Expert panel on electrification in transport

Background

‌Overview

The expert panel aims to discuss the conditions that could facilitate a full role out of EVs.

It will develop the discussion focusing first on specific topics, trying to address challenges and solutions that could facilitate greater EV deployment: freight and mass transit, charging infrastructure and batteries.

A fourth panel will provide indications for CEM governments on the policies that are most relevant to move towards a deep transition towards electric mobility.

Draft Agenda

The event will start with an overview of the findings from the Global EV Outlook 2019.

In the panel discussing freight and mass transit, experts from municipal government, transit companies, and clean tech discuss challenges and long-term benefits of electrifying medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including mass transit and port operations. This panel would feature examples from some of the most advanced CEM members (e.g., China’s EV mass transit system).

›Panelists:

Ted Dowling – Vice President, BYD Canada
Michael McDonald – Senior Director Sustainability & Government Affairs, UPS
Mikko Pihlatie – Research Team Leader, Electric powertrains and storage, VTT, Finland
Merran Smith – Executive Director – Clean Energy Canada

In the panel looking at charging infrastructure, experts from utilities, government and charging companies discuss the issues related to the full lifecycle of the charging system – from electricity generation/renewables, light and heavy-duty vehicle grid interactions, residential infrastructure applications, and charging technologies. The discussion will focus on the longer-term considerations of how to prepare local, regional and national infrastructure for large scale electrification. Canada’s electrification strategy could be featured as an example.

›Panelists:

Carolina Gallo – Head of Government relations, ABB Canada
Christel Galbrun-Noel – Segment President Automotive and Mobility, Schneider Electric 
Jon Mitchell – General Manager, Sustainability at Suncor Energy
Anne Smart – Vice President, Public Policy, Chargepoint

The panel on batteries will have experts from the battery manufacturing sector, government, and environmental firms discussing responsible business practices, mass production, expected technical advancements (e.g., in sold state batteries), as well as life-cycle impacts including production, processing and end-of life for light, medium and freight-vehicle applications.

›Panelists:

David Adams – President, Global Automakers of Canada 
Mari Lundstrom, Profesor, Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland
Michael Wang – Manager, Systems Assessments, Argonne National Laboratory, United States
Yali Zheng – Deputy Director of Automotive Industry Research Department,
China Society of Automotive Engineers, China

The final panel on policy transitions and the road to mass deployment will build on thought provoking questions to discuss key policy implications of significant deployment, including vehicle supply, public sector exit strategies and evolution of capacity building policies.

›Panelists:

Abhay Bakre, Head, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, India
Huiming Gong – Director of Transportation Program, Energy Foundation
David Hochschild – Chair, California Energy Commission
Maurizio Maggiore – Senior Expert (Innovative Automotive Systems), DG Research & Innovation, European Commission
Paula Vieira – Director, Transportation and Alternative Fuels Division, Natural Resources Canada