With excerpts from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

“Curiouser and curiouser!”

Going through pictures of our recently unveiled fuel cell vehicle SURUS from the 2017 Association of the United States Army (AUSA) trade show, I suddenly realized that I have been in electrification business for more than 10 years. I marveled to myself, has it really been that long? My first GM event was the 2007 San Diego Speed Festival, demonstrating the Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) as fuel cell vehicle engineer (i.e., I was the fixer if the car broke). I remember our vehicle performed well: fast and trouble code-free. The Gen 0 fuel cell propulsion system in the Equinox has been so robust that we are still using it in vehicles like the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZH2.

That first event foreshadowed my decade with GM and provided my first touchpoint to what has today become GM’s zero emissions strategy. Before the Chevrolet Bolt EV and Volt, there was the EV1. I worked at GM’s Burbank and Torrance, California facilities in 2007, both critical engineering centers for that groundbreaking program. Technical experts, engineers, and scientists in power electronics, motor controls, and calibration worked at those sites and I was fortunate to have learned from those industry titans. Working at GM gave me the opportunity to have hands-on experience; the Equinox FCEV was the first car I had ever torn apart and put back together. My role as an engineer allowed me to travel all over America, meeting dignitaries and hearing from everyday customers who cared about this zero-emission space.

“I can’t go back to yesterday because I was a different person then.”

In 2009, GM’s electrification efforts were scaled back. It broke my heart each time we had to take any of our FCEVs out of service. At that point, my career path took me in another direction at a backup power startup. My time outside of GM made me realize how much I missed the innovative and electrifying automotive world. Once the electrification bug bites you, it becomes very addictive and consuming. Nothing compared to the exhilaration of working on EVs, and like “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” down the electrification rabbit-hole I went.

“In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again.”

With the Chevrolet Volt launch came the need for Level 2 home chargers. My previous manager reached out to me and asked me if I wanted to work for GM on EV infrastructure. He didn’t have to twist my arm that much, as I was yearning for the days where I could wrench on electric cars again. Through that experience I learned the power of nurturing my network, as I was surprised that my previous manager was on the lookout for me. He said that I have this knack, being part engineer/marketer/policy person that he needed to build the EV infrastructure in California. I was so humbled that I drew much confidence in his belief of my capabilities.

Without skipping a beat, I jumped right back into the world of electrification. I became the liaison for our very first Volt customers, electric utility providers, and electricians. Many times it was tricky explaining to Los Angeles Volt owners that they had to upgrade their electric panel—a very expensive proposition because most Southern California houses were at least 50 years old. This situation was exacerbated by the fact that local electric utilities did not have installation permitting policies in place at the time. These growing pains resulted in EV home charger installations taking more than several months at times. I supervised more than 20 installations in Southern California and drove process improvements to make the home charging experience clear, simple and cost-effective for our customers.

After that home charging adventure, I became a lead electric motor calibrator for several programs: Chevrolet Volt, Spark EV, and Cadillac ELR. I resolved customer issues in the field, commissioned several DC fast chargers, and delivered electric motor calibrations for maximum performance during those launches. These electrified vehicles were not in their alpha or beta or gamma phases; these were fully baked production cars that GM sold in the tens of thousands. As GM pioneered in electrification, I took on new roles, learned faster, and gained more confidence in my engineering capabilities.

In 2014, my husband and I left family and friends in California and moved to Michigan to chase our passion for vehicle electrification (he currently works on autonomous technology). I was the Bolt EV electric motor design release engineer, and it was the most ambitious and demanding program I have worked on to date. The Bolt EV succeeded beyond my wildest imagination: bringing the first affordable, long-range, full-electric vehicle to market in record time.

“No wise fish would go anywhere without a porpoise.”

My heart swells every time I hear friends and family talk about their love for their Volts, and I smile ear-to-ear whenever I see Bolt EVs in the wild. These are real production electric vehicles that GM has made and I have had the privilege to be a part of making. I am beyond grateful for GM enablers and mentors who nurtured my passion for electrification. I am successful because many GM leaders unlocked the potential that I sometimes didn’t see myself.

The electrification journey hasn’t ended with this new decade. Currently, I am the engineering business manager for the fuel cell organization and am bringing all my electrification experiences to mass-produce fuel cells. Fuel cells are a huge part of GM’s zero emissions strategy and I believe this is our mission for the future. The next decade promises more excitement and opportunity.

GM Outlines All-Electric Path to Zero Emissions

GM Outlines Possibilities for Flexible, Autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Platform

Mission-Ready Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 Fuel Cell Vehicle Breaks Cover at U.S. Army Show

www.GMHydrotec.com