JB Straubel, the gigafactory visionary and recycling pioneer
JB Straubel was recognised with the 2024 Benchmark Lifetime Achievement Award, for his visionary leadership in rapidly advancing battery cell design, cell selection, supply chain management, and most crucially - The Gigafactory.
The Benchmark Lifetime Achievement Award recognises influential figures that have shifted our industry on its axis over the years.
This Award was presented by Benchmark CEO, Simon Moores, at the opening of Benchmark Week 2023.
The Award was presented by Benchmark Chief Executive Officer, Simon Moores at the opening of Benchmark Week 2024.
Prior to founding Redwood, JB Co-Founded Tesla and spent 15 years as Chief Technology Officer. Straubel currently serves on Tesla’s Board of Directors.
As CTO at Tesla, JB built one of the most efficient engineering teams in the world. Among many innovative programmes, he led cell design, supply chain and the first Gigafactory concept through the production ramp of the Model 3.
JB had a direct role in both R&D, team building and operational expansion from prototype cars through to mass production and GWh-scale.
Benchmark CEO, Simon Moores commented, “JB's vision of putting all the world's battery production under one roof, didn't just spark the giga-era but the beginnings of a mass scale electric vehicle industry we now see today.”
“If it wasn't for this gigafactory moment it is a high probability our industry would have remained niche. Of course, he is now taking on the next great giga challenge - battery recycling with Redwood Materials,” continued Moores.
“We need to make sure we are scaling in the right direction and it’s balanced”
JB Straubel at Benchmark Week
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