#426 The EV Revolution: Visionaries Shaping the Future of Transportation with Ken Boyer

The CTO Show with Mehmet Gonullu

In this episode of The CTO Show with Mehmet, we dive into the transformative world of electric vehicles (EVs) with Ken Boyer, a seasoned researcher in supply chain management and author of The Electric Vehicle Revolution: Five Visionaries Leading the Charge. From Elon Musk’s Tesla to Vietnam’s VinFast, Ken sheds light on the visionaries driving the EV revolution, the challenges of adoption, and the impact of EVs on global economics and sustainability.

Electric vehicles are more than just cars; they are the future of global transportation and sustainability.” – Ken Boyer

What Listeners Will Learn

• How EVs are reshaping transportation and global economics.

• The strategic decisions that companies like Tesla, VinFast, and GM are making.

• Insights into EV battery technology, supply chain challenges, and the role of renewable energy.

• The importance of circular economies in EV production and sustainability.

Key Takeaways

1. Visionaries Behind the EV Revolution: Elon Musk, Pham Nhat Vuong, Mary Barra, and other leaders are transforming the automotive industry.

2. Challenges of EV Adoption: From battery supply chains to consumer hesitations, the hurdles are real but solvable.

3. The Global EV Race: China is leading the EV market with over 50% of its cars being electric, while Western economies need to catch up.

4. Technological Innovations: Advances in battery technology, circular supply chains, and solid-state batteries are making EVs more affordable and sustainable.

5. The Role of Governments: Policies, incentives, and investments are critical for driving EV adoption and maintaining competitiveness.

About the Guest

Ken Boyer combines a lifelong love of cars and engineering with a career focused on management and supply chain. He's the Fisher designated professor of operations and business analytics at Fisher College of Business, Ohio State University./ He was coeditor-in-chief of the Journal of Operations Management, and served on the faculty at Michigan State and DePaul universities. Boyer is a member of the Academy of Management, Production and Operations Management Society, and the Decision Sciences Institute. Recently, he visited Vietnam to study Vinfast's rise. He's published numerous academic articles and two books. His latest is The Electric Vehicle Revolution: Five Visionaries Leading the Charge. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, and currently drives a Tesla Model 3.

Learn more at gearschange.com.

Timestamps

• [00:00:00] Introduction and Welcome

• [00:02:00] Ken Boyer’s Background and Book Inspiration

• [00:05:00] The Story of VinFast and Pham Nhat Vuong

• [00:10:00] Challenges in EV Adoption

• [00:14:00] Battery Technology and Circular Economies

• [00:22:00] Government Policies and Incentives

• [00:29:00] EV Expansion Beyond Cars