CEAC-2022-05-May

News
Battery Manufacturers, Recyclers, and
Entrepreneurs Showcase Electric Vehicle
Supply Chain Solutions
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — The Smart Factory Institute of
Tennessee hosted the 2022 Global Electric Vehicle Battery
Innovations Conference yesterday, presented by EPB. The
event, held at the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s
Administration Building in Chattanooga, featured executives
from global electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and battery
manufacturers, as well as transportation and energy officials
from across Tennessee.
EV battery demand is expected to quadruple by 2025, increasing
the strain on the supply chain. One forecast suggests
that by 2035, more than half of new passenger vehicles sold
worldwide will be electric. “Whether it's sourcing or mining
raw materials, optimizing battery manufacturing processes,
or safely and sustainably recovering metals, EV battery
and component manufacturers face many challenges,” said
Mary Beth Hudson, Executive Director of the Smart Factory
Institute. “The Smart Factory Institute, operated by Peak Performance,
is proud to bring together such a diverse array of
innovators to help successfully integrate the next generation
of electric vehicles into the national fleet.”
Kicking off the all-day conference, Thomas Rilke, CEO of the
Deutsche Messe Technology Academy, and Bradley Jackson,
President of the Tennessee Manufacturers Association,
recognized the value of their partnership in supporting the
Smart Factory Institute, the first Deutsche Messe industrial
knowledge transfer facility in the United States, located at
the Volkswagen Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
“Tennessee is noted as the top state for automotive manufacturing
strength, with four OEMs, we are uniquely positioned
and excited to lead the electric vehicle transformation.
The Tennessee Manufacturers Association is pleased
to partner and support the Smart Factory Institute and its
technology partners in championing EV battery technology,
manufacturing and supply chain solutions that will make
Tennessee the top state in the nation for EVs, creating high
quality jobs across the Tennessee Valley,” said Jackson.
and connectivity provider EPB, the conference is an opportunity
to identify synergies and build partnerships among
key players in this rapidly growing sector. “Electric vehicles
and advanced battery production represent an incredible
opportunity for job creation in the Chattanooga area and
across Tennessee,” said Hammitt. “At EPB, we are particularly
focused on how we can integrate these new technologies
into Chattanooga’s advanced smart grid distribution system
to enhance resilience and maximize the use of existing infrastructure
for the benefit of our customers while supporting
the companies we serve in maximizing the positive economic
impact from manufacturing and utilizing these new technologies.”
The panel discussion featured Jeff Cohen, Vice President of
Sales, Americas from EV charging company Tritium, who
recently announced the establishment of its first U.S. manufacturing
facility in Lebanon, Tennessee for manufacturing
modular direct current (DC) fast chargers, an investment
expected to produce up to 30,000 electric vehicle chargers a
year and create 500 new jobs in Tennessee over the next five
years.
Alongside Cohen, panelists included Drew Frye, Manager of
Electric Vehicle Programs at the Tennessee Valley Authority
(TVA), Matt Meservy, Director of Long-Range Planning
Division at the Tennessee Department of Transportation
(TDOT), and ​Alexa Voytek, Energy Programs Administrator at
the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation
(TDEC), who also manages the Tennessee Electric Vehicle
Advisory Council. The panel, moderated by Rick Youngblood
of the Tennessee Automotive Manufacturers Association
(TAMA), discussed regional impacts of the recent federal
Dr. Sanjiv Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Sparkz, Inc. gave the
keynote address, detailing how manufacturing sustainable
and localized battery components will create value for U.S.
workers, consumers, and investors, and how Sparkz’ Zero Cobalt
Lithium-Ion Battery is revolutionizing the battery supply
chain.
According to Elizabeth Hammitt, Director, Residential Energy
and Environmental Solutions at Chattanooga’s electricity
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