Tag: automotive industry

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3 indicators to watch for on Stellantis Q2 earnings day

Compared to this year’s drumbeat of announcements from car companies touting future battery-electric models, Stellantis has remained quiet, focusing on plug-in hybrids instead.

The Amsterdam-based joint venture between Fiat-Chrysler and PSA Group is pursuing electrification aggressively, targeting a goal to sell five million EVs globally by 2030 – and preparing to introduce a suite of EVs in the U.S. and around the world.

Rivals General Motors and Ford have announced this week that they are making deals with suppliers of raw materials, building battery factories and taking more control of the supply chain to stave off the production problems that have hampered EV sales over the past year.

When Stellantis, which represents the world’s fifth-largest automotive conglomerate, releases its second-quarter financial results Thursday, CEO Carlos Tavares may provide deeper insight into the company’s electrification strategy and plans for the decade.

Here’s what investors and TechCrunch will be watching for.

Future models

The Fiat Chrysler parent company is investing more than $35 billion in electrification, software, and technology through 2025, and expects to launch more than 75 new battery-electric models, including 25 nameplates in the U.S. and Canada, by 2030.

In North America, Stellantis has focused on producing plug-in hybrid versions of popular models – including the Chrysler Pacifica, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Jeep Wagoneer 4xe. But it plans to launch at least 25 new EV nameplates in the coming years, including a Jeep EV in 2023, a Ram 1500 BEV pickup truck in 2024 and battery-electric models from Maserati.

We’ll be paying attention Thursday for any clues or even details that Stellantis might drop — including price, performance and launch dates – on its future EVs.

Fiat Chrysler brand

Stellantis set a goal for 100% of European sales and 50% of North American sales to come from EVs by 2030. However, its Chrysler brand plans to go fully electric by 2028, launching its first EV in 2025.

That model will be based on the Chrysler Airflow crossover concept shown at the New York Auto Show in April. Chrysler has not announced details of the production version, but said the concept car can travel up to 400 miles on a fully charged battery and includes the automaker’s STLA AutoDrive system with Level 3 automated driving capabilities.

We’ll be tuning in for more on Chrysler’s inaugural EV as well as news on EVs from other Stellantis brands.

Battery and EV assembly

Like rivals, Stellantis is bringing more of its domestic operations on shore. That includes teaming up with Samsung SDI to build a $2.5 billion lithium-ion battery plant in Indiana. The project is Stellantis’ first battery plant in the U.S. and its fifth worldwide.

The site is slated to open in 2025 near Stellantis’ engine, casting and transmission plants in Kokomo, Indiana, where the company is also investing $229 million to produce electrified, eight-speed transmissions to help reach its goal for EVs to represent more than half of its U.S. sales by 2030.

Stellantis announced in March plans to invest $4.1 billion in a separate lithium-ion battery joint venture with LG Energy Solution. That plant is expected to open in Windsor, Ontario, in 2024.

We’ll be listening for guidance on Stellantis’ construction plans and news on any new joint ventures.

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Luminar to invest in Geely-affiliated Ecarx, eyes China market

Luminar, the Florida-based lidar company that went public via SPAC in 2020, has formed a close alliance with an auto behemoth in China. It’s making a strategic investment of an undisclosed amount in Ecarx, an auto tech startup co-founded by Eric Li, founder of China’s largest private automaker Geely, Ecarx said on Thursday.

The funding will be part of the pair’s wider collaboration on automotive-grade technologies, which aims to “enable advanced safety and automated driving capabilities in the production of consumer vehicles and commercial trucks,” a plan that Luminar unveiled in May.

Luminar’s sensing technology can potentially reach millions of vehicles through the Geely/Ecarx auto empire. Ecarx is building a comprehensive platform for the future of cars, focusing on the likes of auto chips and smart vehicles. Its customers include, unsurprisingly, Geely-owned brands like Lotus and Volvo.

Shen Ziyu, Ecarx’s other co-founder and a former General Motors executive, told Reuters in March 2021 that the company had already supplied 2.5 million vehicles.

The lidar industry in China is enjoying a boom as the country’s electric car makers — which themselves have benefited from government support for renewable energy — woo picky consumers with advanced driving technology, in-car entertainment, other novel auto features.

Luminar’s tie-up with Ecarx will be critical in helping it confront domestic lidar players, from BYD-backed Robosense and Bosch-backed Hesai to Temasek-funded Innovusion and Livox, which sprang out of DJI.

“The collaboration will help Luminar to accelerate deployment of its industry-leading long-range lidar and software in the [Chinese] market and beyond through Ecar’s deep connection with Geely and the Geely ecosystem, comprising some of the world’s most reputable automotive brands,” Luminar said in May.

The same month, the American lidar maker said it had brought on Jackie Chen, a Harman veteran, to head its China business.

Ecarx’s empire is ever expanding. On Thursday, the company announced another funding boost along with the Luminar partnership. Siengine, an automotive system on chip maker it co-founded with Arm China, has completed a Series A funding round of nearly 1 billion yuan or $15 million. Sequoia Capital China led the round, with Bosch’s China venture capital arm Boyuan Capital and others participating.

Earlier this month, Li and Shen bought Chinese smartphone maker Meizu, once a Xiaomi archrival, to work towards a future of “multi-device, scenario-agnostic, and immersive” digital experience, which will no doubt include system integration between vehicles and handsets.

In May, Ecarx announced plans to go public through a merger with a blank-check firm in a $3.8 billion deal.

China’s robotaxis charged ahead in 2021

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DeLorean reveals Alpha 5, a performance EV with Back to the Future vibes

DeLorean released fresh details and images of its Alpha 5 EV, a gull-winged electric vehicle that the company’s owners hope will resurrect the long defunct brand and possibly set the direction for more electric models.

The company’s — and the EV’s — big public moment won’t come until later this summer at the Monterey Car Week. But the brand’s owners, anxious to capitalize on interest in EVs and perhaps spur a little momentum ahead of the event, released images and specs that reveal the Alpha 5 retains the gull-winged, two-door frame featured in the Back to the Future trilogy but features a curvier, sleeker silhouette and room for four passengers.

So far, the company’s intentions for reviving the DeLorean brand after a long hiatus – as well as how and where it will fund and built the Alpha 5 – are not clear. DeLorean CEO and former Karma Automotive executive Joost de Vries, who joined the company in December, is scheduled to speak Friday at the Electrify Expo EV festival in Long Beach, California. The expectation is that de Vries will share more information about company’s wider ambitions for electrification.

DeLorean said Tuesday that the Alpha 5 sports car will post figures typical for a performance EV, zipping from 0 to 60 mph in just under three seconds on its way to a top speed of 155 mph. The company estimates that the car’s 100kWh battery will be able to travel more than 300 miles on a full charge.

The original DeLorean Motor Company, maker of the time-traveling DMC-12 that starred in the 1980s Back to the Future trilogy, was founded in Detroit in 1975 by John DeLorean, the Pontiac designer behind the GTO and Firebird. It went defunct seven years later.

The revived DeLorean Motor Company that designed the Alpha 5 is owned by a Texas-based DeLorean restorer that bought rights to the brand in 1995 and appears to be focused on electric models.

The EV was designed by Italdesign, which also helped shape the original DMC-12 four decades ago. Looking at the released images, the Alpha 5 retains the gull-winged, two-door frame from the movie but features a curvier, sleeker silhouette. It also gains two seats, a pair of infotainment screens, and a frunk but loses the flux capacitor.

The car will rely upon a mix of “artificial support” and human control, according to the company’s website. This seems to suggest there will be some kind of advanced driver assistance system, but it’s unclear what the specific features will be.

DeLorean has not released details on its price, launch or production run. It will premiere at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in Pebble Beach, Calif., on August 18.

The company did not immediately respond for comment Tuesday.

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Stellantis to build new battery plant in Indiana

Stellantis and Samsung SDI said on Tuesday they will team up to build a $2.5 billion lithium-ion battery plant in Indiana.

The project, which will create 1,400 new jobs and could surpass the $3 billion mark once it’s complete, is Stellantis’ first battery plant in the U.S. and its fifth worldwide.

The latest factory is slated to open in 2025 near Stellantis’ engine, casting and transmission plants in Kokomo, Indiana, where the company is also investing $229 million to produce electrified, eight-speed transmissions to help reach its goal for EVs to represent more than half of its U.S. sales by 2030.

The news comes one day after Hyundai’s blockbuster announcement that it plans to invest $10 billion in mobility innovation in North America through 2025, including $5.5 billion in an EV plant and battery manufacturing facility outside of Savannah, Georgia. That project represents the largest-ever economic development deal recruited by the Peach State.

Stellantis’ joint venture with the South Korean battery manufacturer in Indiana will support the global juggernaut’s goal to ramp up electric vehicle production. The Chrysler parent company is investing more than $35 billion in electrification, software, and technology through 2025, and expects to launch more than 75 new battery-electric models, including 25 nameplates in the U.S. and Canada, by 2030.

Stellantis announced in March plans to invest $4.1 billion in a separate lithium-ion battery joint venture with LG Energy Solution. That plant is expected to open in Windsor, Ontario, in 2024.

The new battery factory in Kokomo will have an initial annual production capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours, with the ability to increase to up to 33 gigawatt-hours in the future, said Mark Stewart, COO of Stellantis North America.

Chrysler’s first EV draws inspiration from the Pacifica minivan

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Stellantis to build new battery plant in Indiana

Stellantis and Samsung SDI said on Tuesday they will team up to build a $2.5 billion lithium-ion battery plant in Indiana.

The project, which will create 1,400 new jobs and could surpass the $3 billion mark once it’s complete, is Stellantis’ first battery plant in the U.S. and its fifth worldwide.

The latest factory is slated to open in 2025 near Stellantis’ engine, casting and transmission plants in Kokomo, Indiana, where the company is also investing $229 million to produce electrified, eight-speed transmissions to help reach its goal for EVs to represent more than half of its U.S. sales by 2030.

The news comes one day after Hyundai’s blockbuster announcement that it plans to invest $10 billion in mobility innovation in North America through 2025, including $5.5 billion in an EV plant and battery manufacturing facility outside of Savannah, Georgia. That project represents the largest-ever economic development deal recruited by the Peach State.

Stellantis’ joint venture with the South Korean battery manufacturer in Indiana will support the global juggernaut’s goal to ramp up electric vehicle production. The Chrysler parent company is investing more than $35 billion in electrification, software, and technology through 2025, and expects to launch more than 75 new battery-electric models, including 25 nameplates in the U.S. and Canada, by 2030.

Stellantis announced in March plans to invest $4.1 billion in a separate lithium-ion battery joint venture with LG Energy Solution. That plant is expected to open in Windsor, Ontario, in 2024.

The new battery factory in Kokomo will have an initial annual production capacity of 23 gigawatt-hours, with the ability to increase to up to 33 gigawatt-hours in the future, said Mark Stewart, COO of Stellantis North America.

Chrysler’s first EV draws inspiration from the Pacifica minivan

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Chrysler’s first EV draws inspiration from the Pacifica minivan

Chrysler’s new EV will create a new category, drawing upon lessons learned from designing the brand’s minivan, according to chief design officer Ralph Gilles.

“Chrysler was one of those brands that was honestly on the OR table, and we decided to reinvest in it big time,” Gilles said at the TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility conference last week. Now, the brand is planning to go fully electric by 2028, beginning with the 2025 launch of its first EV.

Based on the Chrysler Airflow crossover concept shown at the New York Auto Show in April, this inaugural EV is tasked with setting the design direction for parent company Stellantis’ $35 billion investment in bringing more EVs to market.

“We’re going to come late to the party, but with a really good bottle of wine.” Ralph Gilles

Gilles said the Airflow creates a new vehicle segment that harkens back to the vehicle Gilles most wants to be known for: the Chrysler Pacifica minivan.

“It’s such a Swiss Army knife,” Gilles said. “It’s the unsung hero of a lot of busy people’s lives.”

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Hyundai plans to spend $10B on EVs, AVs and robotics in the US by 2025

Hyundai said it plans to invest more than $10 billion toward accelerating electrification and autonomous vehicle technology in the U.S. by 2025.

Part of that pot includes the $5.5 billion it has earmarked for a new EV plant and battery manufacturing facility in Georgia that Hyundai announced Friday. Non-affiliated suppliers are contributing another $1 billion into that project pushing the total cost to $6.5 billion.

The remaining $4.5 billion of Hyundai’s total U.S. investment will go into what the automaker has identified as “key future businesses.” In Hyundai’s view, key future businesses translates to robotics, AI technologies, advanced air mobility and autonomous driving capability. Notably, Hyundai said it will invest its funds through joint ventures and subsidiaries.

The investment will also help Hyundai upgrade R&D operations for its Kia and Genesis brands, the company said.

EVs and batteries

The new EV factory is the largest economic development deal recruited by Georgia, according to officials. The 2,923-acre site is slated to break ground early next year and begin commercial production in the first half of 2025 with an annual capacity of 300,000 units.

The operations will help Hyundai toward its goal of becoming a top-three EV provider in the U.S. by 2026. Mainly powered by renewable energy sources, the plant will use a highly connected, automated and flexible manufacturing system where robots will assist human workers, Hyundai said.

Hyundai said the plant will produce some of the 23 EVs it plans to roll out by 2025. Its battery manufacturing facility will help Hyundai establish a stable supply chain.

Robotics

In 2020, Hyundai purchased from SoftBank an 80% stake in Boston Dynamics, in a deal that valued the mobile robotics firm at $1.1 billion. Part of its $10 billion investment announced Sunday will go toward creating a robotics value chain, from component manufacturing to logistics.

Boston Dynamics has launched its first two commercial robots, Spot and Stretch, to work in a variety of industries. Spot is being tapped for use in the power utilities, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas and mining industries. Stretch, which is a robot arm that moves boxes, is being marketed for use in warehouse facilities and distribution centers.

The money will also support the Hyundai subsidiary New Horizons Studio, which works on Ultimate Mobility Vehicles such as the Tiger, an autonomous cargo carrier equivalent in size to a carry-on suitcase.

AVs

In 2019, Hyundai established a $4 billion joint venture with Aptiv, a global supplier developing AV technology. Motional, the resulting AV technology company, is currently piloting autonomous driving technology on the Lyft and Via ride-share apps in Las Vegas.

Hyundai said it will “actively support Motional,” meaning the company intends to investment more money into the venture as it progresses toward commercial operations.

Motional will put Hyundai robotaxis, based on the brand’s Ioniq 5 EV, on Lyft’s network in Las Vegas next year, Chief Technology Officer Laura Major said at the TechCrunch Mobility conference on Wednesday. The cars will come with human safety operators but should be able to navigate hotel drop-off and pickup maneuvers autonomously.

Air mobility

With an eye on the sky, Hyundai launched last year Washington D.C.-based Supernal to figure out how to integrate air mobility into existing networks for intermodal travel.

The venture is developing an app for customers to plan their journey using a mix of cars, trains, advanced air mobility, eVTOLs and e-scooters. It aims to begin commercial service in 2028.

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Hyundai to open $6.5B EV factory in Georgia

Hyundai is the latest automaker to announce plans to open an EV factory in Georgia, the same state where Rivian is preparing to break ground on its controversial plant.

Hyundai’s $6.5 billion EV and battery manufacturing facility outside of Savannah will further the state’s goal of becoming a major regional hub for the EV industry. As sales of electric vehicles start to surge, the Peach State aims to establish a statewide, closed-loop battery-electric ecosystem that includes rare earth mining, battery and chip production, and auto parts manufacturing, according to state officials.

Hyundai’s capital investment, which includes $1 billion from non-affiliated suppliers, represents the largest economic development deal recruited by Georgia, officials said Friday. Hyundai expects to create 8,100 jobs at the 2,293-acre site.

Georgia has become aggressive in its efforts to attract manufacturers, awarding Rivian the state’s largest-ever incentives package of $1.5 billion to build a plant on 2,000 acres east of Atlanta. In return, Rivian has pledged to hire 7,500 workers at an average annual salary of $56,000 by the end of 2028. However, the project has stirred up local controversy; residents have rallied around concerns ranging from land preservation to the use of tax dollars.

The issue became political, as opponents of the Rivian plant mobilize against Gov. Brian Kemp ahead of his race for re-election in November.

Rivian plans to break ground this summer and open by early 2024.

Hyundai’s site represents a collaboration among four Georgia counties that used proceeds from selling property to Amazon to help fund the $61 million land purchase. The partnership which calls itself the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority (JDA), pooled the plots to create a “shovel-ready mega-site” for a large manufacturer.

Hyundai said the plant will begin production in 2025 with the capacity to build 300,000 vehicles per year.

Officials hope to replicate the model to attract more mega-site manufacturing projects to the state.

SK On, a South Korean EV lithium-ion battery maker, is building a $2.6 billion EV battery complex nearby. The company, which said its plant will be able to power 310,000 electric vehicles annually, has contracts with Ford and Volkswagen.

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Tune in tomorrow for Online Day at TC Sessions: Mobility

The two in-person days of TC Sessions: Mobility may almost be in the rearview mirror, but we’re not done yet. We still have plenty of Mobility action and opportunity waiting for you at our online event tomorrow, May 20. Here’s a quick look at what’s on tap.

All ticket holders have access to our online day. Don’t have a ticket? Buy a $65 online-only pass here.

Whether you attended the event in San Mateo, or you’re tuning in from a remote location, you can catch up on what you missed at the live show with videos on demand and with fresh commentary by TechCrunch Mobility Desk Analysis. TC editors will offer up fresh analysis and show clips from the in-person talks. Then you can watch the full sessions on demand to get the entire perspective and form your own analysis.

Transforming a traditional automotive company into one that leads the world in EVs, autonomous vehicles and the software that drives them is an order of epic proportion. Herbert Diess, the CEO of Volkswagen Group, is the man with a plan to eclipse Tesla. Tune in to hear him discuss the remaining challenges on VW’s Path to Become a Global EV and Tech Powerhouse.

One of the great aspects of an online event such as this is that you can network with anyone, anywhere in the world. We’re going to help make those connections even easier with our Speed Networking session. Through the magic of CrunchMatch, our AI-powered networking platform, you’ll be randomly matched with other attendees (based on mutual interest in specific topics) for a 3-minute conversation. Lather, rinse, repeat and grow your network. 

You will receive an email with details on how to access CrunchMatch when you purchase your event pass. Simply answer a few quick questions about your role, business and areas of interest and you’ll be ready to make quick connections and mine for opportunity.

You’ll also get to watch 18 early stage Mobility startups — all of whom exhibited on the expo floor during the in-person show — bring the heat during our two Startup Pitch Feedback Sessions. Not only will you get to know some amazing startups, but you’ll also walk away with solid tips and advice to help you hone your own pitch.

Don’t miss out on plenty of action and opportunities when TC Sessions: Mobility goes online tomorrow, May 20. Wait, you don’t have a ticket? No worries — buy a pass for $65 today and join us online tomorrow!

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Announcing the startups and judges onstage at TC Sessions: Mobility 2022

TechCrunch is excited to announce the six companies pitching in person and onstage at TC Sessions Mobility 2022. Hailing from around the United States and the globe, founders will pitch on the main stage, for four minutes, followed by an intense Q&A with our expert panel of judges.

The judges for this pitch-off will be Yoon Choi (Muirwoods Ventures), Mar Hershenson (Pear VC) and Gabriel Scheer (Elemental Excelerator) on day one; and Sven Strohband (Khosla Ventures), Victoria Beasley (Prelude Ventures) and John Du (GM Ventures) on day two. You can find additional details on each of the judges below.

Alright, alright. I know you want to see who made the cut. Join us on Wednesday, May 18 and Thursday, May 19 to watch these incredible founders take the stage.

Startups pitching on the main stage

Day 1 — Wednesday May 18: 1:10 p.m.–1:45 p.m. PDT

Koop Technologies (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — Presenter: Sergey Litvinenko, co-Founder and CEO

“Koop Technologies is an insurance platform for autonomous vehicles and robotics. The Singularity Platform is essentially a combo of three tools that Koop built: Koop API, Portal By Koop, and Insurability Sufficiency Framework (ISF). Koop provides autonomy insurance through data collection and proprietary analysis, wrapped up in the UX/UI provided by the portal.”

Boston Materials (Billerica, MA, USA) — Presenter: Anvesh Gurijala, founder and CEO

“Boston Materials is a high-performance materials company enabling manufacturers of industrial and consumer products to break through their design trade-offs with new materials. The company’s patented Z-axis Fiber™ technology is a lightweight material that has an extraordinary ability to diffuse energy (whether from impact, heat or electrical surge, for example). It is produced from 100% reclaimed carbon fiber, enabling new, high-volume, energy-efficient products that have a low carbon footprint.”

Swyft Cities (Mountain View, CA) — Presenter: Jeral Poskey, CEO

“Swyft is a new form of urban mobility, using autonomous cabins on lightweight cable infrastructure to solve transportation problems in densely developed areas including corporate campuses, airports, universities and tourism districts. Swyft adds a new connection, increasing capacity to the site with an attractive alternative to automobiles. This adds capacity into an area, allowing higher density and more profitable developments. It also reduces costs on parking and traffic mitigation. In some areas, providing connections within the site can drive high value.”

Day 2 — Thursday May 19: 1:15 p.m.–1:45 p.m. PDT

Beyond Aero (Paris/Toulouse, France) — Presenter: Eloa Guillotin, co-founder and CEO

“Beyond Aero is making long range electric aircraft possible using hydrogen-electric propulsion. The first aircraft is a zero emission private aircraft (6-9 seat), designed for hydrogen propulsion, flying 1,000 miles in range.”

MeterFeeder (Pittsburgh, PA, USA) — Presenter: Jim Gibbs, co-founder and CEO

MeterFeeder powers parking payments, data and management for individuals, fleets and municipalities. “MeterFeeder allows individual users to pay simply with geolocation, fleets to remain compliant and rapidly pay when needed. MeterFeeder provides backend software, enforcement devices, and payment platform are cost-effective.”

DIMO (Brooklyn, NY, USA) – Presenter: Andy Chatham, co-founder

“DIMO enables a new class of mobility applications to be built by developers on real world data. DIMO based on a network of drivers and fleets to collect and share their vehicle data to learn more about their vehicle, save money, and build better mobility applications.”

Expert panel of judges

Day 1

Yoon Choi — Muirwoods Ventures

Yoon Choi Muirwoods Ventures“Yoon has been a Venture Investor and strategic partner to many Silicon Valley startups/founders for 18 years prior to Muirwoods. Yoon founded a seed fund, Forest Ventures focusing in automotive sector and was an investment director at SAIC capital, one of the leaders in China’s automotive industry. Before SAIC, she led the Corporate Venture Group at Maxim Integrated, where she led multiple strategic technology acquisitions and venture investments. Earlier in her career, Yoon was one of the founding members at Samsung Ventures.”

Mar Hershenson — Pear VC

Mar Hershenson Pear VC

“Mar Hershenson is a co-founder and Managing Partner at Pear VC, a seed-stage investment firm in Palo Alto backing companies like Guardant Health (NASDAQ: GH), Doordash (NYSE: DASH), Gusto, and Branch. Mar has been recognized in the Midas List of Top Tech Investors in 2021.” Mar is a successful serial entrepreneur, with numerous industry accolades. Mar received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University in 2000 for her breakthrough work in circuit design automation.

Gabriel Scheer — Elemental Excelerator

Gabe Scheer Elemental Excelerator“Gabriel is the Director of Innovation, focused on mobility and energy, for Elemental Excelerator, a climatetech accelerator founded in 2009 in Hawaii. Previously, Gabriel was on the founding team at Lime, where he spent three years working on government relations, data policy, and transit partnerships globally. He has also worked at and consulted to Chariot, Zipcar, Superpedestrian, and Spin. In addition, he founded and ran a large environmental nonprofit and built a social innovation consultancy, as well as attempting to build a company to help small businesses pursue energy efficiency retrofits.”

Day 2 

Victoria Beasley — Prelude Ventures

Prelude Ventures Investor“Victoria is General Partner at Prelude Ventures, where her climate tech investments span mobility, food and agriculture, clean energy, sustainable apparel and carbon markets. Prior to Prelude Ventures, Victoria worked on climate change strategy at BCG and started an agriculture supply chain company. Earlier, she led Finance at a major solar manufacturer. Victoria holds an MBA and M.S. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University. She also holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a Copland Scholar. Victoria lives in San Francisco with her husband and young son.”

Sven Strohband — Khosla Ventures

Sven Strohband“Sven Strohband is a partner and managing director at Khosla Ventures, and led the firm’s early investments in Berkshire Grey, GitLab, Hermeus and Rocket Lab among others. An engineer at heart, Sven is passionate about technologies that forge new industries and accelerate novel user experiences.
Previously, he spent six years at Mohr Davidow Ventures, where he led technical diligence for the infrastructure IT and sustainability practices and worked with the portfolio to recruit technical talent, run product-market fit experiments and develop fundraising strategies.” Strohband also served as PM at Volkswagen, led Stanford racing’s autonomous car, Stanley, co-founded Metamind, and sits on the board of various companies. He holds a B.A. from Purdue University and a Ph.D. from Stanford University.

John Du — GM Ventures

John Du is a partner at GM Ventures and the chief technologist for GM China. Prior to this appointment, John was director of General Motors Research & Development organization’s China Science Lab, which he led from its founding in 2009. He was responsible for building a strong and innovative research team and leading the research and development in intelligent and connected vehicles, battery, advanced materials and electrified propulsion systems. Prior to GM, Du held several positions at Intel Corp as early as 1993, leading the Intel network processor business expansion in China in 2001; serving as Director of Intel China Research Center. John received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Beijing Institute of Technology in 1989 and an Executive MBA from China Europe International Business School in 2010.