Local Innovators Safely Come Together to Discuss the Future of Electric Vehicles at Fireside Chat
Last Tuesday, September 22, was more than just the first official day of fall. It was also Tesla’s Battery Day, where details on current and future battery technologies were shared.
To celebrate such an occasion, Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club joined in on the hype to host our first hybrid (both in-person and virtual) event since the pandemic. We partnered with none other than the Tesla Owners Club of Atlanta to ensure the fireside chat was a success – and safe.
Around 50 attendees donned masks and had their temperature taken before entering the 9,000 square foot Clubhouse, which had the side garage doors open to not only provide steady air flow, but also to allow room for all four Tesla models (S, 3, X, and Y) to park in front of the stage for display.
Shortly after arriving, the in-person attendees were provided complimentary refreshments – but not until they answered the question of “What’s one thing you wish was battery-powered that isn’t currently?” Responses ranged from city buses to construction vehicles to electric hair tools, with the top three most popular answers being:
My house
Shoes
Lights
However, the real winning response (in our books, at least) was: “A robot to walk the dog daily at an affordable price.” Are you taking note, Musk? You need to give the people what they want! Okay, let’s step away from future fantasies and get back to the festivities.
As in-person guests dined and networked, the countdown for the livestream of the fireside chat began, ultimately notifying those that wished to attend virtually that the discussion was about to start. At promptly 5:15p.m., the following four expert panelists took their seats on stage:
Gabe Graves
Second-year Materials Science major at Georgia Tech
Solar and MPPT Subteam Lead on Georgia Tech's Solar Racing Team
Venus Desai
Co-Founder/CEO NuGen Systems (ATDC startup)
Building battery-based solutions for replacing lead-acid batteries and gas generators
Terry Travis
President, Tesla Owners Club Atlanta
Helping others learn and understand the benefits of electric vehicles
Mark Wasiele
Tech Square Investor and Operator for TEQ Charging (started through CREATE-X)
For approximately 45 minutes, our in-house livestream moderator asked the panelists a variety of questions around Tesla, Battery Day expectations, the future of battery technology, electric vehicle infrastructure, and more:
“I think battery tech and storage is part of the problem, but I think the infrastructure is one of the biggest issues. As price/kilowatt continues to drop, we need a more robust charging infrastructure; to the point that it's ubiquitous to gas stations.”
- Terry Travis
“The problem for people adopting electric vehicles isn't range anxiety with the miles they can travel, it's the infrastructure in place when you do run out. How quickly and how available the charging is when the vehicle is parked, is the industry's biggest problem today.”
- Venus Desai
“As we get into the hyper-growth part of the electric vehicle and battery charging curve, the power companies are going to have to understand the behaviors of these customers and adjust their business model to meet their needs.”
- Mark Wasiele
“When comparing the cost to install solar panels vs. the cost to run your home from the current grid, using the power company is currently still cheaper over about a 25 year period. We'll need cheaper and higher efficiency solar cells to close this gap, in addition to lowering battery costs for energy storage.”
- Gabe Graves
To watch the full livestream, check out youtube.com/c/TechSquareATL or watch below.
Once the fireside chat concluded, we shared the much-anticipated Tesla Battery Day livestream on all of The Clubhouse projectors and screens, where Elon Musk announced a range of exciting information, such as:
Tesla is going to manufacture its own batteries, instead of purchasing them from Panasonic. These new batteries will be called “4680 cells.” They are predicted to be six times more powerful and increase the range of their cars by 16 percent.
A new version of the Tesla Model S, named “Plaid,” will have a range of 520 miles and go from 0-60pmh in less than two seconds. This would make it the fastest production car in the world.
With the new batteries they’re producing and other advancements, Tesla has a goal of building a $25,000 electric car for consumers.
Tesla’s load out of the clubhouse
Following the livestream, attendees stuck around to discuss what was announced from the livestream, chat further about what they learned from the fireside chat, and most importantly, explore each of the four Tesla vehicles parked inside The Clubhouse. From a heat-projecting fireplace on the dashboard to a self-driving (summon mode) vehicle demonstration, showcasing the magnitude of what the current vehicles could do only amplified the excitement of what is to come for Tesla.
But it didn’t end there. The connections that were made that evening expanded far beyond the four walls of The Clubhouse. Startup entrepreneurs were connected with investors. Students were introduced to consultants. EV enthusiasts met fellow techies.
In a time where isolation is starting to weigh heavy on people and medical professionals are having growing concerns about the long-term effects of social distancing, we are proud to have curated an environment where like-minded individuals could come together – safely – to connect and collaborate with each other in a setting that only further drives growth and innovation.
Just like the future of battery technology is closer than we think, so is the new norm of getting community members together in a way that is both productive and socially responsible.
Would you like to attend or host more panel discussions? Let us know some topics you’d like to see in a fireside chat in the comments below.
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Visit Tesla Owners Club of Atlanta's website for more information on our partner’s organization.
Click here to learn more about Sean Mathis of Miles Through Time and their upcoming efforts to beat a Guinness World Record for the longest Tesla Parade (currently held by China). All proceeds will go toward preventing human trafficking via Operation Underground Railroad.
