🔋 The "Green Paradox" of EV Batteries: Clean cars, complex supply chains

Our latest Auto Intelligence episode with Steve and Claire tackles one of the automotive industry's most pressing challenges - the environmental trade-offs in EV battery production. While battery manufacturing accounts for nearly 2/3 of an EV's upfront emissions, lifecycle analysis shows EVs still produce half the emissions of gas vehicles.

Key insights from our deep dive: • Global battery demand will grow almost 7x by 2035 (IEA Global EV Outlook 2024) • Lithium extraction uses 500,000 gallons of water per ton • Cobalt recycling could meet 40% of demand by 2035 • EV battery recycling market: $540M → $23.7B by 2035

The path to sustainable mobility isn't simple, but the solutions are emerging through innovation in recycling, mining practices, and manufacturing processes. The companies mastering sustainable supply chains will lead the next decade.

Listen to the full episode for insights on second-life batteries, solid-state technology, and why this challenge represents our industry's greatest opportunity.

Produced by Auto Agentic. Learn more at www.autoagentic.ai
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About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The quantum leap: How quantum computing is supercharging automotive innovation

The Future of Driving is Being Written in Quantum Labs Today

Quantum computing has moved from the realm of theoretical physics to practical automotive applications, with major automakers investing millions in partnerships and pilot projects that could fundamentally reshape how we design, build, and operate vehicles. While still in the early research stages, the potential implications are staggering – from cars that can predict and prevent accidents before they happen to batteries that design their own optimal chemistry.

Real Companies, Real Results

This isn't science fiction. Volkswagen's pioneering quantum traffic optimisation work with D-Wave Systems, which began around 2017, has explored significant improvements in urban mobility through pilot projects in cities like Lisbon and Beijing. The German automaker has continued expanding their quantum research, including partnerships with Google Quantum AI and more recently with IQM Quantum Computers for battery simulation studies.

Ford is collaborating with Quantinuum on quantum chemistry simulations to understand charge and discharge mechanisms in lithium-ion batteries at the molecular level. Meanwhile, BMW and Pasqal are researching quantum applications in metal-forming processes and solving complex differential equations that could revolutionise manufacturing precision.

Toyota has explored quantum applications through D-Wave partnerships, focusing on traffic signal optimisation, while Hyundai and IonQ are using quantum simulations to optimise electrolytes and catalysts for advanced EV batteries. Even suppliers like Bosch are investing in quantum startups like Zapata Computing.

The Quantum Advantage: Why This Matters

Key insight: "Instead of trial-and-error experimentation, we're moving toward precision design based on quantum-level understanding of materials and systems."

Unlike classical computers that process information sequentially, quantum computers leverage superposition and quantum interference to explore vast problem spaces simultaneously. For automotive applications, this could mean:

• Autonomous vehicles that process multiple sensor inputs more efficiently, leading to better object detection and route optimisation
• Materials science breakthroughs enabling lighter, stronger vehicle components and revolutionary battery technologies
• Supply chain optimisation that could eliminate inefficiencies costing the industry billions annually
• Manufacturing precision through quantum-enhanced digital twins and process optimisation

Current Reality vs. Future Potential

McKinsey projects $2-3 billion in economic impact for automotive by 2030, though widespread deployment remains in development stages due to current "noisy intermediate-scale quantum" (NISQ) limitations. Tod

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

This comprehensive episode of Auto Intelligence explores the profound intersection of automotive AI and assistive technology, revealing how mobility innovations extend far beyond traditional transportation to transform lives worldwide.

Featured Stories: From Myrna Peterson's documented, life-changing experience with the goMARTI (Mobility for All Rural Transportation Innovation) autonomous vehicle project in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, to Tilly Lockey's inspiring journey with AI-powered bionic arms from Open Bionics, we discover how the same technological principles driving automotive innovation are revolutionising independence globally.

Key Companies and Innovations: The episode features verified insights from industry leaders including May Mobility (autonomous shuttle services), Waymo (robotaxi testing), Uber and Cruise (accessible ride-hailing), and Spare Labs (Open Fleets technology for paratransit integration). In the assistive technology space, we explore innovations from Ottobock (C-Brace intelligent orthosis, bebionic hand), Permobil (AI-powered wheelchairs), Ossur (advanced prosthetics), ReWalk Robotics (exoskeletons), and Exact Dynamics (iARM robotic assistance).

Canadian Innovation Spotlight: Canadian companies are leading the charge with Braze Mobility (Toronto) developing wheelchair blind-spot sensors, Cheelcare (Richmond Hill) creating all-terrain wheelchair attachments, and Spare Labs (Vancouver) partnering with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority for North America's largest automated paratransit service.

Technology Deep Dive: The episode examines how sensor fusion, machine learning, and predictive analytics—core technologies in autonomous vehicles—are being adapted for personal mobility devices. From the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials' smart prosthetic sockets to Munevo's eye-tracking wheelchair controls and Broadened Horizons' Wheelie 7 adapter kit, we see how AI is creating comprehensive independence solutions.

Real-World Impact: Beyond individual stories, the episode addresses systemic challenges including cost barriers, the role of programs like Ontario's Assistive Devices Program, training requirements, and infrastructure needs. We explore emerging technologies including brain-computer interfaces, AR/VR applications, IoT integration, and wireless charging solutions.

The Future of Mobility: This episode demonstrates that mobility technology isn't just about movement—it's about dignity, empowerment, and the fundamental human right to navigate the world independently. As automotive intelligence principles transform personal assistive devices, we're witnessing a revolution where what seems everyday to some becomes utterly life-altering for others.

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The Automotive Powertrain Revolution

The automotive industry's transformation has reached a critical inflection point, with our latest Auto Intelligence episode revealing how the competitive landscape is being redrawn in real-time. BYD's remarkable ascent brought them within just 24,000 units of Tesla's global Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) leadership—a gap so narrow it underscores how quickly market dynamics can shift.

The Chinese Market Surge China continues to lead the global transition with New Energy Vehicle (NEV) penetration reaching 47.9% of all new car sales in 2024, representing nearly one in two vehicles sold. This isn't just about pure electrics—BYD's strategic approach demonstrates the power of portfolio diversification, with 58.5% of their sales coming from Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs). Their PHEV segment surged 73% to 2.485 million units, proving that flexibility trumps ideology in meeting consumer needs.

Technology Convergence and Costs The episode explores how solid-state batteries are transitioning from laboratory experiments to production reality, with Toyota targeting 2027 for commercial deployment. While promising 600-mile ranges and 15-minute charging, cost challenges remain substantial at $400-500 per kilowatt-hour—3-4 times higher than current lithium-ion technology at $112/kWh.

The Hybrid Resurgence Perhaps most surprising is the hybrid market's resilience, with unit sales projected to grow from 12.4 million to 28.5 million vehicles by 2030 at a robust 15% compound annual growth rate. This growth is driven by regulatory pressure in Europe and China, combined with consumer demand for flexibility that bridges range anxiety and infrastructure limitations.

Regional Dynamics and Casualties The transformation isn't uniform globally. While BMW achieved solid 11.6% BEV growth to 368,475 units in Europe, Tesla faced headwinds in its home market with Model 3 sales declining 17.4%. Meanwhile, traditional joint ventures are struggling—GAC Toyota sales fell 22.32%, illustrating how legacy partnerships don't automatically translate to the electrified era.

AI as the Invisible Multiplier Artificial intelligence emerges as the critical differentiator across all powertrains, optimizing battery management in EVs, determining real-time power splits in hybrids, and enabling vehicle-to-grid integration that creates entirely new business models around energy management.

The Multi-Technology Future Steve and Claire's analysis reveals that success lies not in betting on a single technology but in matching the right powertrain to specific applications: urban mobility favoring BEVs, long-haul logistics preferring hydrogen fuel cells, and emerging markets continuing to rely on ICE and hybrids for infrastructure flexibility.

The episode concludes by connecting these industry trends to Auto Agentic's mission—just as automakers must navigate multiple powe

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The Micromobility Revolution: How Two Wheels Are Reshaping Our Cities | Auto Intelligence Podcast

In this week's episode of Auto Intelligence, Steve and Claire explore the explosive growth of micromobility and shared mobility solutions that are transforming urban transportation worldwide. From Toronto's record-breaking bike share adoption during a transit crisis to the future of autonomous scooters and AI-driven traffic management, this episode unpacks how these innovations are rewriting the rules of city design, economic models, and environmental impact.

Episode Highlights:

• Crisis as Catalyst: How COVID-19 fundamentally changed urban mobility patterns, with North American shared micromobility trips doubling to 157 million by 2023
• Technological Drivers: The three key innovations—dockless systems, improved battery technology, and app integration—that have accelerated adoption and accessibility
• Equity Challenges & Solutions: Examining Chicago's Divvy program, which mandated 30% of bikes be placed in low-income neighborhoods, and Lagos' "Scooter Libraries" that boosted female ridership by 27%
• Economic Transformation: Research showing that every $1 million invested in bike infrastructure creates 8-22 jobs, with the micromobility market projected to reach $204.8 billion by 2033
• Environmental Complexity: Why shared e-scooters can actually increase emissions when they replace walking (as seen in Zurich) but reduce carbon footprints when replacing car trips
• Paris 2030 Vision: How the city plans to transform 50% of car lanes into pedestrian zones, bike lanes, and green spaces while building a comprehensive network of multimodal hubs
• Cultural Shifts: The changing relationship younger generations have with car ownership and the rise of "micro-tourism" through curated e-bike routes

Featured Experts:

• Dr. Myriam Ertz (Université du Québec): On how the pandemic changed not just how we move, but why
• Justin Hanna (Director, Bike Share Toronto): On the system's rapid growth and critical infrastructure role
• Tom Nutley (Urban Sharing): On the evolution from "wild west" deployment to smarter, more connected systems
• Colin Murphy (SUMC): On the environmental nuances of shared mobility solutions
• Patrick Osei & Fatima Nkrumah (Transportation technologists): On the role of AI and autonomy in future mobility

About Auto Agentic:
Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is a pioneering AI-driven platform transforming the automotive retail industry. Founded in 2024, the company delivers intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate the customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time data insights, Auto Agentic empowers dea

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

In this comprehensive episode of Auto Intelligence, hosts Steve and Claire explore the unprecedented transformation reshaping how we move through our world. From vehicles generating terabytes of data daily to cities saving billions through digital planning, the data revolution in mobility extends far beyond simple route optimization to fundamentally change automotive engineering, urban planning, and society itself.

Episode Highlights:

Connected Vehicle Intelligence: Discover how modern vehicles have evolved into data centers on wheels, generating anywhere from 25GB per hour to over 1TB per day. Learn about the comprehensive telematics systems capturing everything from G-force sensor data to real-time energy consumption, and how this information aggregated across millions of vehicles creates detailed intelligence about traffic patterns and mobility behaviors.

Smart Cities & Digital Twins: Explore Singapore's groundbreaking Virtual Singapore initiative—the world's first comprehensive 3D digital twin of an entire country. Understand how cities can achieve 15-25% reductions in travel times through smart traffic management and why ABI Research projects $280 billion in cost savings by 2030 through digital twin urban planning.

Case Study - Uber's Route Share: Analyze Uber's May 2025 launch of Route Share across seven major U.S. metropolitan areas, examining how data analytics enabled this hybrid between ride-hailing and public transit. Discover the operational model providing 50% cost savings and the shift toward Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platforms.

Manufacturing Transformation: Learn how BMW's Munich plant digitalization enables multi-powertrain production for the Neue Klasse electric vehicle transition, and explore HORSE's ambitious 37 digital twin projects at their Valladolid plant representing full operational digitalization.

Environmental Impact: Examine the critical role of data-driven optimization in addressing transportation's 25% contribution to EU CO2 emissions, including Canada's 60% freight sector activity increase post-pandemic and how smart systems directly translate to emissions reductions.

Future Technologies: Look ahead to 5G network integration, expanding IoT sensor deployment, AI applications in mobility modeling, and autonomous vehicle development through real-world examples like North Carolina's CASSI shuttle trial.

This episode provides essential insights for automotive professionals, urban planners, technology leaders, and anyone interested in understanding how data is reshaping the future of mobility. Steve and Claire deliver complex technical concepts in an accessible format while maintaining the analytical depth Auto Intelligence listeners expect.

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

In this comprehensive episode of Auto Intelligence, hosts Steve and Claire explore how the world's most innovative cities are becoming testing grounds for the future of automotive technology. From Singapore's integrated smart mobility systems to Stockholm's revolutionary Mobility-as-a-Service platforms, this episode reveals how urban planning innovations are creating entirely new requirements for vehicle design, connectivity, and business models.

What You'll Learn

🏙️ Global City Innovations

• Singapore's Intelligent Transport System: How ninety percent road coverage with real-time monitoring is reshaping vehicle-to-infrastructure communication requirements
• Stockholm's MaaS Revolution: Why forty-three percent of residents now use shared mobility services and what this means for OEM business models
• Copenhagen's Cycling Superhighways: How forty-one percent bicycle commuting is driving innovation in urban vehicle footprints and last-mile delivery solutions
• Dubai's Autonomous Ambition: The aggressive twenty-five percent autonomous trip target by 2030 and its implications for automotive manufacturers

🚗 Automotive Industry Implications

• Technology Requirements: V2X capabilities, sensor fusion, and urban-scale data integration
• Business Model Evolution: From vehicle sales to data services, platform integration, and mobility-as-a-service revenue streams
• Supply Chain Transformation: How traditional tier-one suppliers are partnering with technology companies
• Investment Priorities: Critical R&D focus areas for urban mobility futures

🤖 AI & Digital Innovation

• Digital Twin Technology: How virtual city replicas are revolutionizing vehicle development and validation
• Symbiotic AI Systems: The complex integration between urban traffic management AI and vehicle AI
• Edge Computing: Local data processing requirements and onboard computing power implications
• Standardization Challenges: Navigating multiple urban AI platforms and communication protocols

⚠️ Challenges & Risks

• Technology Fragmentation: The risk of incompatible city systems requiring different vehicle configurations
• Cybersecurity Concerns: Protecting integrated urban-vehicle networks from cyber threats
• Data Privacy: Balancing city planning needs with automotive competitive interests
• Regulatory Uncertainty: Operating in evolving regulatory environments

Key Takeaways for Automotive Professionals

1. System-Centric Design: Cities are creating integrated mobility ecosystems where vehicles are just one component
2. Data Imperative: Urban transportation data access

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

The Great Automotive Reset: How New Laws Are Killing Old Cars

The automotive industry is experiencing its most dramatic transformation in over a century—and it's not being driven by consumer demand or technological breakthroughs alone. Governments worldwide are wielding regulatory power like never before, fundamentally rewriting the rules that determine what cars can be built, sold, and driven.

In this comprehensive deep dive, Auto Intelligence hosts Steve and Claire from the Auto Agentic team unpack the seismic regulatory shifts reshaping global mobility. From the UK's groundbreaking Automated Vehicles Act—projected to unlock a £42 billion sector by 2035—to China's explosive NEV market that just hit 40.9% penetration with 12.87 million units sold in 2024, new laws are literally determining the winners and losers in tomorrow's automotive landscape.

What You'll Discover:

• The UK's £42 Billion Bet: How the Automated Vehicles Act is shifting legal liability from drivers to manufacturers, creating a completely new risk model that could reshape insurance markets forever

• Europe's Emissions Ultimatum: Why the EU's 2025 CO₂ targets of 93.6g/km could cost non-compliant automakers hundreds of millions in fines—and how the three-year averaging window is providing crucial breathing room

• China's Infrastructure Dominance: The staggering scale behind 12.82 million charging points (a 49% increase in one year) and how this ecosystem approach is creating competitive advantages other regions are scrambling to match

• America's Patchwork Strategy: Why the US blend of federal voluntarism and aggressive state mandates (like California's 2035 zero-emission requirement) is creating both opportunities and operational nightmares for manufacturers

• The Liability Revolution: How shifting responsibility from individual drivers to manufacturers and software developers is fundamentally changing who pays when autonomous vehicles make mistakes

• The Speed of Change: Why regulatory frameworks being established today will determine whether the transformation to safer, cleaner mobility happens smoothly—or creates massive market disruptions

This isn't just about cars anymore. As one senior Chinese MIIT official explains, "Our policies aren't just about cars—they're about building entire ecosystems from battery recycling to smart grid integration." The regulatory revolution is driving technological innovation, reshaping competitive landscapes, and determining where autonomous and zero-emission vehicles reach market first.

Whether you're an industry professional, investor, or simply someone who drives, these regulatory changes will affect how you move through the world. Steve and Claire break down the complex global landscape with clarity and insight, revealing how regulatory agility, technological innovation, and public trust will define the winners in this new autom

About Auto Agentic:

Auto Agentic (www.autoagentic.ai) is pioneering AI-driven solutions transforming automotive retail. Founded in 2024, we deliver intelligent, adaptive solutions designed to help dealerships streamline operations, optimize sales performance, and elevate customer experience. With a focus on ethical AI, seamless integrations, and real-time insights, Auto Agentic empowers dealership teams—never replaces them—unlocking new levels of productivity and profitability.

Our suite of intelligent agents handles everything from lead nurturing and inventory optimization to service appointment management and customer follow-ups. By using AI to replace time-consuming tasks and augmenting decision-making with advanced analytics, Auto Agentic helps dealerships stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Available on all major podcast platforms. New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.