'Auto Trends' Talks One-On-One With One Of The Leading Black Voices In The EV Battery Lane

 

While the world is familiar with Elon Musk and his line of mass produced, all-electric Teslas that achieves just over 200 miles on a battery charge, Denise Gray, who's a much quieter player in the hybrid and electric battery field, is one of the pioneers revolutionizing the industry, too.

Gray and her team are directly responsible for designing and developing battery packs to fuel, no pun intended, such vehicles as GM's new Tesla fighter, the mass-produced Chevy Bolt. Like the California built Teslas, the all-electric Bolt also has a driving range that surpasses 200 miles on a full battery charge. Conversely, unlike the pricey Teslas, the Bolt is currently one of a handful affordable EV alternatives on the market today to Musk’s luxury electric vehicles.

Ironically, Gray, whose single mother worked tirelessly for years on an assembly line manufacturing cars, is leading a company that supplies a major component to a number of plants to install in several of today’s ‘green cars.’

Gray, at the time of our conversation served as CEO and president of the North American battery division of LG Chem Power, which is a part of the Korean-based company LG Chem, is currently the only Black woman holding the two titles for a major automotive supplier. “Arguably this ‘Hidden Figure’ is the most influential Black woman in the automotive industry, especially as it relates to ‘green car’ technology,” according to Jeff Fortson, the host and executive producer of “Auto Trends with JeffCars.com.”

LG Chem Power automotive clients range from Gray’s former employer, General Motors, as well as Volvo, Ford Motor Company and Stellantis.

Tune in this weekend as Gray, who is currently leads government relations for LG Solutions, talks about how her engineering background personally played a hand in the game changing battery being placed in some of today’s innovative hybrid plug ins and all-electric cars, as well as the extremely risky career moves she made centered around family that led to her second act. Also during the engaging conversation, the science and math whiz shares advice that every woman in their 20s should heed, as they seek to carve out their own life path.

For more details on the program which airs on Saturday, March 4 thru Thursday, March 9, click here.