What will it take for electric vehicles to truly dominate the transportation landscape? Can traditional automakers adapt quickly enough to the EV revolution, or will new players seize the opportunity? And how close are we to the holy grail of fully autonomous driving?

This week on Cleaning Up, Michael Liebreich sits down with Dr. Andy Palmer, a pioneer in the electric vehicle industry. With over 45 years of experience in the automotive sector, Andy has witnessed the industry's transformation firsthand - from his early days as an apprentice to senior leadership roles at companies like Nissan and Aston Martin.

Andy shares the fascinating story behind the development of the Nissan Leaf, the world's first mass-market EV. He delves into the challenges of bringing this groundbreaking vehicle to market and how it kickstarted his journey from "piston head" to "battery head." We also explore Andy's time at Aston Martin, where he tried to steer the iconic British brand towards an electric future. Andy provides keen insights into the rapid evolution of battery technology, the role of government policy, and the future of autonomous driving.

Leadership Circle:
Cleaning Up is supported by the Leadership Circle, and its founding members: Actis, EcoPragma Capital, Eurelectric, the Gilardini Foundation, KKR, National Grid, Octopus Energy, Quadrature Climate Foundation and Wärtsilä. For more information on the Leadership Circle and how to become a member, please visit https://www.cleaningup.live

Links and more:
• Andy's website: https://www.drandypalmer.com
• Michael's writeup on AstonGate -   / astongate-fake-emission-figures-embattled-...  
• The need for plurality - Andy Palmer's response to Rowan Atkinson: https://www.drandypalmer.com/post/the...
• Episode 175 with Greg Jackson of Octopus Energy:    • The UK Energy Company Creating the Ut...  

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
03:35 - Piston Head or Battery Head?
10:03 - Pioneering The Nissan Leaf
20:14 - Improvements in Batteries
29:17 - Criticism of EVs
33:55 - STEM Skills
37:03 - The future of Toyota
42:10 - Aston Martin's EV plans
49:20 - Aston Martin Controversy
51:37 - Electrification of Buses
55:45 - Future of Self-driving Cars
01:04:43 - Outro