importance of Experienced Advisors, Risk-Taking, and Customer Feedback
44:16 Transition Riff.wav
44:22 Intentional Product Decisions
45:21 Designing for Driver and Road User Safety
46:46 Creating a Business Ecosystem for Success
47:15 Excitement for Tello's Future
47:21 Conclusion

About Telo

TELO makes intelligently designed, compact electric vehicle trucks for city living and weekend adventuring. Its signature TELO Truck, launched in 2023, features the standard bed capacity and crew cabin in a dramatically shortened 152-inch vehicle. With over 2,500 pre-orders secured since launch, TELO is representative of a different era of EV companies and is the most cost-effective company on the market. Co-founded by Jason Marks, Forrest North, and Yves Béhar with design input from fuseproject.

Jason Marks Bio

Jason Marks is co-founder and CEO at Telo. Jason led the Autonomous Vehicles and Driver Assistance Systems test programs at National Instruments (NI), where he was a Chief Business Development Manager. He developed the test systems for five major US automakers’ Autonomy and ADAS test systems for their 2024 model year vehicles. He’s an experienced Sales, Marketing, and R&D leader with patents in LiDAR.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/

Mike Granoff, managing partner at Maniv Mobility, discusses the future of mobility and transportation.

Links:


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/mikegranoff
Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
https://www.linkedin.com/in/granoff/


https://www.maniv.com/

Takeaways


Maniv Mobility invests in startups that focus on decarbonization and digitization of mobility and transportation.
Evaluating founders is crucial, and the ability to adapt and find answers to challenges is a key criterion.
Chinese EVs are taking over the global automotive industry, and China has the potential to dominate due to its expertise and government support.
Investors should keep an eye on the raw materials for battery production as it may present future opportunities.

Keywords

mobility, transportation, decarbonization, digitization, startups, founders, Chinese EVs, automotive industry, raw materials, battery production

Chapters


00:00 Introduction and Overview of Maniv Mobility
06:34 Defining Mobility and Access to Goods and Places
11:30 Investment Criteria and Evaluating Founders
31:55 Investing Decisions and Opportunities in the Raw Materials Market
44:31 Transition Riff.wav
44:37 Evolution in the Mobility Space
45:08 Building a Strong Founding Team and Culture
45:31 The Power of Being Nice but Firm
46:00 The Rise of Chinese Electric Vehicle Automakers
46:46 Conclusion

Michael Granoff Bio

Michael Granoff is founder and Managing Director of Maniv Mobility, a venture capital fund based in Tel Aviv that invests globally in startup companies at the intersection of transportation and technology. Founded in 2015, Maniv manages over $300 million, with an investor base that includes over 20 strategic investors including automakers, suppliers, and companies from related verticals. Maniv’s portfolio includes over 30 startup companies spanning nine countries.

Among the corporate boards on which Mr. Granoff sits are Hailo, a Tel Aviv-based developer of silicon chips for energy-efficient edge computing on-board vehicles; Revel, a New York-based provider of shared electric mopeds and Tesla-based rideshare; Harbinger Motors, a US-based manufacturer of electric mid-duty vehicles; and the Dubai-based Fenix, which provides shared electric scooters throughout the GCC. He is also a founding board member of the Washington, DC-based policy and advocacy group Securing America’s Future Energy (SAFE) and the Israel-based Israel 2048. His past board roles have included that of electric car network developer Better Place. He has been involved in three US Presidential campaigns and has received several awards

including Brandeis University’s Asper Award for Global Entrepreneurship.

Mr. Granoff holds a B.A. from Tufts University, an MBA and JD from Kellogg, Northwestern University, has completed over 25 marathons and is a father of four.

About Maniv

Maniv is a global early stage venture capital fund investing into technology startups digitizing and decarbonizing mobility and transportation.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

Andy Marsh, is President and CEO of Plug Power. He joins to discuss the company's role as a pioneer in the energy transition and the future of hydrogen fuel cells. He highlights Plug Power's accomplishments, such as developing the first commercial market for fuel cells and building the largest PEM electrolyzer hydrogen generation facility in the world. Marsh emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking and steady progress in the energy transition, while acknowledging the challenges and external noise that come with being a pioneer. He also discusses the various applications of fuel cells, including in mobility, industrial sectors, and power generation.

Topics


Plug's approach and leadership in the hydrogen space
The current state of hydrogen as a fuel source for transportation and beyond
Why the energy transition needs to be approached on a scale of decades, not years or quarters
The role of hydrogen in various transportation applications
Andy's advice for first time leaders of cross-functional organizations

Takeaways


Plug Power is a pioneer in the energy transition, having developed the first commercial market for fuel cells and built the largest PEM electrolyzer hydrogen generation facility in the world.
The energy transition is a long-term endeavor that requires steady progress and a focus on long-term goals.
Hydrogen fuel cells have a wide range of applications, including in mobility, industrial sectors, and power generation.
Listening to customers and understanding their needs is crucial in developing and implementing fuel cell solutions.
The future of the energy transition will involve a mix of energy sources, including hydrogen, biofuels, solar, wind, and nuclear power.

Links:


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/andymarsh
Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
Website: https://www.plugpower.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plug-power/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlugPowerInc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlugPowerInc

Andy Marsh Bio:

Andy Marsh joined Plug as President and CEO in April 2008. Under his guidance, Plug has become the leading provider of turnkey hydrogen solutions for the global green hydrogen economy. Mr. Marsh has established Plug as the home to the end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem where every step of operations — from production, storage and handling, delivery, transportation and dispensing of hydrogen — is available to customers, allowing them to meet their business goals and decarbonize the economy. What was once a company behind fuel cell technology that powered material handling businesses, Mr. Marsh has positioned Plug as the green hydrogen leader powering e-mobility and stationary power applications, and providing first-class PEM electrolyzer technology.

About Plug Power:

Plug is building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem, from production, storage, and delivery to energy generation, to help its customers meet their business goals and decarbonize the economy. In creating the first commercially viable market for hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company has deployed more than 69,000 fuel cell systems and over 250 fueling stations, more than anyone else in the world, and is the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen. Plug delivers its green hydrogen solutions directly to its customers and through joint venture partners into multiple environments, including material handling, e-mobility, power generation, and industrial applications.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within tradition

Isaac Holeman and Tarani Duncan join from Croft. Isaac is founder and chief product officer. Tarani is VP of product. Croft is an ambitious startup with a blueprint for an enduring, local and clean hydrogen economy. From rugged vehicles to groundbreaking at-home fueling products, we build enduring hydrogen equipment for the world’s toughest challenges.

Topics in the conversation include:


The need for better solutions to decarbonize transportation in rural environments
Why existing EVs aren’t viable solutions in the country
Why it’s important to make and sell an exceptional product, rather than starting with a green-focused value proposition for end users
Why hydrogen storage is the most expensive and challenging part of the hydrogen value chain
Croft’s novel approach to hydrogen generation and storage
The decision to use a H2 powered V8 ICE rather than a fuel cell system
The path ahead for Croft

Links


Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/croft
Edison
Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaacholeman/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarani-duncan-8178056b/
https://croft.substack.com/

Isaac Holeman Bio

As the Chief Product Officer at Croft, Isaac Holeman builds enduring hydrogen equipment for humanity's toughest jobs - from rural trades and agriculture to firefighting, emergency services and defense. Prior to co-founding Croft, Isaac’s design and research efforts focused on human-centered technical equipment for remote communities and infrastructure deserts around the world. As co-founder of a social enterprise called Medic, he co-designed the Community Health Toolkit, an open source digital health product that has over 130,000 end users in Africa and South Asia. Isaac has published several dozen scientific articles, received scholarly awards for his work in the fields of computer science and organizational theory, and previously was a faculty member in the Human Centered Design & Engineering Department at the University of Washington. He received a Ph.D. in Innovation Management from the Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge, where he was a Gates Cambridge Scholar.

Tarani Duncan Bio

Tarani has over a decade of experience in product and operations management. Specializing in deep mobility technology, Tarani is passionate about solving real-world problems by pairing cutting-edge technology with a healthy dose of pragmatism. From perception for autonomy and teleoperation, route optimization for last-mile logistics, and alternative energy platforms for transportation, Tarani has led cross-functional teams to launch and manage customer-centric hardware and software products that millions of people rely on every day. At Croft, Tarani leads the development and deployment of Base Station, a plug-and-play refrigerator-sized appliance that makes homebrewed hydrogen using the same inputs as a washer and dryer.

Croft:

Croft is an ambitious startup with a blueprint for an enduring, local and clean hydrogen economy. From rugged vehicles to groundbreaking at-home fueling products, we build enduring hydrogen equipment for the world’s toughest challenges. Founded by serial entrepreneurs Roderick Blevins and Isaac Holeman, Croft’s early team hails from communities in the American heartland. We set out to make the transition to clean energy work for rural communities and we’re proud to be headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.