A vital component of our success at ASPIRE is our Industry & Innovation Ecosystem. Through this ever-expanding ecosystem, currently with a growing Industry and Innovation Board (IIB) membership, with 68 members and dozens more stakeholder partnerships, we’ve gained greater momentum as we shape the future of transportation. These members and partnerships contribute their expertise and…
ASPIRE is partnering with Charge Assist EV to host the center’s first-ever Innovation Challenge. This event will take place on November 2-3, with a virtual kick-off on October 31 to start ASPIRE’s 2025 Annual Meeting at Utah State University. Students from all disciplines are invited to participate. “This is being designed to both showcase ASPIRE’s…
Welcome to our ASPIRE Student Newsletter! In this section we share upcoming events, celebrate student successes, and highlight their research and hard work. Check out our ASPIRE students’ most recent accomplishments! Upcoming Dates & Events: ASPIRE Council of Presidents Applications Open Just a reminder that ASPIRE is streamlining student leadership positions by combining the ASA…
Awards, Publications, and Successes Congrats to all of our students, faculty, and staff for their recent achievements over this past month! Here are a few to note: A big shoutout to Amanda Katz, who was named as a 2025-26 Fulbright Scholar. This prestigious, highly competitive international exchange program is administered by the U.S. Department of…
EV Market Overview The global electric vehicle (EV) market is showing mixed signals as it continues to evolve amid shifting consumer behavior, trade policies, and regulatory environments. Tesla’s sales of China-made EVs fell by 8.4% in July compared to last year, attributed to intense competition from local brands like BYD offering lower-priced alternatives. This decline…
ASPIRE has partnered with Kenworth Sales Company to upfit a Kenworth K270E Class 6 box truck with in-motion wireless charging. This truck is a part of the Utah Electrification Initiative and has been in the works since 2023. The initiative aims to identify and implement innovative electrification strategies in Utah — such as the viability…
On July 17, ASPIRE opened its doors at the Electric Vehicle and Roadway (EVR) facility for the public to explore the future of electrified transportation. From ozobots to robots, EV simulation models to drones, and E-bikes to the first-ever in-motion charging electrified box truck, participants discovered firsthand the wide gamut of electrification innovations that ASPIRE…
On June 25, a group of Utah State University students from ASPIRE attended an Industry & Innovation Trip. There, students discovered the four main sectors in the industry ecosystem: potential Industry and Innovation Board (IIB) members, government representatives, current IIB members, and key stakeholders. “Each summer, I bring ASPIRE students on this Industry & Innovation…
EV Market Overview The EV market remains highly volatile, largely due to a mix of inflation, rising production costs, and new trade barriers. Costs have increased in many of the fundamental raw materials like lithium, aluminum, copper, and nickel that make EV components, which in turn makes them (especially batteries) significantly more expensive. This financial…
ASPIRE’s data co-lead Mario Harper — known to his students as Dr. Mario, or simply Mario — has successfully published his first book “Trajectory Planning Using Dynamics and Power Models: A Heuristics Based Approach”, with a heuristics-based approach referring to a practical, experience-driven method to efficiently solve problems. Dr. Mario was inspired to write this…