By Em Jankauski
Dramatic drum rolls rocked Stellantis’ Chrysler Technical Center’s amphitheater earlier this month as each BattChallenge team stepped on stage to shake RAM brand CEO Chris Feuell and Stellantis’ senior vice president Mark Champine’s hands before accepting the key fobs to their ’24 RAM ProMaster EVs.
“I can tell you, as an engineer, you spend a lot of time up front on design, but the most satisfying part is when you actually have hardware in hand,” Champine said. “So this is a great time, and we’re excited to bring down the universities (and vocational schools) to pick up their keys!”
BattChallengers couldn’t agree more. Neharika Karthikeyan, a software lead for The Ohio State University & Columbus State Community College’s BattChallenge team, shared that often automotive engineers aren’t afforded the opportunities like this to gain hands-on experience with vehicles.
“(We’re) developing things from scratch,” Karthikeyan said. “This is a great experience because it allows us to learn from the bottom up.”
The amphitheater was certainly a buzz as each BattChallenge team accepted its key fobs from the automaker.
Feuell was equally as excited as she praised the private-public partnership between the competition’s co-headline sponsors — the U.S. Department of Energy and Stellantis — to help mold the future battery workforce.
“We envision a future where sustainable mobility thrives through innovation and continues to be powered by the next generation of exceptional engineering talent,” Feuell said.
But that wasn’t the only highlight of the Oct. 29-Nov. 2 workshop. BattChallengers also got to hop in the driver’s seat of a handful of ’24 Fiat500es and cruise along Stellantis’ test track during the year two fall workshop held in the Detroit metro area.
Students and faculty were also invited to a dome tour, where they could check out many of Stellantis’ impressive vehicle models, as well as a benchmarking tour where they were able to see inside competitors’ battery packs.
The workshop kicked off at the Kingsley Inn Hotel in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where plenary session speakers encouraged the students to truly embrace the collaborative spirit of the week by networking with their peers and competition sponsors.
Speakers included Michael Laughlin, U.S. DOE’s technology manager for the Vehicle Technologies Office’s Technology Integration Program; Tim Grewe, Stellantis’ propulsion system vice president of battery cells, modules and packs, Les Alexander, Battery Innovation Center’s CEO; Ajay Gnanasekaran, BattChallenge director; and Kristen Wahl, STEP director.
Speakers included Michael Laughlin, U.S. DOE’s technology manager for the Vehicle Technologies Office’s Technology Integration Program; Tim Grewe, Stellantis’ propulsion system vice president of battery cells, modules and packs, Les Alexander, Battery Innovation Center’s CEO; Ajay Gnanasekaran, BattChallenge director; and Kristen Wahl, STEP director.
Wahl also announced a new competition sponsor — the Volta Foundation — and the not-for-profit’s director of marketing and communications Dana Bubonovich shared in the excitement with the BattChallengers. Additionally, Eaton donated Breaktors, battery disconnect units, to each team.
Wahl also announced a new competition sponsor — the Volta Foundation — and the not-for-profit’s director of marketing and communications Dana Bubonovich shared in the excitement with the BattChallengers. Additionally, Eaton donated Breaktors, battery disconnect units, to each team.
Teams gave Swimlane presentations and were able to take home many new skills and competencies from sitting in on subject-matter expert sessions.
For students like Viviana Nelson, the communications lead for the Colorado School of Mines & Arapahoe Community College’s BattChallenge team, those collaborative interactions are like bread and butter.
“That’s my favorite part,” Nelson said. “I love meeting new people, and everyone I’ve met through this challenge has been absolutely incredible. Everyone is so fun to talk to, fun to get to know and then the team I have internally of course I love (them) so much.”
Students also got one-on-one time with the competition’s sponsors during the Sponsor Social and Networking Event.
Here they were able to charge up their batteries by visiting each sponsor’s booth. If the student asked an insightful question and got the sponsor to sign off on their conversation, then they were entered to win one of six 30-minute slots to have a coffee convo with Micky Bly, Stellantis’ senior vice president and head of global propulsion systems.
The winners include:
- Cedric Cox, Jackson State University & Hinds Community College
- Jackson Ford, The University of Alabama & Shelton State Community College
- Berrydal Moshe, University of California, Merced & Merced College
- Justin Robbins, University of Nevada, Las Vegas & College of Southern Nevada
- Chris Sanders, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology & Ivy Tech Community College
- Alec Tang, University of Waterloo & Lambton College
The sponsor social fell on Halloween, so it was only befitting to throw an impromptu costume contest. The winning team, the Colorado School of Mines & Arapahoe Community College team, came dressed as battery cells inspired by the ones sponsor Samsung SDI America is set to donate to the teams very soon.
Teams also got to unwind during a team appreciation night where they bowled for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeast Michigan. Competition organizers donated $3,500 to BBBS on behalf of its students and faculty. Altogether organizers raised more than $5,000 for BBBS thanks in part to the generous sponsors who contributed to the cause to bowl alongside them.
Organizers also announced the upcoming winter workshop, which will take place from Feb. 28-March 1 in the Greenville, S.C. area.
But as for the fall workshop? It was a truly a celebratory week for the BattChallengers — full of collaboration and skill-building moments.
“As I look around the room this morning, I’m encouraged by what I see,” Laughlin said. “I see more than 90 students who have the passion and skills to advance the state of the auto industry. I see more than 25 dedicated faculty advisors who are leading and mentoring these students, helping them to grow and learn.
“I see industry sponsors who are investing in these students and providing them a foot in the door to the battery workforce.
“So as I look around, I’m seeing a glimpse of the future,” Laughlin added, “and let me tell you, the future is bright.”
