The Battery Show North America Announces Keynotes on Battery Supply Chains, Manufacturing and Energy Storage

The Battery Show and Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo North America will return to Huntington Place in Detroit, Michigan, from October 12-15, 2026. The event has announced five keynote presentations examining the challenges and opportunities shaping the battery industry, including the development of a competitive North American supply chain, manufacturing scale-up and the commercialization of energy storage technologies.

Industry leaders will discuss practical strategies for strengthening supply chains, establishing reliable production capabilities and supporting long-term growth across the battery sector.

Tuesday, October 13

The Next Chapter of Battery Materials: Building a Competitive and Resilient North American Graphite Supply Chain

Venkatesh Vasudevan, Vice President of Graphite Materials at ExxonMobil Product Solutions, will examine the changing battery materials landscape and the requirements for establishing a resilient, globally competitive North American graphite supply chain.

The presentation will address the challenges of expanding domestic production, managing international supply dependencies, meeting the requirements of battery cell manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and developing the industrial infrastructure needed to support long-term battery industry growth.

Looking toward 2030 and beyond, the keynote will consider whether North America can develop a battery materials supply chain that combines resilience with global competitiveness.

The Future of Battery Manufacturing: Risks and Opportunities in the Age of AI and Cold War Two

Jason Schenker, economist, futurist, author and President of Prestige Economics, will explore how artificial intelligence (AI), manufacturing reshoring, geopolitical tensions, critical minerals, tariffs and supply chain risks are transforming battery manufacturing and investment.

The session will provide attendees with practical insights into where significant opportunities and risks could emerge over the coming decade.

Wednesday, October 14

Powering the AI Economy: From Energy to Compute

Paul Charles, Principal at Charles and Associates, will examine the infrastructure challenges and opportunities created by the expanding AI economy. An inventor and infrastructure strategist, Charles will address how AI training and inference workloads affect electricity demand and explain the role batteries can play at multiple levels, from individual server racks to entire facilities.

The presentation will explore why cooling systems and electrical infrastructure must keep pace with increasing computing density. It will also examine strategies for accelerating deployment, overcoming challenges associated with integrating power and computing infrastructure, and identifying opportunities for battery and energy storage suppliers as AI continues to expand.

From Concept to Commercialization: Bridging the Domestic Battery Gap

Ted Miller, Senior Principal Advisor for Battery and Energy Storage at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), will examine the challenges involved in bringing battery technologies from laboratory development to commercial deployment.

Although global demand for battery-electric vehicles has not reached previously anticipated levels, interest in electrified vehicles, including hybrids, plug-in hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles, has continued. At the same time, renewable energy generation and AI data center development have expanded significantly, increasing demand for energy storage.

Meeting grid support requirements may involve lithium-ion batteries similar to those used in electrified vehicles, sodium-ion technology, flow batteries or other energy storage solutions. Regardless of the technology, moving from a laboratory concept to a commercially viable product requires careful scale-up and validation.

Miller’s presentation will examine the development pathways needed to bridge this commercialization gap and advance domestic battery technologies toward broader deployment.

Thursday, October 15

Looking Back, Moving Forward: The Evolution of the Battery Industry

Robert Galyen, Senior Strategic Consultant and Advisor at Galyen Energy and retired Chief Technical Officer of CATL, will join Dr. John Warner, Chief Industry Relations Officer at American Battery Solutions, for a closing fireside chat.

The two industry veterans will reflect on the battery industry’s development, discuss lessons learned and consider what lies ahead. Their conversation will explore emerging opportunities, the future of battery innovation and the leadership needed to guide the industry through its next phase.

Education and Industry Collaboration

“The Battery Show delivers the educational programming this industry needs to advance,” said Suzanne Deffree, Vice President of Manufacturing by Informa.

Deffree noted that the battery, electric vehicle and energy storage industries are evolving rapidly, making access to high-quality educational content increasingly important. Through expert-led conference sessions, technical presentations and industry panels, the event aims to equip professionals with the knowledge and insights needed to advance innovation, solve complex challenges and shape the future of energy storage and electrification.

Additional educational programming at the event will include conference seminars, show-floor presentations and roundtable discussions. Details are available at The Battery Show North America.

About The Battery Show by Informa

The Battery Show is an advanced battery technology event co-located with Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology Expo, a trade show and conference dedicated to advanced batteries and electric and hybrid vehicle drivetrains.

Attendees can explore and demonstrate products, technologies and solutions from nearly 1,000 suppliers, network with tens of thousands of industry participants and access educational programming across multiple tracks and technical sessions.

The Battery Show is organized by Manufacturing by Informa and includes The Battery Show Europe, The Battery Show North America, The Battery Show India and The Battery Show Asia. Listed media partners include Informa Markets’ Battery Technology and DesignNews.

More information is available at Manufacturing by Informa.