#211 – Ian Rust | Revoy – Reducing Long Haul Cost per Mile with a Novel Hybridized Approach

Building Better with Brandon Bartneck

Ian Rust, founder and CEO of Revoy, discusses their innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles. Revoy's solution involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup, allowing for significant cost savings and decarbonization.

Links

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/ianrust
• Edison Manufacturing Exchange: https://brandonbartneck.substack.com/publish/home
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-rust-85a41b43/
• https://www.revoy.com/

Takeaways:

• Revoy's innovative approach to hybridizing the propulsion system of commercial vehicles involves adding a third electric vehicle to the traditional tractor-trailer setup.
• The main challenge in electrifying the commercial vehicle space is the high cost and limited lifespan of current electric vehicle technology.
• Revoy addresses this challenge by using lithium iron phosphate batteries, which have a longer cycle life and can go over 10,000 cycles.
• Revoy also offers a battery swapping technology that integrates with the existing trailer-to-truck interface, allowing for quick and efficient swaps during long-haul trips.
• The hybrid solution provided by Revoy improves efficiency, performance, and safety for commercial vehicles. Revoi coordinates the electric powertrain with the pedal to make the transition to electric trucks seamless for drivers.
• The commercial model charges based on the unit of energy, similar to diesel, and there is no need for modifications to fill up the tank with a pre-charged battery pack.

Chapters

• Hybrid Vehicles and Propulsion Systems
• Electrifying Commercial Vehicles: The Modular Approach
• Operational Considerations and Safety in Electric Vehicle Deployment
• Strategic Viability and Cost Competitiveness
• Building a Strong Team: Trust, Empowerment, and Passion
• Cultural Focus: Safety, Minimum Viable Product, and What Not to Do
• Early Adoption of Electrification in Fleets
• Rethinking the Tractor-Trailer Setup
• Advancements in Technology
• Conclusion

Ian Rust Bio:

Ian Rust is an innovator, founder and roboticist with over 14 years of experience of automation and robotics in the clean transportation and the sustainability industry, with the goal of moving trucking into a more sustainable future. Ian has been passionate about technology and how it is impacted by and impacts people and historical trends.Ian founded Revoy (formerly SixWheel), a company backed by Y Combinator, in 2021, creating an autonomous vehicle technology to address climate change. Prior to founding Revoy, Ian led robotics projects at Amazon Lab126 and Google X, later moving into starting notable robotics companies as the founding engineer of Cruise Automation and serving on the early team at Covariant and Petra.

Rust holds a B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he focused on robotics.

About Revoy:

Revoy, a simple and truly viable alternative solution to decarbonize the trucking industry, is democratizing electric trucking and providing a clear pathway for existing trucking fleets to completely eliminate emissions. Revoy’s charging infrastructure and innovative Revoy swapping network aims to be the backbone of the future of electric road freight, allowing fleets to lower carbon emissions and costs, while increasing MPG by over 150%. This technology is made in the USA, FMVSS compliant and compliant with all length and weight (bridge and GVW) regulations.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.

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