After more than two years away from the conference circuit, automotive and battery service professionals are out in full force! Club Assist team members are excited to return to in-person meetings as active participants in all corners of the automotive battery industry. Conferences provide a unique platform for knowledge transfer and idea-sharing in the rapidly changing automotive landscape. Here are the highlights from the four major conferences Club Assist attended from April to May 2022 as leaders and learners:
Future of the Car Summit
With Elon Musk as the keynote speaker, Club Assist’s President and CEO, John Tutt, attended the Future of the Car Summit in London, England, from May 10 -12, 2022. There, he participated in riveting live conversations, learned more about what OEMs are doing today to succeed tomorrow, and joined thought-provoking panel discussions and roundtables with industry leaders.
The meeting also showcased some of the best-emerging technologies set to disrupt the automotive market in the next decade. Discussions anchored around what the future holds for the automotive industry in current reality, focusing on what companies are doing right now.
John Tutt’s key takeaways from the Summit include:
- Elon Musk stated that he aspires to sell 20 million Teslas by 2030. He also asserted that hydrogen has no future for transportation or energy storage. Musk does not see raw materials as such a constraint and feels there are many options.
- Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-Benz, stated that by 2024-25, EV range could be over 1,000 km (620 mi). It begs the question, does the industry need to achieve this range, or should manufacturers focus on lighter, less expensive batteries for shorter-range EVs?
- Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis declared that Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) are the future of the automotive industry, however, progress could be delayed due to a shortage of raw materials and charging infrastructure.
Pictured: Elon Musk on-screen
BCI Convention + Power Mart Expo
The BCI Convention + Power Mart Expo took place in Naples, Fla, from May 1-4, 2022. Presented by Battery Council International (BCI), the convention brought together decision-makers in the lead battery industry for three days of networking, industry insights, and knowledge sharing. More than 600 attendees assembled for this year’s event, which emphasized the growing impact of women in the global battery industry and unpacking the role of the 12-volt automotive battery in the future EV landscape.
Club Assist is an active participant in multiple industry committees. Our team takes advantage of this conference each year to meet with our primary battery suppliers and gain valuable insight into the current battery industry and future outlook.
Essential Energy Everyday (EEE) is a communications initiative of BCI targeted at increasing awareness of the critical importance of lead-acid batteries. During the general session, Deena Grabowski, Club Assist’s Director of Corporate Communications, presented how businesses can tap into the EEE library of lead battery resources, including fact sheets, scientific reports, case studies, videos, and infographics, to position themselves as leaders in the industry.
Pictured: Deena Grabowski, Director of Corporate Communications
Florida Tow Show
More than 370 exhibitors took part in the towing industry’s largest international conference, the Florida Tow Show, in Orlando, Fla., on April 22-23, 2022. Club Assist proudly displayed its fleet of EZTow Assist light-duty vehicles that perform roadside service and towing while neatly stowing up to 25 batteries, along with essential roadside tools and equipment. Club Assist’s Tee Cambre, Vice President of Business Development; Brian VanWyk, Regional Account Manager; and Meredith Fordham Hughes, Director of Marketing, received enthusiastic feedback from attendees who were impressed with the EZTow Assist design and “just one call-out” capability for emergency roadside service.
Pictured from left to right: Brian Van Wyk, Regional Account Manager; and Tee Cambre, Vice President of Business Development
AAA Automotive Conference
Club Assist was honored to serve as a primary sponsor for the AAA Automotive Conference in Austin, Texas, from April 20-22, 2022.
Fitting with the “Reunite | Reinvent | Realize” theme, the excitement was palpable as attendees reconnected in person to share innovative ideas and best practices within the automotive industry. Mike Gill, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnership; Tee Cambre, Vice President of Business Development; Jeremiah Cordovano, Vice President of U.S. Operations; and Meredith Fordham Hughes, Director of Marketing, attended. They were set up in the Networking Hub throughout the conference, where they had productive one-on-one conversations with Club delegates.
Club Assist sponsored a formal dinner to recognize AAA Service Providers of Excellence, featuring the best of the best from across the country. Winners were selected by a committee representing Clubs. The committee evaluates operational performance, Member satisfaction, and community engagement.
Insightful presentations included Tim Creasey as the keynote speaker, discussing how change is hard and continuous, but successful change outcomes are achievable through our people. He also mentioned several times that this was the first “in-person” event he has spoken at since COVID began. That itself has caused a significant change in businesses.
Conference workshops featured topics on exploring new ways to provide service as EVs grow in popularity, presented by Jim Sennett from AAA National and Dave Lear from AAA Oregon and Idaho; and ideas for making immediate changes to protect roadside heroes, who are killed at a staggering rate of one every two weeks while rescuing stranded motorists.
Representatives from the Automotive Sub-Committee also held a panel discussion moderated by Margaret Pittelkow, Vice President of Automotive Solutions at AAA National, with audience Q&A that addressed some of the challenges and opportunities facing the Federation. In addition, two delegates from European Clubs (ANWB Club from the Netherlands, and ADAC from Germany) attended. They discussed the changing automotive landscape in their respective countries related to EV transportation adoption for vehicles and bikes, and how Clubs are staying relevant to their Members by providing services outside of traditional emergency roadside service.
Pictured left to right: Jeremiah Cordovano, Vice President of U.S. Operations; Tee Cambre, Vice President of Business Development; Mike Gill, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships; and Meredith Fordham Hughes, Director of Marketing.
Batteries On The Horizon
As the Preferred Supplier for the AAA and CAA Mobile Battery Service Programs, Club Assist actively seeks knowledge of new technologies and innovations, while keeping a close watch on changes and disruptions on the horizon. Though EV proliferation is a hot topic, one thing has been made very clear throughout the four conferences our leadership has just attended: The future of the 12-volt lead car battery is bright, both as a sustainable consumer product, as well as a necessary component of electric vehicles.