ZAPI GROUP is hosting the fourth edition of its Future of Electrification virtual conference February 26-27, 2025. Once again, the conference will look at electrification trends, challenges and opportunities as well as technological advancements enabling electric vehicle adoption.
Future of Electrification focuses specifically on the industrial vehicle market including:
- construction,
- agriculture,
- material handling,
- mobile robotics,
- bus & truck,
- mobile elevated work platforms.
Electrification has steadily increased in these markets in recent years. However, challenges remain when looking to electrify many of these applications due in part to their power requirements and varied duty cycles.
The theme for the 2025 conference is “Innovating for Change.” As ZAPI GROUP explained to Power & Motion, this theme “aligns with current trends and issues we are observing in the electrification business. The past year has been marked by a combination of significant technological advancements and geopolitical uncertainty, making the industry’s ability to adapt and innovate crucial. We have customers, partners, and industry peers who have demonstrated tenacity and adaptation to overcome challenges in this dynamic landscape.
“The planned sessions are a way to explore this reality, including ongoing advancements and challenges in electrification, emphasizing the importance of sustainable solutions and technological innovation,” the company said.
Conference Sessions to Aid Industry Education on Electrification
As a global developer of electrification solutions, ZAPI GROUP sees its conference as a valuable resource for those working in the electrification space.
“The event supports ZAPI GROUP's mission to ‘engineer the global transition to an all-electric future,” the company said. “It offers an educational platform for electrification leaders and enthusiasts to present and engage in panel discussions, facilitating communication and promoting innovation. The conference is focused on encouraging collaboration among industry leaders, fostering the exchange of ideas and best practices.
“At ZAPI GROUP we have a big stake in the growth of our industry, but we also realize it will take a wide range of ideas and solutions from our industry to maximize success. This is why we are taking the lead in providing this uniquely focused event to the off-highway industrial electrification market.”
To help educate the broader electrification industry, ZAPI GROUP has pulled together a number of industry experts who will provide their insights on various topics directly and indirectly related to the development of electric vehicles of various types.
Technology and innovation expert Paulina Modlitba will provide the keynote presentation on February 26 focusing on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly when it comes to innovation. The keynote presentation on February 27 will be given by Dr. Giorgio Rizzoni, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and The Ford Motor Company Chair in Electromechanical Systems at Ohio State University. His presentation will look at the challenges and opportunities which exist when electrifying commercial, industrial and utility vehicles.
Additional presentations will include those from Volvo Construction Equipment, Jungheinrich, Bastion Solutions, and Infineon.
Power & Motion will be taking part in the conference as well with our editor acting as a session moderator. Electrification has become an increasingly important topic for the publication because so many of the fluid power industry’s customer markets are electrifying, bringing about numerous technological challenges and opportunities for those developing hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Participating in the event provides the chance to share perspectives from the fluid power sector as well as gain new insights to share with readers.
Through the Future of Electrification conference, ZAPI GROUP said it hopes “Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the electric industrial, commercial, and utility vehicle sectors.” In addition, the company said it “hopes attendees will gain insights into the latest trends and developments in electrification and leave inspired to effect change in their organizations.”
The Future of Electrification 2025 conference is free to attend, and registration is now open for anyone interested in gaining more insights on the development of electric industrial vehicles.
Electrification Will Continue to Rise, but Technological Challenges Remain
Despite the slowdown taking place in some markets, ZAPI GROUP said it is optimistic about the future of electrification and anticipates significant progress in electric vehicles over the next 3-5 years, with continued technological innovation. “We see exciting developments in battery technology, increased interest in electric industrial vehicles in emerging markets, demand for stronger charging infrastructure, and technological advancements in sustainable energy generation to support this growth.”
While optimistic about the future of electric vehicles, there remain many challenges to overcome.
“One major challenge is integrating electrical components and transitioning from a combustion engine to a fully electric machine, which requires a complete redesign of the electric drive system,” the company told Power & Motion. “This is particularly difficult for mid-size and smaller OEMs that may lack in-house expertise in electric powertrain systems. Education and training in this area are critical for a successful transition and are key focuses of the Future of Electrification event, as well as areas of expertise for ZAPI GROUP and its companies.”
Battery efficiency, charging infrastructure and regulatory hurdles are additional challenges the company sees particularly impacting electrification of industrial and commercial vehicles. Due to the size of many vehicles in this segment, their power and charging needs are greater than that of passenger vehicles.
There has been a focus by many companies to develop technologies specifically for the industrial segment capable of meeting its power and charging needs. But more will be needed to provide the long run time required by many vehicles in this segment without adding too much battery weight or cost.
More charging infrastructure is needed in many parts of the world as well, particularly for larger vehicles such as commercial trucks. Added to this is the amount of electricity that will be required from the grid. ZAPI GROUP noted that regional gaps in infrastructure investments could limit the ability of power grids to handle a significant increase in the demand for electricity. “This requires broad support and commitment from both private and public sector stakeholders,” the company said.
Post-COVID supply chain issues, the impact of tariffs on global manufacturing, and evolving manufacturing trends are additional challenges ZAPI GROUP pointed to for global equipment manufacturers developing electric vehicles. During the Future of Electrification conference, a panel discussion with industry thought leaders will provide insights and strategies to mitigate future risks and better prepare for potential disruptions.
The company believes events like its Future of Electrification conference can help to overcome the many challenges facing the electrification industry by bringing together various industry experts to address these challenges and offer insights into potential solutions.
“Many sessions at this year's event will focus on these topics, bringing together industry experts to discuss solutions, share insights, and collaborate on strategies to drive progress in electrification globally,” said ZAPI GROUP.
