Electrify Expo Industry Day Hosts Biggest Lineup of Speakers to Address Most Important Conversations in Electrification

• Senior executives from Ford, Volvo, McLaren, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Kia, Lotus, Polaris, Mercury Marine, Canoo and more will participate in panel discussions moderated by influential journalists
• Leading brands will hold press conferences including product reveals, Q&A sessions with executives and hands-on experiences with new products
• Industry Day attendees will have access to Electrify Expo prior to the general public, including exhibitor displays and demo experiences
  

/EIN News/ -- LONG BEACH, Calif., April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electrify Expo, North America’s largest electric vehicle (EV) festival, is back for its annual Industry Day in Long Beach, Calif. on Friday, May 31, 2024. This year’s Industry Day is bigger and better than ever, gathering thought leaders from top brands to engage in thought-provoking conversations moderated by influential journalists. As the biggest gathering of electrification and mobility brands and professionals, Electrify Expo Industry Day is a must-attend event for journalists, analysts and industry professionals.

“The EV industry is at a real turning point, with misinformation around adoption numbers, an election year influencing media headlines, there has never been a more important time to gather the industry and talk about the most important issues,” said BJ Birtwell, CEO and founder of Electrify Expo. “At this year’s Industry Day, we’re cutting through the noise and opening the door to lively discussions and healthy debates around the opportunities and challenges facing electrification. Once the programming concludes in the morning, we’re getting people outside and giving them what Electrify Expo is known for - hands-on experiences. After the booth tours and press conferences with leading brands making announcements and product reveals, the ride and drives and demo courses will open and Industry Day attendees will have early access to the festival grounds.”

The Industry Day Long Beach 2024 schedule is as follows, with more surprises and speakers expected to be added shortly.

For the most up to date speakers and schedule, along with tickets for Electrify Expo Industry Day, visit https://www.electrifyexpo.com/industry-day. For group sales, contact tickets@electrifyexpo.com.

Media interested in attending may request credentials by emailing ee@skyya.com.

Title	Details
Cars & Coffee Networking | 8-9 a.m.	Kickstart the morning with a cup of joe and meet the brilliant minds that you'll be networking with throughout the day.
State of the Industry | 9-9:10 a.m.	James Carter, Strategist, Futurist, Leader, Influencer and Principal Consultant at Vision Mobility, will kick off the day discussing why the press and others became negative on EVs and why he believes that will change.
What's it Going to Take to Drive EV Adoption in the Heartland? | 9:15 - 9:35 a.m.	One of the most significant challenges lies in getting people in Middle America to embrace electric vehicles (EVs) even though most people fit the bill on paper of being an EV owner - they own homes, have multiple cars, etc. So, how do we get them to make the switch, and what is standing in their way? Moderator: Sean McLain, The Wall Street Journal Panelists: Ford Motor Company Kia, Steve Kosowski, Long Range Planning & Strategy JD Power, Tyson Jominy, Vice President of Data & Analytics
Generative AI, Meet Automotive | 9:40 - 10 a.m.	Generative AI and enhanced connectivity are set to transform the automotive and mobility industry. But, what are the implications for vehicle design, infrastructure, urban planning and the user experience considering both the technological possibilities and the societal impacts? Moderator: Ed Loh, MotorTrend Panelists: Amazon Web Services (AWS), Andy Shahbazian Sibros, Steve Schwinke, VP of Customer Engagement
Is Tesla's Charging Network the Answer to the Country's Infrastructure Problem? | 10:05 - 10:25 a.m.	The switch to NACS simplifies connector design for all EVs, but it’s bigger than Tesla. Drivers will still need to navigate different networks, adapters, apps, station uptime, etc. How can the industry work to improve the charging experience? Moderator: Emily Dreibelbis, PC Mag Panelists: Qmerit, Tom Bowen, President Laycee Schmidtke, Miss Go Electric Vision Mobility, James Carter, Principal Consultant
Is There Really a Market for Electrifying Everything? | 10:30 - 10:50 a.m.	Beyond EVs, where does it prove beneficial for products to go electric vs ICE? Is electrifying everything what the consumer wants? Moderator: Jaclyn Trop, Freelance reporter for Fast Company, TechCrunch, Money and more Panelists: Lightship RV, Ben Parker, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer Polaris, Josh Hermes, Vice President, Off-Road Electric Vehicles Canoo, Greg Ethridge, Chief Financial Officer Mercury Marine, Perissa Bailey, Vice President of eSolutions
The environmental impact of electrifying everything everywhere all at once | 10:55 - 11:15 a.m.	Beyond performance, electric vs. ICE options are known for their positive environmental impact, but how much can they really make a difference? Is there an impact beyond carbon emissions? Does the country have the infrastructure to really support electrifying everything? Moderator: Chris Harto, Consumer Reports Panelists: Oshkosh Rad Power Bikes, Pete Boudreaux, Vice President, Supply Chain & Customer Operations Living Vehicle, Matthew Hofmann, CEO and founder, LEED Certified Architect
How the luxury car market has made EVs G.L.A.M.O.R.O.U.S. | 11:20 - 11:40 a.m.	While we often talk about accessibility in EVs, what about the luxury market? What do consumers want when price is not a barrier? How are luxury automakers thinking about the transition to electric? Moderator: Basem Wasef, Robb Report Panelists: AlixPatners, David Steinert, Director in the Automotive & Industrial Practice Lotus, Massimiliano Trantini, Executive Director Commercial – The Americas McLaren, Roger Ormisher, Vice President of Communications and PR - The Americas Rolls-Royce, Gerry Spahn, Head of Americas Communications Volvo
The Charged EV Debate in the 2024 Election | 11:45 a.m. - 12:05 p.m.	In an election year, why are EVs such a hot topic for both parties? Is there merit to the politicization? How can EVs come out on top no matter who sits in the White House? Moderator: James Bikales, Politico Panelists: Mike Murphy, CEO EV Politics Lynda Tran, Former Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Director of Public Engagement at U.S. Department of Transportation Tim Groeling, professor of communication at UCLA and expert on political communications
Automotive and Micromobility Press Tours | 12:30 p.m.	Join us for a guided tour and media briefings at booths including NIU, Kia, Volvo, Yokohama, Hankook, 2Swift and many more.
Ride, Drive + Demo Experiences | 2 p.m.	Connect with representatives from leading OEMs and micromobility brands. Automotive Ride and Drives All the automotive giants in one place giving you hands-on real-world experiences with their latest and greatest including Tesla, Rivian, Kia, Volvo, Ford, BMW, Porsche, Toyota, Lexus, Mitsubishi. E-Bike + Micromobility Demos Power up your ride! Join e-bike and micromobility demos with all the big players: SUPER73, Stacyc, Kawasaki, Verge, KTM, NIU, Evolve, GoTrax. Don't miss the ride of a lifetime with the industry's best.

About Electrify Expo
Electrify Expo is North America's largest outdoor electric vehicle (EV) festival showcasing the latest technology and products in electrification including startup and legacy EVs, electric motorcycles, bikes, scooters, skateboards, boats, surfboards and more. The festival addresses one of the most challenging barriers to mass adoption of electric vehicles - first hand experience with the product - with meaningful demonstrations and test rides. Top brands from around the world exhibit and attend Electrify Expo’s events to meet consumers at all stages on their path to electrification. 2024 events will take place in Long Beach and San Francisco, Calif., Phoenix, Denver, New York, Seattle, Orlando, and Austin, Texas. To stay up to date on the latest news and announcements from Electrify Expo, visit www.electrifyexpo.com and follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Media Contact
Skyya PR
ee@skyya.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/75327dc9-9e57-492b-8171-6a110b293f5d