MEDIA ADVISORY

DATE: 4-7:30 p.m. April 1 and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. April 2, 2025

EVENT: Key technologies and issues shaping the future of electric vehicles and transportation will be discussed at the University of Michigan Electric Vehicle Center Symposium 2025. The two-day event brings together industry, government and academia.

Talks include:

Driving the Future: Michigan’s Leadership in Mobility Innovation with Justine Johnson, chief mobility officer for the state of Michigan
Wednesday, April 2, 9-9:30 a.m.
Johnson will discuss state’s key initiatives, public-private partnerships and infrastructure advancements aimed at accelerating the transition to safe, reliable and energy-efficient transportation across land, air and water.

Turbulent but Certain Path Towards Electrification, with Bob Lee, president and chief strategy officer of LG Energy Solution North America
Wednesday, April 2, 2:45-3:30 p.m.
Lee will discuss the EV market outlook and key challenges, including range anxiety, charging infrastructure and affordability.

New EV Center Projects: Announcement of $1 million in Seed Funding, with Denise Graves, commercialization program director at U-M Innovation Partnerships and Alan Taub, EV center director
Wednesday, April 2, 3:30-4 p.m.
Find out about the latest joint industry/academic research projects the EV Center will fund.

The Future of Living and the Role of EVs, with Larry Burns, former vice president of research and development at General Motors
Tuesday, April 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Burns is the author of Autonomy: The Quest to Build the Driverless Car and How it Will Reshape Our World, and Reinventing the Automobile. He has advised Waymo, U-M, Columbia University, and major companies on the future of transportation.

Update on Academia-Industry EV Technology Research Projects, with Alan Taub, EV Center Director and U-M faculty members
Wednesday, April 2, 9:30-10 a.m.
Hear progress of the $23M in EV Center-funded technology projects underway, including in batteries, infrastructure, end-of-life, electric drives and more.

Additional panelists include:

• Brent Gruber, executive director of EV practice at J.D. Power
• Terry J. Woychowski, president of automotive for Caresoft Global

PLACE: U-M’s North Campus Research Center, Building 18, 2800 Plymouth Road, Ann Arbor (map)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Media can register by emailing Jamie Racklyeft at [email protected].

RELATED LINKS:
EV Center Symposium 2025
$130M Electric Vehicle Center launches at U-Michigan