Chase Drum: End of Year Recap - 2023

[00:00:02] Good morning, Grid Connections listeners and happy holidays. Today's episode is going to be a little bit shorter but I just want to say thank you to everyone that's been listening in the past year and a big shout out to all of our guests.

[00:00:15] Today's episode is just going to be me. It's going to be a little bit shorter because I realize this has come out right after Christmas.

[00:00:21] So probably less people listening to podcasts right now, but seem like a great time to kind of look back at what we've done this past year.

[00:00:29] Kind of recap on some of the things and maybe even share some of my predictions and even hint at some upcoming things we have as well. So really excited for this and I hope you're enjoying it too.

[00:00:42] So first I think I just want to kick off and thank all of our guests for the past year, especially this season. So we really kicked off the newest season with let's see that was John McRoy back in September.

[00:00:58] So I just want to say one big massive shout out to John McRoy over at Auto Line. In fact, as I'm recording this, I'm actually counting down the time before the today's episode of Auto Line after hours kicks off. So I want to watch that here shortly.

[00:01:15] John was a really great guest because he just brings a really interesting view of the automotive landscape being based into Troy and having such a long history and all the connections in the space in the Troy area and just how he's seen and kind of documented the EV transition and just even the auto industry over the last couple of few decades.

[00:01:38] And I also just want to say thanks to him because he's kind of the one that really gave me my start when I had become unemployed and had a lot of time during COVID.

[00:01:48] I thought about starting a podcast and he was really the one that gave me the opportunity to kind of help with auto line and even do some segments of guests that we've had on and kind of what eventually evolved into, I guess, maybe me partially having the confidence but also just the interest in doing a podcast.

[00:02:05] And that has kind of been such a great relationship with that with John. I have so much respect for me and always enjoy their programming. So big shout out to John for kicking off the season and please if you're not already listening to Auto Line for their daily segments or at least their weekly after hours.

[00:02:22] I highly recommend it if you're interested in the auto industry, especially around electrification they have a lot of great guests on that show a very wide spectrum of opinions and views in the space.

[00:02:34] And I'm kind of good to hear others thoughts and bring on others. So I think that actually lends pretty well to the next guest we had this year, which was Lauren McDonald from EVA D'Action.

[00:02:45] And I've known Lauren, I remember I think a couple years off and on and really originally started from I think some of this sounds I saw in Twitter to even on LinkedIn just around.

[00:02:56] The data he's kind of collected and been following around the rollout of electrical infrastructure, especially with now tracking Navi funds and also which automakers are using the North American charging standard and more.

[00:03:10] I think what's really funny is just quince and Ellie it turned out both him and I have kind of a history.

[00:03:17] This career history of working in the technology marketing and kind of software as a service space. So we quince and Ellie knew quite a few people already from that realm.

[00:03:27] And it's just been so much fun working and talking with him and seeing his insight as someone who has that knowledge base and that approach to finding information, but also having kind of shared passion and interest in EVs.

[00:03:39] So I think from there we've kind of talked about the hunt of industry and then the kind of looking outward at where EV charging is going on the DC fast charging, but I would be remiss and I was so honored also to have another guest of ours this season which was Tom Malogmi who is kind of the king of AC level two charging.

[00:04:02] That's become a big thing of his for his YouTube series out of a state of charge. Sorry, I'll set out a spec state of charge.

[00:04:09] And then also a weekly podcast series called the batteries include podcast that he hosts actually with calcone from out of spec as well as Dominic Yoni.

[00:04:19] I think just for those who had listened to the episode and didn't already know Tom is a fountain of information across the board when it comes to not just EVs, but obviously EV charging and how to do road trips.

[00:04:32] And it's really interesting to see how he's kind of honed in on the level two niche that really hasn't been served.

[00:04:37] And great to see how he's taken off and is now getting direct access with very large automakers including Tesla because they see him as such a great resource for the industry and it was such an honor of mind to finally we've kind of chatted here and there mostly I think on Twitter.

[00:04:55] But then to actually have him come on the podcast this year was a lot of fun in a great resource and kind of hoping to have him on soon. So followed by that we also had to lead my apologies if this is more everyone but I just really want to say thanks to everyone who came on this year and that's why I'm kind of gone through this list by list because it was a big thing to restart the podcast for this season and I'll go a little bit more into that shortly, but I'm so glad I have so.

[00:05:25] After Tom we had two leave from Sino Auto Insights and I originally came across to from his guest appearances on auto line and coincidentally he's going to be on this one here in half an hour.

[00:05:36] But he shares such an interesting mindset as well because he's he grew up in Detroit so he's very familiar with the traditional domestic auto audience. And then he worked in Silicon Valley and worked with Apple so he can't understand the tech and the mindset of always.

[00:05:56] And I think the prototype thing always building faster building better and just because a physical item is ship doesn't mean it's product life cycle is down there's still so much you can do a software.

[00:06:07] And then he lived in China and abroad in Asia and that where he's such the explosion and growth of the different Chinese automakers and others that have really taken off and how they've approached and how they've really kind of taken that mindset that.

[00:06:21] And he made Tesla most famous and now a lot of these other startups like Riving and Lucid and they've kind of maybe become the new Tesla has in some way without quickly they're moving on what they're doing I think there's probably it's far from right and I think there's still going to be a lot of shake up and that's based by cannot recommend.

[00:06:38] Two's insights enough either because he really does have a great weekly podcast that is called the I want to say. Chinese EVs and more podcasts but he if you go to his Twitter which is linked in the original episode.

[00:06:54] It has they recorded every Friday I guess I'm trying to say Friday morning I believe that.

[00:07:01] I believe 7 am PST might be even 6 am but because he's normally based in the Troy area and then they take the recordings of that and then put on their podcasts, but I would really recommend and this is I think probably where I come across as worth most is the Sino Auto Insights newsletter that is I want to say at least weekly maybe there might be two versions he does he tweet but.

[00:07:25] There's always super fascinating and so well researched along with really good insights of how he's seeing these new stories and developments being announced. So even just for the casual listener or the person that's just kind of interested about the industry.

[00:07:43] I think if you do anything highly recommend just kind of occasion watching auto lines YouTube channel and then even just signing out for the Sino Auto Insights newsletter will put you far ahead and then most people even in the industry in my opinion.

[00:08:00] And I think that kind of comes into a great point of the next guest we had this year which was Brandon Flash so.

[00:08:05] Brandon is really interesting guy because he essentially had to start his own YouTube channel more or less vlogging about his experience with electric vehicles and then a lot of road tripping and the charging experiences he's had with those.

[00:08:19] And then he's leveraged that into a career and worked with a couple different companies now in the DC fast charging installation hardware space so it he was a great guest and always really fascinating guy to watch.

[00:08:31] And he's been a very well-known kind of travel and sometimes also fascinating to see the struggles he goes through but he really approaches it from a very well knowledge very knowledgeable space because I think so many people who talk about charging.

[00:08:46] And I'd like to think a lot of the guests we have on a buck this trend because I really do try as best as I can to find people who actually know what their time and not only know what they're talking about but have actually done.

[00:08:58] And that's where Brandon has been able to just has designed a lot of fast charging sites he's worked for multiple EV and EV charging companies now.

[00:09:06] And so it's really fascinating to hear like the things that he ran into and what he constantly sees as the big developments and delays in getting more fast charging infrastructure.

[00:09:15] And he's just a really entertaining and fun guy to watch on his YouTube channel which is just Brandon Flash and you can also follow him on Twitter or X or whichever you prefer calling it on just at Brandon Flash on that on that area as well.

[00:09:29] That's really how I originally came across him and what he was doing so after Brandon we had Chris had a hazel Chris.

[00:09:38] Chris Hazel from Felton Systems there y'all got it and I was so happy to have him on because that has been a company that I had been kind of just following for a couple years now just from a very selfish and nerdy perspective I hope my interest in there.

[00:09:55] Land Rover defender EV conversion kit didn't hog up too much of that.

[00:09:59] And so or at least how much I was going to fanboying over the interest in that distracting from it, but incredibly incredibly thankful to have him on the show and I can't wait to kind of talk with him more especially when I start doing the conversion more seriously.

[00:10:15] But it was just really interesting to talk to someone who's not only in the space who's done conversions, but is now trying to scale this to be not just a.

[00:10:23] Bolton kit business, but to make it a international bulletin EV conversion kit business because I think there are a lot of companies out there that maybe offer a few of the parts.

[00:10:37] And you kind of have to then find your own batteries or motors or you can kind of there just isn't always a really clear path for how to do this, especially when it's your first build.

[00:10:47] There are some kids and other things out there that really make it a lot easier for.

[00:10:52] Certain car models and makes but I think the way that they're really approaching it to hopefully not only just bring down the cost to do this, but just to make it a much more streamlined approach.

[00:11:03] For doing conversions and I think where they're starting with this kind of universal battery pack there's especially for kind of like traditional.

[00:11:10] S.E.V. is like the for Bronco the Land Rover defender I believe it'll work with the discovery and range rover as well and many like international scale to another great one of this would work with so I think it's really cool to see those and I think those are a lot easier for.

[00:11:27] New people to EV conversions because inherently you're dealing with the bigger cars so you just have much more space to work in.

[00:11:33] So I'm I'm really excited to see how their business grows over the next year and hopefully be able to use their kit and work with a couple more people from their company and also a couple other companies that they're working with domestically.

[00:11:47] So after Chris we had JT from Franklin's charging so this was a really fascinating company for that I found out actually from my out-aspect video on YouTube that Chris Connor had.

[00:12:00] And I think it's really interesting to see how he approached this the mindset for building this business because he was so focused on having multiple cash flow and revenue sources.

[00:12:22] I think that's a big thing that people are concerned about is like is there a business that can be made with DC fast charging I think the way some companies are doing it right now there isn't if you look at the traditional.

[00:12:33] Gas station and kind of convenience store experience gas really isn't the money maker it just gets people in the door to sell hot dogs and twinkies and many other things where that revenue those revenues come from and I think the that he approached it in that way and with some.

[00:12:52] Some also just really unique and interesting technology by partner with a company like. Freight farms which is essentially a plug and play deployable container farm that you can drop sort of drop ship anywhere and then start growing and selling that produce is.

[00:13:10] Really unique and really fascinating I think probably especially we look at EV drivers in early adopters something that probably also aligns with their kind of mindset of fresh sustainable food that I think is a fairly common and I met stereotype but.

[00:13:24] Very true for a lot of you drivers, at least early adopters. And so it's really cool to talk to him as someone who's gone through the trouble of trying to get the permanent getting.

[00:13:35] The installation getting just even the hardware and then working with the utility I think he's been really successful and but it was great to talk with someone like him to kind understand where he's seen those pain points.

[00:13:44] And also kind of flesh out and build out what we're seeing in this total DC fast charging story around what we've heard from brain and flash is someone who is kind of helping site design and building then what we'd heard from Lauren and some of the struggles that companies are seeing around just getting them in the ground.

[00:14:01] And the success in getting either neve funding or just other grants and other funds accessible to them. And then most recently I just launched the story with Luke Cox and Andrew Kelly from extra north America that was coming interesting one and they.

[00:14:17] I think what made so interesting was they actually reached out to me and I think that's the great traction working I'm already having now that I've been doing the podcast again more consistently.

[00:14:27] They really reached out with me and I was kind of fun to have both of them from a business and also a technical standpoint to have them both on the line.

[00:14:34] To talk with how extra is originally based on Europe but now building DC fast chargers here in North America and some of the ways that they're working their damage to try and make the process of installing DC fast chargers and at scale a lot easier.

[00:14:50] Some of that's through the battery backup technology they use to just having the right software and strategies and really trying to make it as easy of a financial decision or just building decision for these property owners their interests in DC fast charging so.

[00:15:08] I just give a quick summary of the bad hope I guess that was about nine or so different hope I guess we had on but thank you for your patience for listening through this and I also just wanted to say one more time thank you again because I want to be possible without having great guests like this.

[00:15:24] For me personally to learn and as I've heard from a lot of our viewers and listeners you too are also enjoying what we have been broadcasting.

[00:15:34] I guess product podcasting this past year on great connection so there's a few things I want to say in addition that but first as a listener please. Email me you can email me at chase at connecting the grid calm or you can just email.

[00:15:50] If you're interested in being a guest if you email guests at connecting the grid calm that also I'll also see that come in and our team can reach out to you about.

[00:15:59] I'm having you on the podcast or how you want to work and support with us but I think importantly I just I really want to hear whether it's in the comments whether it's emailing whether it's tweeting at us and grid connections on Twitter or X.

[00:16:11] Just what you want to see what if you enjoyed what would you like to see more of or see more regularly.

[00:16:17] Any certain topics that you want to see us dive more into or kind of get a better speaker I just I think with this in the year recap that's really when I went ask from you as the listeners is just please let me know.

[00:16:29] Any suggestions or recommendations I mean that's how a couple of these guests even came on was.

[00:16:35] Brandon Flash actually was one of them that had a listener that kind of tweeted at him to come on to the podcast and was really have kick that off so I just want to say thank you to fill out of central Oregon.

[00:16:48] And he's also got on the coincidentally one of the guys that can help kick it off for me to start the podcast up again and.

[00:16:56] I guess to maybe segue to that real briefly I know I had done a season of this event almost a year I guess two years ago now and I stopped and I stopped because I'd got a full time job and.

[00:17:09] I just wasn't really sure where career wise I wanted to go at the time and there was just a lot up in there we just.

[00:17:14] Shortly I guess a little almost two and a half three years going to we had moved in new city and there was just a lot up in the air and it just I wasn't sure if it made sense and more and then.

[00:17:23] I just have to pass your as like you know what I enjoyed the industry happen in but I am really passionate about anything and all things EVs so even if it's just for my own good and knowledge and.

[00:17:33] Personal side fun project I'm going to start the podcast and I'm glad I did because unfortunately shortly after starting this season my. I.

[00:17:45] I was unfortunately like you know from a guy to couple previous rounds of the day after the time was the charm and I was like you and so.

[00:17:54] Fortunately it was not the most ideal time because there's a month before I was getting married but yeah it was a good time for me to kind of reflect focus on getting stuff ready for the wedding and then just think about what do I actually want to do.

[00:18:07] I think it force me to really familiar you know either way I really enjoy doing the great connections podcast and I always can talk to myself if I did do something again in the.

[00:18:17] If I did a pivot away from the software and kind of marketing tech industry I wanted to go back in the EVs and automotive so. I think that's a great way to leverage that jump back into it.

[00:18:29] It's been super informational and has coincidentally led to some job opportunities which I think is something I'll be announcing more kind of in Q one of 2024.

[00:18:40] But now looks like I'll be launching a EV consultancy so that was something I was not expecting but really pleasant surprise and excited for those opportunities and stuff that will come from that and all have some. I think that's a great way to do that.

[00:18:54] So that's all been a lot in this one episode alone but I just wanted to reflect in in looking at this past year looking at the guests and saying thank you for everyone that has been on that's volunteered their time and has been a great learning resource for me.

[00:19:10] The next thing I'm excited about is a couple of already recorded for January so we got a.

[00:19:17] One person has been on the podcast before but they just launched I guess I'll say Matt Tesky from Chargedway they just launched the second version of their app and so I talked to him about that and just the EV industry in general.

[00:19:31] And following that I've got it's not officially yet but a really exciting kind of panel episode that I'm hoping to shoot and kind of launched probably the second week of January for all the listeners about just a few of the people we've had on previously getting their thoughts on the industry and where they're seeing for 2024 so fingers crossed we're still getting that dialed in.

[00:19:50] But given that it's almost the end of the year I do kind of want to just want to share some of the things that I'm kind of excited for and kind of intrigued by my think the biggest thing.

[00:20:02] I think one of the biggest announcements especially in EV charging in the past year in 2023 was. The unexpected growth and interest of the North American charging standard or necks or however you want to pronounce it and how that's really taken off because.

[00:20:18] In 2022 is really test on it it's a great technology it's really simple I love the fact that works the same for AC and DC charging it's much easier in my experience usually.

[00:20:28] To handle it when it's cold out or you trying to do something with one hand so I thought that was great.

[00:20:34] I was cautiously optimistic that maybe one or two other startups would say they would use it but when forward announced in March that they were going to move to that starting in 2025 for new cars and then offer an adapter in 2024 that turned that was essentially the starting of the end of CCS one or the combined charging system.

[00:20:57] That we've seen in all the other EVs in North America and it's wild to me that how quickly that has changed and we had a couple of holdouts and finally for example the VW group just a couple days ago announced along with SAE announcing kind of the official standardization around what they're calling the North American charging standard of J-3400.

[00:21:20] The announcement from VW that they'll be going to it as well so it really has made it the de facto one standard moving forward for EVs in North America and I think that's long term going to be great for a lot of EV drivers just like I said one plug to kind of do level two and DC fast charging it's just smaller and simpler to use.

[00:21:40] A lot of great technology and design future proved into it but I think that kind of lines into my prediction of 2024 and I think with a lot of these.

[00:21:50] EVs coming out from the other OEMs I think there is going to be a little bit of a dongle adapter hell I think a lot of obviously the kind of traditional EV drivers and first adopters won't be an issue for them, but I think it may have an impact on.

[00:22:09] And adoption or can I have make people want to hold off until the North American charging standard is the standard actually on the car so you don't need a adapter and sounds like most.

[00:22:21] Automakers are seeing that will be in 2025 if I read this correctly I believe one of the interesting announcements with the VW announcement I'm going to it was that the vehicles in 2025 that will have the North American charging standard will only be VW cars that are new in 2025.

[00:22:39] So existing cars I believe like the ID for and others that are already out on the roads very likely still have a CCS charging for it and you will have to use still be adapter but they will at least have access to the North American charging standard chargers.

[00:22:54] And the other big announcement as part of that is because of electrify America being tied to full twig in group that electrify America will also have North American charging standard charging outlets at their charging locations. So that was a big and.

[00:23:12] Great addition and as pretty much left that the only auto group that hasn't said they'll be going to the North American charging standard of J3400 now is delantis which was formerly Chrysler and is kind of alpha male.

[00:23:27] Jeep Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and a couple others but at the same time those auto companies have very few EVs as it is so I think eventually the will probably come over anyway and their announcement as to win or if they offer it.

[00:23:45] We'll have a lower impact just because they don't have many EVs on the roads right now. So. More 2024 I think it is going to be a little interesting to see around how the North American charging standard impacts auto sales.

[00:24:02] I still think overall most people don't understand or even realize this is thing that are buying cars and it does add just one more thing for a consumer who's looking to buy an EV over traditional and just internal combustion engine vehicle.

[00:24:18] But I think the biggest thing actually right now are interest rates that are impacting EV sales and just car sales in general and allegedly. Jerome Powell said starting next year the rates will be going down so hopefully that's true and that should help.

[00:24:33] I think increase EV sales more than the whole North American charging standard. Now it's men's and some that stuff will have in 2024 and then obviously in 2025 as we see more of these automakers as they've announced start just offering it natively in the car.

[00:24:47] I think it'll be a decent amount of short term maybe just a year or two of paying. I think it's a lot of a lot of a lot of long term benefit to.

[00:24:57] EV drivers and then people who are making the transition EVs just so they'd have one plug one thing. They're still going to have to learn a lot but just having to know about one plug and it just kind of works.

[00:25:08] I think it's going to make it out a lot easier for everyone. And then I think with all of this and the North American charging standard announcements. The White House now is kind of getting behind it so that I think good.

[00:25:25] And bad is that this will delay more nevy funding in that some of these states that have been taking a while to announce it are either.

[00:25:35] This is kind of up in there maybe there's going to be some government push to make sure now it has that in addition to the CCS one terms that we're already there.

[00:25:45] I'm going to have to make sure that the next charges on there as well because the automakers are going to be pushing them to include that as well.

[00:26:03] So I think that will be overall a good thing but unfortunately and that's another short term thing but I think we'll slow down the rollout a more DC fast chargers.

[00:26:14] Yeah and I think that is just a few of the things that I wanted to look back on the year and share and just say thanks to everyone who's been on share just some interesting news and a little bit of some of the.

[00:26:27] upcoming announcements we have and kind of used going to 24 hunt 24 24 24 around. Evied option and the EV infrastructure in North America I think it's all good news I think long term it'll be great I just think 2024 is kind of up in the year.

[00:26:45] As far as if it's what we're going to see the first half compared to the second half or just in general.

[00:26:50] And I'm really excited for the upcoming panel that we're going to have with some of these people on to get their thoughts and takes on it as well.

[00:26:57] And once again, I just want to say happy holidays to everyone and please let me know any recommendations or considerations you'd like to see where guests you'd like to have on in the upcoming year. And with that I'll see you in 2024.