Some are famous, like Carlos Ghosn. Some are little known outside a small circle. Some are visionaries, like Tesla's Elon Musk. Others come from large, established companies, like Bernd Bohr at Bosch.
They are business people, engineers, advocates/activists, venture capitalists and politicians -- including the president of the United States, who plans to buy electrified vehicles by the hundreds of thousands.
They are the members of the "Automotive News Electrifying 100," a listing of the most influential people leading the global transformation of the automobile to an electrified fleet, from hybrids to all the types of pure electric vehicles.
Automotive News editors are working with outside experts to compile the Electrifying 100, who will be recognized in a special editorial report and at a sparkling event June 13 at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Mich.
We have named most of the group, and we're poring over scores of other nominees. We'd like your thoughts on leaders who should not be missed.
There are obvious slam-dunks on the list, people such as Nancy Gioia, director of global electrification at Ford Motor Co.; Takeshi Uchiyamada, father of the Toyota Prius and now head of r&d at Toyota Motor Corp.; Micky Bly, the EV chief at General Motors; and Prabhakar Patil, the former Ford engineer who is now CEO of battery maker LG Chem Power Inc.
Less known to many in the auto industry are folks such as Chad Bell, senior director for new business solutions at Best Buy, which is selling charging stations and may sell EVs; and Ed Kjaer, director of plug-in electric vehicle readiness advanced technology at Southern California Edison.
Hybrids and electric vehicles are inching into the fleet. Internal combustion will dominate for years to come, but there is wide agreement that electrified vehicles will rule the future. For them to become dominant, batteries must improve, the electric grid must adapt, charging stations must become ubiquitous, and capital must shift.
What a fascinating time in the auto industry. When members of the Automotive News Electrifying 100 converge in Dearborn in June, the conversation will be stimulating. And it's not too late for you to get your candidate in the running.
To make a nomination, go to autonews.com/e100.
