15 Electric Vehicle Influencers to Watch in 2025
At Technica, we’re committed to spotlighting the people shaping the future, not just the ones making the most noise. The electric vehicle industry has outgrown its early figureheads. The movement’s momentum now comes from a broader, more resilient group of leaders leading the charge to transform clean transportation.
Elon Musk helped propel electric vehicles into the mainstream. But today, Tesla’s success is seen as the work of many, and Musk’s shifting public persona has made him a more complicated symbol for the electric vehicle movement he once led. He may have sparked the conversation, but he’s no longer the sole voice.
This list isn’t about who started the race. It’s about who’s still running.
The 15 individuals featured here are advancing electric vehicles with persistence, clarity, and vision. They are tackling infrastructure gaps, reshaping clean transportation policy, scaling battery tech, and expanding electric vehicle access. These trail blazers are not in it for headlines. They are in it for the long haul and will not be deterred.
Our Electric Vehicle Influencer Criteria
We didn’t keep strict criteria, such as the largest number of LinkedIn or X followers or the most speaking engagements. Some might be more popular offline than on. Almost all hold influential roles in their organizations; some have blazed the trail by keynoting or leading panels at key industry events or making prestigious lists, like the TIME100.
Simply put, we wanted to find individuals in and around electric vehicle-related industries doing great things at their companies or in their industries and sharing compelling stories, content, and messages surrounding these efforts.
How To Use This List
Read their bios, click on the links, subscribe to their podcasts or newsletters, or follow them on LinkedIn. Read the news and content they post, and like, share, forward, or comment if you feel it resonates with you. Don’t be afraid to engage! That’s why we provided the necessary links to their profiles.
RJ Scaringe
Founder and CEO, Rivian Automotive
RJ Scaringe founded electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian with the vision of producing “adventure vehicles” that are sustainable and off-road capable. His company gained significant attention after securing major investments from Amazon and Ford, culminating in one of the largest IPOs in U.S. history. The company has sold over 100,000 vehicles since it began delivery in 2023. In addition, Rivian’s R1T was named MotorTrend’s 2022 Truck of the Year, and Scaringe himself has been recognized as one of Forbes Sustainability Leaders in 2024 and made it onto the Forbes 400 list in 2021. Photo credit: X
Mary Barra
Chair and CEO, General Motors
Mary Barra is the first female CEO of a major global automaker and has steered GM’s ambitious plan to reach an all-electric–light-duty vehicle lineup by 2035. Under her leadership, GM has invested billions of dollars in electric vehicle development, launched models like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV and Equinox EV, and committed to carbon neutrality by 2040. Barra has been featured on TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list and regularly ranks high on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business–including ranking at No.1 for 2024.
Brendan Bell of Aligned Climate Capital recently said, “What’s really interesting is that General Motors is all in on electric vehicles. GM is rolling out a wide variety of models and changing drivetrains across every segment. They’re not building internal combustion engines after 2035. That’s not a startup experiment. That’s a legacy automaker reshaping its entire future.” Photo Credit: LinkedIn
JB Straubel
Founder of Redwood Materials and Former CTO and Co-Founder of Tesla
As Tesla’s former Chief Technology Officer, JB Straubel was instrumental in developing the electric vehicle and energy storage company’s battery and drivetrain technology. He later founded Redwood Materials to tackle the critical challenge of battery recycling and raw material recovery, aiming to create a closed-loop supply chain for electric vehicle batteries. Redwood Materials was recognized in TIME’s 100 Most Influential Companies 2024 for the company’s pioneering efforts in sustainable battery technologies. Photo Credit: MIT Technology Review
Robert Llewellyn
Founder and Host, Fully Charged
Robert Llewellyn is a British actor and writer who launched Fully Charged, one of the most influential YouTube channels and events dedicated to electric vehicles and clean energy. With over 1M subscribers, Fully Charged breaks down complex electric vehicle and renewable energy topics into engaging, accessible content. Llewellyn’s advocacy has played a key role in increasing public awareness and acceptance of electric mobility. Photo Credit: Nordic EV Summit
John Boesel
President and CEO, CALSTART
Since 2002, John Boesel has served as President and CEO of CALSTART , a national nonprofit consortium widely recognized as one of the most influential organizations advancing clean transportation in the United States. Under his leadership, CALSTART has grown into a coalition of over 300 member companies spanning the commercial vehicle, transit, infrastructure, and energy sectors. The organization plays a key role in shaping federal and state policy, managing more than $500 million in incentive and demonstration programs, and accelerating the deployment of zero-emission trucks, buses, and off-road equipment nationwide. In addition to his work at CALSTART, has served on the U.S. EPA’s Mobile Source Technical Review Subcommittee, where he helps guide national strategy on emissions reduction and advanced vehicle technologies. Photo Credit: CALSTART
John Voelcker
Contributing Editor at Car and Driver and Former Editor of Green Car Reports
John Voelcker has spent over a decade covering electric vehicles, from policy shifts to technical breakthroughs. He is a trusted voice for both consumers and professionals seeking informed perspectives on vehicle electrification. Known for his deep technical knowledge, Voelcker’s writing in Green Car Reports and Car and Driver offers readers an expert lens on emerging electric vehicle technologies. John has published more than 12,000 articles on hybrids, electric cars, and other low- and zero-emission vehicles and has been featured in Wired, Popular Science, Tech Review, IEEE Spectrum, and NPR‘s “All Things Considered.” Photo credit: Car and Driver
Paul Kirby
eLCV Expert, EV Essentials
Paul Kirby is a leading figure in the UK’s move toward electric light commercial vehicles (eLCVs). Through his company, EV Essentials, and his involvement in The EV Café podcast, Kirby educates fleets, businesses, and drivers on the practicalities of going electric. Paul has over 30 years of experience in the Automotive Industry, specialising in the LCV sector and supporting the transition to a zero emission future. EV Essentials won the Greenfleet Top 100 most influential 2021 and GreenFleet EV Champion in the same year. Photo Credit: LinkedIn
Erika Myers
Executive Director, CharIN North America
Erika Myers is the Executive Director of CharIN North America, the regional arm of a global nonprofit advancing universal, interoperable EV charging standards. Under her leadership, CharIN has become a central voice in the North American electric vehicle ecosystem, convening automakers, utilities, and charging providers to align around open standards and cross-industry collaboration. She also spearheads CharIN’s signature event, the North America Testival & Conference. The event brings together technical experts and stakeholders for hands-on interoperability testing and dialogue to accelerate seamless EV charging deployment.
Erika lends her more than 15 years of experience in EV technology and clean energy by serving on the board of Forth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing clean transportation, and as an EV advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy. She was named a 2023 Top 25 LinkedIN Influencers in Climate Tech, Sustainability, and Mobility, a 2022 Remarkable Women in Transport by the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI), a 2023 and 2021 Top Woman in Electric Vehicles for Policy & Advocacy by DriveElectric, and was listed as one of the 2021 Women Driving the EV Revolution by Motion Magazine. She also runs the EV Love blog, further amplifying her passion for clean transportation. Photo Credit: EV Love
Kameale Terry
CEO , ChargerHelp!
Kameale Terry is the CEO of ChargerHelp!, a company that provides on-demand operations and maintenance services for electric vehicle charging stations. Under Terry’s leadership, ChargerHelp! has raised over $21M, built partnerships across 17 states, and amassed the nation’s largest dataset of EV service work orders. Terry is also committed to workforce equity, creating high-paying jobs and empowering communities historically excluded from the clean energy transition. She is a recipient of the Community Engagement Award and the Greater Philadelphia/Delaware Circle of Stars Q4 Diversity Award, both presented by Wells Fargo. Terry is also a board member of EntrepreneurWorks and Women in Cleantech and Sustainability and Workforce Development Committee Chair of the Climate Reality Project. Photo Credit: Unreasonable Group
Patrick George
Editor in Chief, InsideEVs
Patrick George is the Editor-in-Chief of InsideEVs, leading coverage on electric vehicles and the future of mobility. A veteran journalist, George has shaped national conversations around EV adoption, particularly through his in-depth reporting on Tesla and the broader EV industry. George previously served as the longest-tenured Editor-in-Chief of Jalopnik, overseeing a threefold increase in audience and leading the team to a 2018 New York Press Club Award for outstanding journalism. At Jalopnik, he co-produced the travel TV series Car vs. America, spotlighting emerging trends in automotive culture.
After his time at Jalopnik, George became the Editorial Director at Recurrent Ventures, overseeing The Drive, Task & Purpose, and The War Zone. He was also the co-writer and co-host of season eight of Vox Media’s award-nominated podcast series “Land of the Giants,” where he led a season on Tesla, unpacking the company’s rise, controversies, and impact on the global auto industry. His writing and editorial work have appeared in The Atlantic, The Verge, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, Road & Track, and The Guardian. Photo Credit: InsideEVs
Patrick Macdonald-King
CEO, Greenlane
Patrick Macdonald-King is the CEO of Greenlane Infrastructure, LLC, a $675 million joint venture between Daimler Truck North America, NextEra Energy Resources, and BlackRock. Greenlane is focused on building a nationwide, high-performance, zero-emission charging and hydrogen refueling network for medium- and heavy-duty battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the U.S.
Previously, Macdonald-King served as President and COO of EV Connect, one of the largest electric vehicle charging network service providers in the U.S., with international operations in Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Under his leadership, EV Connect grew to manage nearly 20,000 charging stations and serve over a quarter of a million drivers. He expanded strategic relationships with major companies like BP, GM, Domino’s, and 7-11, and was recognized by Time Magazine as part of its 2022 list of the “100 Most Influential Companies.” Photo Credit: Truck News
Jordan Sanford
Automotive and Tech Influencer
Jordan Sanford is a rising voice in the automotive and tech space, known for his coverage of electric vehicles, luxury cars, and emerging mobility trends. He is the creator of a self-titled rapidly growing YouTube channel Jordan Sanford, with over 2.26 million subscribers. Sanford has built a loyal following by delivering reviews, industry news, and engaging content that resonates with a new generation of car enthusiasts. In addition to his influence as a luxury car reviewer and social media personality, Sanford works as a social media manager for luxury automotive dealerships. Photo Credit: YouTube
Chris Brown
Associate Publisher, Bobit Media
Chris Brown is a seasoned publisher, editor, writer, and conference founder with over 20 years of experience in fleet management and transportation media. As Associate Publisher and Conference Chair at Bobit Business Media, he leads content strategy and brand development for Automotive Fleet, Work Truck, and Fleet Forward. Chris also founded and chairs the Fleet Forward Conference, a key event spotlighting the future of connected, autonomous, shared, and electric mobility. Photo credit: LinkedIn
Tiya Gordon
Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder, It’sElectric
Tiya Gordon is the COO and co-founder of It’sElectric. The company is aiming to solve one of the biggest barriers cities face in deploying public electric vehicle charging infrastructure by delivering scalable, curbside charging solutions that require no public funding and integrate seamlessly into existing streetscapes. With 20 years of leadership experience in design, operations, and innovation, Gordon is now focused on using design to drive climate solutions.
Under her leadership, it’s electric has earned widespread recognition, including selection for the White House EV Acceleration Challenge, the SXSW Innovation Award, Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Award for Sustainability, City Solution of the Year honors from Earthshot Prize judges, and being named The Next Big Thing In Tech. Photo Credit: Business Insider
Kyle Conner
Founder, Out of Spec Media
Kyle Conner is the creator of Out of Spec Media, a popular platform featuring in-depth electric vehicle reviews and road-trip tests. His channel’s 275k+ subscribers (and growing) tune in for detailed assessments of charging infrastructure, range performance, and new automotive technologies. Conner’s real-world approach resonates with EV enthusiasts seeking transparent, hands-on evaluations. Photo Credit: X
Rising Stars
Chris Barman
CEO, Slate Auto
Chris Barman is the CEO of Slate Auto, a next-generation vehicle company focused on making personal transportation more affordable, customizable, and compelling for everyday drivers. The company revealed its first model in April 2025. A month after this launch, the company surpassed 100,000 pre-orders for its low-cost, American-made electric truck that brings a rare combination of affordability, U.S. manufacturing, and practical design to the electric vehicle market.
Based in Michigan, Barman brings over two decades of experience in vehicle technology, electrification, and product innovation. Before joining Slate, she held leadership roles at Eaton as SVP and CTO of the Industrial Sector, overseeing 2,500 engineers and driving electrification strategies across aerospace, automotive, and hydraulics. Photo Credit: Business Insider
Alan White
Global Head of Emerging Transportation Platforms, Siemens Smart Infrastructure
Alan White is the Global Head of Emerging Transportation Platforms at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, where he leads the innovation incubator behind Depot360, an end-to-end solution for fleet electrification. Depot360 combines AI-powered charging and energy management, and 24/7 support and maintenance services to help fleets stay charged, on schedule, and cost-effective—without adding operational complexity.
At Siemens, Alan spearheads initiatives in eMobility, micro-grids, and sustainable energy for commercial fleets. With executive experience in renewable technologies and an innovator with AI patents to his name, Alan has been instrumental in smart grid advancements. His career highlights include influential roles at ENEL-X, eMotorWerks, and leadership positions at SupplyBase and other tech firms leading to successful exits. Photo Credit: Siemens
Virginia Klausmeier
CEO and Founder, Sylvatex
Virginia Klausmeier is the President and CEO of Sylvatex, Inc., a climate tech company she founded in 2012 to transform lithium-ion battery production using efficient, low-carbon manufacturing techniques. With a background in chemistry and engineering, she has led technical and business teams for more than 15 years. Klausmeier is an Unreasonable Fellow, a World Economic Forum (WEF) Technology Pioneer, and a member of All Raise, Astia, and E2. In addition, She actively collaborates with WEF, U.S. national labs, and serves as a reviewer for scientific awards and climate innovation grants. Last year, Klausmeier spoke at Davos, WEF’s annual meeting, about unlocking investment in critical minerals. Photo Credit: World Economic Forum
Ian Campbell
CEO, Breathe Batteries Technologies
Ian Campbell is the CEO of Breathe Battery Technologies, a company focused on advancing next-generation battery technologies for electric vehicles and consumer electronics by developing software that improves battery charging speed, efficiency, and lifespan through real-time adaptive charging technology. Under Campbell’s leadership, Breathe is developing innovative solutions that enhance battery performance, longevity, and sustainability, addressing key challenges in the EV and renewable energy sectors. Photo Credit: LinkedIn
