# A former race car engineer on battery safety and supply chains [partner content]

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2025-05-20
- Length: 26m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content

## Summary

Tristan Doherty, Chief Product Officer at LG Energy Solution Vertech, discusses the transition from his career as an IndyCar race engineer to leading US-based energy storage manufacturing. He details LG's $1.4 billion investment in Holland, Michigan, aiming for 16.5 GWh of annual cell production with a 100% non-Chinese supply chain by early next year. Doherty explains how the Moss Landing fire drove a shift toward containerized systems, reducing failure rates by 97%, and describes a strategic 'outside-in' design philosophy that prioritizes grid needs over component availability.

## Chapters

- [0:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=2) Introduction: Tristan Doherty and LG Energy Solution Vertech
- [1:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=108) Racing Chaos and the Moss Landing Fire Root Cause
- [7:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=465) Shift to Containerized Systems and 97% Failure Rate Reduction
- [11:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=684) $1.4 Billion Holland, Michigan Investment and Supply Chain Localization
- [13:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=804) Trade Uncertainty, Tariffs, and Project Delays
- [15:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=940) Outside-In Design Philosophy and Vertical Integration
- [20:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=1201) Software, AI, and Cybersecurity in Storage Systems
- [22:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-05-20-a-former-race-car-engineer-on-battery-safety-and-supply-chains-partner-content#t=1323) Data Center Demand and Grid Integration Challenges

## Topics

- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Security & privacy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/security-and-privacy)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)

## Most relevant to

large enterprises

## Mentioned

- LG Energy Solution Vertech (company)
- LG Energy Solution (company)
- Moss Landing (other)
- Vistra Energy (company)
- IndyCar (other)
- Holland, Michigan (other)

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## Citing this page

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