#226 – Andy Bennett | EVolve (Vontier) – Energy Management for Scaling EV Charging Infrastructure

Andy Bennett is CEO of EVolve, a Vontier Company featuring Driivz and Sparkion. Takeaways EVolve focuses on software for vehicle electrification. Energy management is crucial for optimizing charging infrastructure. Customer experience in EV charging is complex but essential. Active energy management can significantly increase charging capacity. The U.S. is lagging behind Europe in EV charging infrastructure. Integration of software solutions is key to improving EV charging. A sustainable business model is necessary for long-term success. Personal motivation drives innovation in the EV space. The future of EV charging will see rapid advancements. Patience is needed as the U.S. transitions to widespread EV adoption. Links: Show notes: ⁠http://brandonbartneck.com/buildingbetter/andybennett⁠ Edison Manufacturing Exchange: ⁠https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\⁠ Survey results for changing consumer preferences around charging ⁠HERE⁠ and ⁠HERE⁠ Recent update on Driivz moving to Raleigh, NC HERE Recent update on Konect customers and momentum HERE About Andy Bennett Andy Bennett was appointed CEO of EVolve, a Vontier Company, in 2023. Andy spearheads EVolve’s strategic vision to play a crucial role in creating a sustainable global mobility network. Key to EVolve’s customer offer are the market-leading Driivz and Sparkion technology platforms, which provide an interoperable electric vehicle charging and energy management platform solution that enables EV charging providers and fleet operators to simplify and facilitate EV charging economically, at scale, while delivering an exceptional charging experience for customers. Andy has over 27 years of experience scaling software companies focused on the energy industry. Previously, he was the CEO of mPrest, led sales for IBM's AI Applications Business Unit, and served as the GM of Schneider Electric's Energy Business Unit. About Vontier Vontier (NYSE: VNT) is a global industrial technology company uniting productivity, automation and multi-energy technologies to meet the needs of a rapidly evolving, more connected mobility ecosystem. Leveraging leading market positions, decades of domain expertise and unparalleled portfolio breadth, Vontier enables the way the world moves – delivering smart, safe and sustainable solutions to our customers and the planet. About Driivz Driivz, a Vontier (NYSE: VNT) company and part of its EVolve™ e-mobility portfolio, is a leading global software supplier to EV charging operators and service providers, accelerating the plug-in EV industry’s dynamic and continuous transformation. The company’s intelligent, cloud-based platform spans EV charging operations, energy management, advanced billing capabilities and driver self-service tools. Driivz’s team of EV experts serves customers in more than 30 countries, including global industry players such as EVgo, Shell, Circle K, Volvo Group, Centrica, Recharge, St1, ElaadNL, ESB, Mer, Francis Energy, Ennet Corporation and eMobility Power. About Sparkion Sparkion, a Vontier-owned (NYSE: VNT) company, is a leader in energy management solutions for the behind-the-meter industry, with a focus on electric vehicle charging infrastructure (EVSE). Sparkion’s AI-driven Energy Platform enables EV site owners, fleet operators and businesses to optimize energy usage and consumption in real-time, maximize the use of on-site renewables and become energy resilient. Building Better Building Better with Brandon Bartneck is focused on the people, products, and companies that are creating a better tomorrow, often in the transportation and manufacturing sectors. This show was previously called the Future of Mobility podcast. 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.

Billy Evers is Head of Robotics for the Americas at Hesai Technology, a leader in LiDAR solutions. They discuss the evolution of LiDAR technology, its critical role in autonomous vehicles, and the importance of performance and reliability. Billy shares insights on manufacturing challenges, geopolitical risks, and the future of autonomous driving. The conversation also touches on market segmentation, customer focus, and the healthy competition within the LiDAR industry. Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/buildingbetter/billyevers Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-evers-935b0a7b/ https://www.hesaitech.com/ Takeaways: LiDAR may be essential for the development of autonomous vehicles. HSI Technology has shipped over 400,000 LiDAR sensors globally. Performance and reliability are the top priorities for Lidar sensors. Manufacturing quality is crucial for scaling production. The aesthetics of LiDAR sensors have improved significantly over the years. Healthy competition in the LiDAR industry drives innovation and improvement. Geopolitical risks can impact manufacturing and supply chains. LiDAR technology is becoming more affordable and accessible. Market segmentation helps stabilize revenue forecasts for companies. The future of autonomous driving will likely include integrated LiDAR solutions. Billy Evers Bio: Meet Billy Evers, a dynamic leader as the Head of Robotics-Americas at Hesai Technology. With a rich background as a Marine Corps veteran and former collegiate athlete, he embodies a strong sense of commitment and resilience. An ardent advocate for family values, Billy is the proud father of four daughters and a dedicated husband. He maintains an active lifestyle fueled by his passion for fitness and a comprehensive reading habit that keeps his mind sharp. With each chapter of his life, Billy continues to push boundaries, merging technology with the principles of discipline and hard work. About Hesai: Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI) is a global leader in lidar solutions. The company’s lidar products enable a broad spectrum of applications including passenger and commercial vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), autonomous driving vehicles, and robotic applications such as last-mile delivery robots and AGVs. Hesai seamlessly integrates its in-house manufacturing process with lidar R&D and design, enabling rapid product iteration while ensuring high performance, high quality, and affordability. The company’s commercially validated solutions are backed by superior R&D capabilities across optics, mechanics, and electronics. Hesai has established offices in Shanghai, Palo Alto, and Stuttgart, with customers spanning over 40 countries. Building Better Building Better with Brandon Bartneck is focused on the people, products, and companies that are creating a better tomorrow, often in the transportation and manufacturing sectors. This show was previously called the Future of Mobility podcast. I aim to have real, human conversations to explore what these leaders and innovators are doing, why and how they’re doing it, and what we can learn from their experiences. If you care about making an impact then this show might be for you. Topics include manufacturing, production, assembly, autonomous driving, electric vehicles, hydrogen and fuel cells, impact, leadership, and more. 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. Brandon Bartneck LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/

The Future of Mobility podcast has been renamed to Build Better. This special episode explains why.

Nikita Bridan, co-founder of Oilstainlab, discusses their approach to shaking up the automotive industry and creating unique luxury performance vehicles. They focus on excellent design, emphasizing driving pleasure, emotion, and simplicity. Oilstainlab is working on building a boutique sports car company and is currently developing a vehicle with a strong emphasis on storytelling and branding. They aim to create something different from what is currently available in the market, with a focus on fun driving experiences and a connection to the past. The team is also exploring different propulsion systems, including a high-performance air-cooled flat-six motor and an EV powertrain system. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 05:47 The Importance of Collaboration and Alignment in Design 10:49 Creating a Fun Driving Experience: Simplicity and Unpredictability 14:41 Challenges of Building a Small Team and Developing a Supply Chain 22:44 Creating Uncopyable, Revolutionary Products 41:29 Transition Riff.wav 41:35 Shaking Things Up in the Automotive and Mobility Ecosystem 42:03 The Contextual and Subjective Nature of Excellent Design 43:03 Creating a Fun and Engaging Driving Experience 43:32 Differentiating in the Homogenized Hypercar Space Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/nikitabridan Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ Bio: Nikita Bridan is co-founder & chief executive officer of Oilstainlab. A car design strategist with 15 years of OEM and startup experience, Nikita has worked with world-renowned brands including Lyft, Cruise, GM, Toyota, Genesis, ONE, and more on electrification, platforms, and strategy. In 2019, Nikita co-founded Oilstainlab with his twin brother, Iliya, as an automotive design consultancy service and playground, and developed it into a boundary-pushing, custom vehicle manufacturer. Nikita lives his life as fast as the cars he builds, once being pulled over at 140mph in Arizona and getting off with a warning. Nikita earned bachelor’s degrees in Transportation Design from the Istitudo Europeo di Design in Italy and the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he now serves as an instructor to the next generation of designers. Keywords automotive industry, luxury performance vehicles, design, driving experience, manufacturing, branding, storytelling, prototype, propulsion systems, EV, air-cooled flat-six motor 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/

This episodes features clips from interviews with Alex Roy, Martin Cardell, and Glenn Sommerville, centered around the effort to improve problem solving abilities within individuals and teams. This is a critical skillset as we push to create a better transportation ecosystem, and these three individuals have unique and valuable perspectives to share on the topic. Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/problemsolving Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ #218 – Glenn Sommerville | High Performance Leadership, Successful Product Launches & How to Trust but Verify – Show notes: link #214 – Martin Cardell – EY | Driving Innovation in Products, Business Models, and Customer Understanding – Show notes: link #213 – Alex Roy | Making Sense of the EV/AV Chaos, Effective Strategy & Learning from History – Show notes: link 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/

Yaron Saghiv is Chief Marketing Officer at UVeye, the world's first fully automated suite of vehicle inspection systems. Takeaways: UVeye is revolutionizing the vehicle inspection process with their fully automated suite of AI-powered drive-through systems. Their technology can quickly detect external or mechanical flaws, damages, modifications, or foreign objects under and around a vehicle. The value proposition of UVeye's technology includes improved safety, cost savings through predictive maintenance, and enhanced customer experience. They are strategically partnering with industry leaders to scale their business and drive industry-wide adoption of automated vehicle inspection. Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/yaronsaghiv Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ https://www.uveye.com/ Bio: Yaron Saghiv, Chief Marketing Officer at UVeye, leads the company's global marketing efforts, positioning UVeye as a pioneer in automatic vehicle inspection systems using computer vision and machine learning. With over four years in this role, Yaron has successfully been part of partnerships with industry leaders like Volvo, GM, Toyota, and Hyundai. He brings extensive experience in both B2B and B2C startups, having co-founded Funzing, a social marketplace for local events, and led the experiences team at Culture Trip, a global travel and media platform. Additionally, Yaron is a member of the Columbia Business School CMO Executive Program and a recognized speaker on growth strategies and lead generation. His work at UVeye focuses on driving innovation and setting new industry standards through strategic marketing and growth initiatives. About UVeye: UVeye is the world's first fully automated suite of vehicle inspection systems. The company's AI-powered drive-thru systems can detect external or mechanical flaws and identify damages, modifications, or foreign objects under and around a vehicle within seconds. UVeye is installed at hundreds of dealerships, auction, and fleet sites across the United States and around the world. In May 2023, the company announced a $100M Series D, bringing its total funding to $200M. Amazon has recently announced a roll out of hundreds of inspection systems at their last mile delivery sites. UVeye is backed by, and partners with, some of the largest car manufacturers in America. Keywords automated vehicle inspection, AI, vision system, vehicle condition report, predictive maintenance, fleet management, insurance, data analytics 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/

Jeffrey Kinsey is the VP of Engineering at EverCharge. He joined the company in 2022 to support the acceleration of operations after their acquisition by SK Group. EverCharge is a manufacturer and provider of turnkey hardware and software EV charging solutions for fleets, workplaces, multi-unit, and single-family homes. Key topics in this conversation include: Good systems engineering is crucial in designing EV charging infrastructure for fleets. Level 2 charging can be a great option for many fleet charging situations. Integrating charging infrastructure into existing operations can optimize efficiency and reduce downtime. Redundancy and load balancing are important for ensuring high uptime and addressing uncertainties in fleet charging. Optimizing the charging system to meet the specific requirements of fleets is essential. EverCharge aims to be the guide and shepherd for fleet owners transitioning to EVs, ensuring that their charging infrastructure meets their needs and keeps their fleets running. EV charging is more complex than it seems, with factors like variability, temperature, and electrical infrastructure affecting the charging process. EverCharge focuses on reliability and connectivity, even in the face of network outages or hardware failures. Leading an engineering organization requires a mission-driven mindset and a focus on delivering results. Small, focused teams and customer collaboration are key to defining and building the right solutions in the EV charging industry. Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/jeffreykinsey Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ EverCharge website EverCharge LinkedIn Keywords EV charging, fleets, systems engineering, level 2 charging, uptime, integration, redundancy, load balancing, EV charging, fleets, multifamily buildings, reliability, connectivity, meshed EV chargers, hardware, software, engineering organization, mission-driven, small teams, customer collaboration, impact Bio Jeffrey Kinsey is the VP of Engineering at EverCharge. He joined the company in 2022 to support the acceleration of operations after their acquisition by SK Group. An inventor with dozens of patents in the tech space, Jeffrey has an extensive background in engineering, with over 20 years of experience at both start-ups and large tech companies. Before joining EverCharge, Jeffrey served as VP of Engineering at Volta, and as an engineer, manager, and director at Microsoft. Company description: EverCharge is a manufacturer and provider of turnkey hardware and software EV charging solutions for fleets, workplaces, multi-unit, and single-family homes. The company’s offerings are designed to use existing infrastructure to efficiently scale EV charging at the lowest cost. EverCharge’s patented SmartPower technology maximizes the number of EVs that can charge at once and eliminates barriers, such as data connectivity. EverCharge was founded in 2013, and acquired in 2022 by SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest conglomerate that operates leading businesses across the semiconductor, energy and pharmaceutical industries. With a commitment to providing the most seamless charging solution, EverCharge is paving the way for a cleaner future for all. 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/

Barry Jones, strategic sales lead at Provizio, shares his insights on navigating the automotive industry and building successful businesses. He emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and solving multiple problems with one solution. Jones discusses the value proposition of Provisio's 4D imaging radar technology, which offers superior performance at a lower cost compared to traditional radar and lidar systems. He also highlights the significance of passion and a clear vision in driving business growth. Jones advises staying current with industry trends and understanding cultural differences when engaging with customers Key topics in this conversation include: The impact of Provizio’s 4D imaging radar Finding the right access point to introduce new technology at OEMs Discovering the right business model How to successfully commercialize a new technology Answering two key questions: What problems are you solving for the customer? Do they care? Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/barryjones Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/proviz-io/) Website (https://provizio.ai/).  Bio Barry is responsible for strategic activities at Provizio to deliver full and proper development of several high value-added company objectives. Core activities are centered on achieving success in developing a successful reference architecture, as a development partner with key OEM’s/Tier 1’s and establishing an OEM footprint for Provizio in Japan. Prior to taking this role, Barry was Chief Engineer at Sanyo Trading leading their future technology activities including their ADAS strategy. Before this responsibility Barry was President of North American Operations and Global CTO for the Leggett and Platt Automotive Group leading P&L and technical activities for a leading Tier 1.5 electro-mechanical enterprise. During his tenure, Barry played a key role in growing the private company (Schukra) that became the base of the Automotive Group from a $60M USD company to a global $1.2B USD market leader over a 22-year period. Before joining Schukra Barry held various operational and senior engineering roles at General Motors both in Canada and the US (Detroit) for 12 years. End responsibility was Engineering Manager for Buick, Oldsmobile and Cadillac designing and launching seat interiors at GM headquarters in Detroit. About Provizio: Founded by a team of automotive and aerospace industry veterans, Provizio is the leading provider of low-cost advanced perception imaging radar that is reliable in all-weather conditions. Provizio is dedicated to balancing the system cost of radar and addressing the challenge of small object detection at range, delivering solutions for safe, cost-effective and scalable L3+ autonomy. At the core of Provizio's offerings are the VizioPrime 6K, the first market-ready solution to make LiDAR optional for L3+ autonomy applications, and 5D Perception® Driving Platform integrating GPU-based edge AI to fuse proprietary 5D Radar with vision systems and top-tier sensors, enabling real-time predictive analytics for safer driving. 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/

Quincy Lee is the CEO and Founder of Electric Era. He joins for a Round 2 discussion (see Episode 168 for Round 1), to discuss the operational challenges of scaling a business, building a reliable product, and the importance of execution. Quincy shares his insights on recruiting a team with a passion for the mission, fostering a culture of excellence, and the personal growth that comes from tackling difficult problems. He also highlights the impact Electric Era is making in the EV charging industry by delivering superior reliability and driver experiences. Key topics in this conversation include: Scaling a business requires operational excellence and the ability to execute effectively. Recruiting team members who are passionate about the mission and have a track record of excellence is crucial. Building a reliable product and delivering exceptional driver experiences are key to making an impact in the EV charging industry. The journey of building a business involves overcoming challenges and developing perseverance. Continuous improvement and innovation are necessary to stay ahead in the market. Operational challenges in manufacturing and supply chain management require attention to detail and efficient processes. The goal is to create a business that generates free cash flow to invest in growth and innovation. The impact of a business is measured by the value it delivers to customers and the industry as a whole. Personal growth and fulfillment come from tackling difficult problems and working towards a meaningful mission. Reliability and customer satisfaction are critical factors in the success of an EV charging infrastructure company. Future goals for Electric Era include expanding coverage, improving reliability, and increasing charging speeds. Energy storage systems and software optimization play a key role in delivering power efficiently and avoiding grid upgrades. Links: Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/quincylee2 Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home\ Electric Era website -> Link Newsletter -> Link Company LinkedIn -> Link Company Twitter -> Link  Bio Quincy Lee is the CEO and Founder of Electric Era. Prior to founding Electric Era he was a mechanical engineer at SpaceX where spent 7 years working on the Dragon Spacecraft, Falcon 9 rocket and Starlink constellation. He oversaw the global deployment of the Gateway ground station program for SpaceX Starlink. He was an All American and Olympic Trial qualifying swimmer for the Ohio State University. About Electric Era: Electric Era is building the future of car refill for the next generation of drivers with PowerNode, a battery backed and software optimized EV fast charging station designed for convenience stores and gas stations modernizing for the 21st century. 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/

Kodiak recently made news, with their our first driverless delivery, in partnership with Atlas Energy Solutions Inc., the leading provider of proppant and proppant logistics in West Texas’s Permian Basin. This is a big development for Kodiak, as well as the greater AV industry. Michael Wiesinger (Future of Mobility Episode 157 Guest) joins for this bonus episode to breakdown the news and the situation Links: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wiesinger-ab291590/ Press release: https://kodiak.ai/news/kodiak-and-atlas-pioneering-driverless-logistics Solutions page - https://kodiak.ai/solutions/ Gen5 - https://kodiak.ai/news/smarter-faster-just-as-safe/ Michael’s Bio: Michael Wiesinger is the Vice President of Commercialization at Kodiak, and responsible for driving business development and major partnerships, defining Kodiak’s commercial product and deploying it with the mission to optimize value for Kodiak’s customers. Michael spent most of his career in the automotive and supply chain industries. He worked for Detroit Diesel, a Daimler Truck subsidiary, before he joined BCG, where he focused on strategy, operations and supply chain topics for some of the world’s largest automotive OEMs. Michael was also part of the team that launched Ware2Go, a UPS company, where he built the company’s initial warehouse network and led all supply chain related topics About Kodiak Robotics: Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 to develop autonomous technology that carries freight forward — so people, partners, and the planet thrive. The company is developing an industry-leading technology stack purpose-built for long-haul trucks, making the freight industry safer and more efficient. Kodiak's unique modular hardware approach integrates sensors into a streamlined sensor-pod structure that optimizes for perception, scalability, and maintainability. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the South, operating autonomously on the highway portions of the routes. Kodiak also leverages its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense. 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. linkedin.com/in/brandonbartneck/ brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/