Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications Manager, General Motors
Alexandre Bayen, Liao-Cho Professor of Engineering and Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley
Hector De La Torre, Member, California Air Resources Board
Diarmuid O’Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla

Electric cars have insanely fast acceleration, but EVs overall have been slow out of the gate. Stubbornly high costs, range anxiety and cheap gas are all factors. Are auto dealers also putting speed bumps in the way of EVs? Though Tesla is all-in on batteries, Toyota is bullish on hydrogen cars and California is spending millions of dollars to support them. Chevrolet is racing Tesla to the middle market with its Chevy Bolt, a new battery electric car that promises a range of 200 miles for a purchase price around $30,000.

California regulators say electric cars alone can't meet the state's climate goals. Other fuels and strategies are needed. Transit advocates say Californians need to get out of their cars and use rail and bicycles to avoid more gridlock and reduce emissions that are driving severe weather. That might be a challenge when autonomous cars promise the allure of legally surfing the web while cruising the highways. Join us for a discussion of the future of cars.