ANN ARBOR, MI – The William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan is hosting a group of 12 engineering faculty from six different universities and research institutes in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, as part of a study visit to Michigan this week. The visit is part of the Zero-Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) academic partnership implemented by WDI with support from the U.S. Mission Mexico Public Diplomacy Section.
The shift to ZEVs means educational and training institutions around the world must adapt their curricula to better respond to the evolving talent needs of the automotive industry. Educators will need to develop new courses in emerging areas, update lab equipment and facilities for hands-on training and testing, and identify new research areas, WDI research shows.
With ZEV production growing across North America and around the globe and with many new players entering the industry, preparing the workforce that will enable this transition becomes crucial. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, which has a robust automotive manufacturing industry, several universities are interested in integrating ZEV-related content into existing courses and creating new ones, launching new areas of research, and establishing ZEV innovation centers to propel the state toward an electric future. Partnerships are vital for educational institutions in reaching these goals.
“We recognize that the ZEV industry requires a new generation of workers with different skills and competencies,” said Fernando Alba, Undersecretary for Energy, Mining and Industry of the State of Chihuahua. “Just as we provide the talent for the traditional automotive industry, we will be well positioned to support this shift to electrification in Chihuahua, a region known for its strong manufacturing base and skilled workforce. The ZEV academic partnership and our broader engagement with WDI are helping us access world-class expertise from Michigan and develop new academic and business collaborations.”
Within academic institutions, this shift is being felt in the classrooms, in the labs, and beyond—and key to the success of new endeavors is the faculty teaching, researching, and innovating in this space.
Before arriving in Michigan, ZEV program faculty participants completed a virtual program over the course of six months, which was designed by WDI and provided an overview of Michigan’s approach to developing ZEV talent, highlighting programs and initiatives from U-M and other players across the state.
The visit is providing an immersive experience for faculty by sharing teaching and research related to ZEVs in Michigan, with the goals of deepening their knowledge and seeding future collaborations in this area. Throughout the week, the group will tour the University of Michigan’s Battery and Auto Labs, the Ford Robotics Building, Mcity, and other U-M engineering facilities. The visiting faculty also will meet with students, including teams and clubs such as the U-M Solar Car team, U-M Electric Boat, Michigan Mars Rover team, Supermileage club and Michigan Climate Ventures.
“Universities and other educational institutions working to update their existing curricula or create new programs to develop ZEV talent will need faculty with the knowledge to teach this new content, said Diana E. Páez, Senior Director, Energy & Mobility. “This means that upskilling is not limited to industry—academia too must invest in preparing educators and researchers to teach and innovate around ZEV technology.”
Beyond U-M, the group also has the opportunity to learn about ZEV training programs offered at Washtenaw Community College and to connect with faculty and experts at Macomb Community College and tour its ZEV lab. Finally, the group is connecting with ZEV startups in Detroit and visiting Newlab, a hub for entrepreneurship and mobility innovation in the city.
Capping off the study visit, the participants are completing a technical training on vehicle electrification and battery systems taught by U-M Engineering faculty and organized by Nexus at U-M Engineering, delving deeper into the most important aspects of these technologies and acquiring relevant expertise and sample lessons to incorporate in their own teaching.
Equipped with enhanced technical knowledge on these topics and with the insights gleaned from their week in Michigan, faculty participants will next develop proposals for new project ideas or collaborations within and across their universities and with interested Michigan institutions. The proposals will focus on training, research or innovation related to ZEVs.
Participating engineering faculty hail from the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Universidad Politécnica de Chihuahua, Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey Campus Chihuahua, Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, and Instituto Tecnológico de Ciudad Juárez.
The ZEV academic partnership builds on WDI’s ongoing collaboration with the Secretaría de Innovación y Desarrollo Económico (SIDE) and Instituto de Innovación y Competitividad (I2C) from the State of Chihuahua to help a wide range of stakeholders navigate the transition to electrification in the automotive industry.
Time: 4 PM EDT
Date: April 3, 2024
Location: Blau Colloquium, 5th floor of the Blau Building at the Ross School of Business
wahu! is the first Ghanaian brand to produce electric vehicles domestically. The electric bike (e-bike) startup brings together local talent and experienced automotive engineers and designers from global automakers, including Audi and BMW.
In the talk, “How an E-Bike Startup is Looking to Change the Way Africa Moves,” Valerie Labi, co-founder and CEO of wahu! Mobility Ltd. will discuss how the business is unlocking new possibilities in low-emission mobility solutions, particularly in urban markets. By locally designing and manufacturing connected EVs for Africa and the wider world, wahu!’s value proposition includes ease of transport, a path to vehicle ownership and a gateway to sustainable employment through mobility services.
Labi is an entrepreneur who also served as Ghana country director for nonprofit iDE, International Development Enterprises, which focuses on market-based solutions in agriculture and water/sanitation. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Southampton and her Masters of Studies from the University of Cambridge in Sustainability Leadership.
This event is open to the public and sponsored by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) in partnership with the African Studies Center at U-M’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts.
Attendees are encouraged to register (see below or click here) and submit questions in advance. Light refreshments will be served.
WDI is collaborating with the Secretaría de Innovación y Desarrollo Económico (SIDE), Frente Norte and Instituto de Innovación y Competitividad (I2C) of the State of Chihuahua in Mexico to help cement their position as a leader in the transition to e-mobility. This project includes initiatives to help connect industry leaders with opportunities related to the EV value chain, document e-mobility innovations by local companies, and prepare the talent pipeline for EVs in Chihuahua via collaborations with key stakeholders based in Michigan and in select low and middle-income countries.
Ann Arbor, MI – Today, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) released the “Roadmap to E-mobility for the State of Chihuahua” to support the Mexican State of Chihuahua’s transition to electric mobility (e-mobility).
The roadmap, developed alongside Chihuahua’s Secretaría de Innovación y Desarrollo Económico (SIDE) and the Instituto de Innovación y Competitividad (I2C), delves into relevant opportunities across the EV value chain and the key elements of the emerging global e-mobility ecosystem. Additionally, the roadmap identifies the necessary stakeholders, and the most effective strategies to prepare for the e-mobility transition, highlighting its impact on Chihuahua and greater North America.
“This roadmap draws on months of research and collaboration to provide insights on opportunities Chihuahua can pursue and the stakeholders they need to engage to successfully compete in the transition to e-mobility,” said Diana Páez, Senior Director and mobility lead at WDI. “Having clear direction leads to a better understanding on how to leverage resources. We believe that confident, well-informed decision making is going to be the difference maker between the winners and losers of the e-mobility revolution.”
The identified e-mobility opportunities, including a focus on EV assembly, semiconductors and battery plants, were recommended based on Chihuahua’s current resources and ability to attract further investment from auto industry partners and support from local government. Each opportunity is accompanied with corresponding strategies to strengthen and leverage the workforce, policy framework and existing infrastructure to holistically invest in a successful implementation.
The auto industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, and our goal is to position Chihuahua as a key player in North America and beyond. The shift toward e-mobility presents an expansive range of opportunities, and WDI's roadmap provides a clear path to achieving our objectives
With nearly 184,000 people employed in the auto and transportation sector and dozens of tier 1, 2 and 3 suppliers, Chihuahua plays a crucial role in the automotive supply chain and in North America. Key investments in the e-mobility transition in the state will increase the momentum behind Mexico’s expected developments in 2023, including a national e-mobility strategy scheduled to be finalized this year.
“The auto industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, and our goal is to position Chihuahua as a key player in North America and beyond. The shift toward e-mobility presents an expansive range of opportunities, and WDI’s roadmap provides a clear path to achieving our objectives,” said Fernando Alba, the Undersecretary for Mining, Energy, and Industry, for the State of Chihuahua. “We are eager to maintain our influence in the auto industry and bolster our position in the e-mobility sector in the coming years.”
Many of the recommendations in the roadmap stem from what was learned about Chihuahua’s preparedness to shift to e-mobility. To do this, WDI developed an “E-Mobility Readiness Assessment” tool to evaluate Chihuahua’s overall “readiness” to manage this transition, with a focus on production of light-duty EVs. The tool can also be used to evaluate the readiness of other markets around the globe and inform governments on the e-mobility opportunities available in their own countries.
About WDI
At the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, unlocking the power of business to provide lasting economic and social prosperity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is in our DNA. We gather the data, develop new models, test concepts and collaborate with partners to find real solutions that lead to new opportunities. This is what we mean by Solving for Business—our calling since the Institute was first founded as an independent nonprofit educational organization in 1992. We believe societies that empower individuals with the tools and skills to excel in business, in turn generate both economic growth and social freedom—or the agency necessary for people to thrive.
About SIDE
SIDE fosters and facilitates the economic development of Chihuahua, in coordination with economic actors, increasing the competitiveness of businesses through innovation, to generate wealth and employment, and enhance the quality of life for the people of Chihuahua.
About I2C
I2C is a government agency of the State of Chihuahua that seeks to strengthen and promote scientific, technological and innovation capacities, through strategic research, technological development, and innovation (R&D&i) projects and programs that provide solutions and improve productivity and competitiveness of the productive, social, public, and academic sectors of the State of Chihuahua.