Jan ’25 Industry and Innovation Highlights

ASPIRE members attended the annual Transportation Research Board (TRB) conference in Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2025.

ASPIRE has been making waves recently with exciting new partnerships and impactful events. In January, we welcomed DENSO, PC Krause and Associates, and CRH to our IIB, strengthening our commitment to sustainable and electrified transportation solutions. Our leadership team also hosted representatives from DENSO and showcased ASPIRE’s innovations at the ITS and TRB Conferences. With upcoming events like the January Innovation Exchange and the CERV Conference, plus groundbreaking projects like UCLA’s in-road EV charging system, there’s plenty more on the horizon. Stay tuned for all the latest updates!

New IIB Members

DENSO

DENSO, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, joins ASPIRE to advance innovations in electrification, automation, and sustainable mobility solutions, reinforcing its commitment to safer, greener transportation for all.

PC Krause and Associates

PC Krause and Associates, a leader in model-based systems engineering with expertise in power electronics, electric machines, and innovative technologies, joins ASPIRE to drive groundbreaking research and advancements in dynamic system analysis and sustainable solutions.

CRH

CRH, a global leader in building materials and sustainable infrastructure solutions, joins ASPIRE to support resilient and environmentally conscious advancements in critical utility and transportation projects.

Upcoming Events

Innovation Exchange

Join us at 2 p.m. (MST) on Tuesday, January 21, to hear from DENSO! Keep an eye out for the Zoom link in your email.

This is a recurring event, so mark your calendars for the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 2 – 3 pm (MT) to hear the latest and greatest in the world of electrified transportation!

CERV: Biennial Conference on Electric Roads & Vehicles

There is still time to register for CERV this February 9-11! This can’t-miss event brings together leaders from industry, policy, government, and academia to exchange ideas and discuss lessons learned from the latest technology.

Register to participate in this invigorating conference: https://cervconference.org/RegInfo.cfm

Partnership Highlights

Representatives from DENSO, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers headquartered in Japan, visited ASPIRE January 13, 2025.

ASPIRE welcomed representatives from DENSO to our research center, marking an exciting step forward in our new partnership. During the visit, we explored opportunities to collaborate on cutting-edge advancements in electrification and sustainable mobility solutions. The engagement highlighted our shared vision for driving innovation and building a future of smarter, safer transportation. Stay tuned for more updates as this partnership evolves!

DOE Announces $22M Award to ASPIRE & Partners

It is extremely satisfying to see the great teamwork among our ASPIRE teams at Utah State University and Purdue University, Industry & Innovation members PACCAR (Kenworth and Peterbilt), PacifiCorp, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Eaton, and other industry stakeholders: Voltera, Pilot Flying J, and UPS. Our united efforts have yielded strong industry and government partnerships to progress roadway electrification.

Read more about this achievement here: https://aspire.usu.edu/doe-announces-22m-award-to-aspire-partners-to-supercharge-utahs-status-as-regional-electrification-hub/

Conferences

Intelligent Transportation Society Conference

We presented at the annual ITS Conference in New Mexico! By showcasing progress in areas like fleet electrification and autonomous vehicle technology, ASPIRE emphasized its commitment to integrating advancements into everyday life. This engagement reflects ASPIRE’s broader mission to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem that transforms the future of transportation.

Transportation Research Board

In January 2025, ASPIRE students and faculty leadership made their way to Washington, D.C. for the annual TRB Meeting. This premier event brought together over 13,000 transportation professionals from around the world to discuss innovative solutions across all modes of transportation. ASPIRE’s active participation underscores its commitment to advancing research and fostering collaboration within the global transportation community.

https://trb-annual-meeting.nationalacademies.org/schedule

News

In anticipation of the 2028 Olympic Games, UCLA shared plans to electrify its entire campus.

With the help of Electreon and CALSTART, a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating clean transportation in California, The Events and Transportation Department at UCLA has secured a grant totaling nearly $20M to electrify their bus fleet. Electreon will implement dynamic wireless power transfer in the roads along routes on Charles E. Young Drive between the Westwood Plaza intersection and Murphy Hall, making this California’s first in-road EV charging system.

Read more about this exciting new development here: https://electrek.co/2024/11/26/ucla-receives-20m-to-electrify-bus-fleet-and-deploy-californias-first-in-road-ev-charging-system/

DWPT Consortium

In order to better collaborate and coordinate opportunities related to DWPT projects, a core group of departments of transportation and private transportation entities have formed a working group! Join the Central Florida Express Way, Indiana DOT, Michigan DOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and Utah DOT in finding and acting on DWPT projects!