The Electric Vehicle Revolution: Five Visionaries Leading the Charge

A Fascinating Look at the 5 Leading Personalities Driving the Transition to Electric Vehicles and Reinventing the Auto Industry

The leading car manufacturing firms have all essentially pledged to transition from traditional carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles to battery-powered electric vehicles. Tesla has led the way to date, recently producing its three millionth car since its first sale in 2009. General Motors has committed to carbon neutrality in its global products and operations by 2040. Honda has committed to carbon neutrality as well as zero traffic collision fatalities by 2050. These are ambitious and noble goals, yet they will take a supreme transformation to achieve.

In The Electric Vehicle Revolution, Kenneth K. Boyer highlights the promise, perils, and personalities of the world’s automobile makers as they re-engineer a post-carbon present and future. Driving the narrative is the key to it all: the green transformation of the global auto parts supply chain. This book includes never-before-reported stories of the leaders, designers, engineers, and inventors leading the charge to decarbonize the transportation sector from packaging to tires and more.

Boyer examines the prospects and plans for this disruptive change, starting with stories of several automotive visionaries: Tesla CEO Elon Musk; Vietnam billionaire Pham Nhật Vuong; Ceer CEO Jim DeLuca; Monolith Corp cofounder Rob Hanson; and GM CEO Mary Barra. Each protagonist has a vision for transforming the world of transportation into a greener, more carbon-friendly industry while also earning profits in our predominantly capitalist world. Readers will learn how their breakthroughs and struggles illuminate the future while facing the question: Will an auto revolution lead the world to a more sustainable economic future, or will it be too late?

Kenneth K. Boyer is Fisher Designated Professor of Operations and Business Analytics at Fisher College of Business, Ohio State University. He was the co-editor in chief of the Journal of Operations Management from 2006 to 2011. He has memberships in the Academy of Management, Production and Operations Management Society and the Decision Sciences Institute. Prof. Boyer has published over 50 academic articles, has been cited more than 11,000 times and has written two books: Operations and Supply Chain Management for the 21st Century (2009) and Extending the Supply Chain: How Cutting-Edge Companies Bridge the Critical Last Mile into Customers’ Homes (2004).