Dr. Ralf Petri (33) has taken over the management of the new VDE Mobility business unit. With VDE Mobility, the technology organization bundles all activities in the mobility sector. These include standards and application rules, for example for the charging infrastructure of electric vehicles (VDE DKE and VDE FNN), the testing and certification of charging infrastructures and batteries (VDE Institute and VDE Renewables), but also science, for example with studies by specialist societies such as the Energy Technology Society within VDE (VDE ETG). "Our aim is to act as a one-stop store and exploit synergies by bringing together all areas of the VDE that work on mobility topics in the new business area," explains the new business area manager. Petri is also aiming for close cooperation with other associations, politics and industry.
Helping electromobility get off the ground
The sector is in a state of upheaval and much is at stake for German industry. The VDE is responding to the changes in mobility with its realignment. For example, the experts at VDE DKE and VDE FNN are working on specific standards and application rules that will drive forward the expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric mobility, for example in the area of automated conductive charging. Petri is also planning several studies and fact checks on charging heavy commercial vehicles and on fuel cells and batteries. "We currently have several studies in the pipeline. We are conducting one of them with Porsche Consulting on the topic of fuel cells and batteries in the electric road vehicle sector," explains Petri. He also has his sights set on the rail sector. Here, he is working with his experts on the digitalization and sustainability of rail transport. Petri and his team have already successfully completed a series of studies on alternative drive systems in rail transport.
The VDE Group has 2,000 employees and 100,000 volunteer experts worldwide. "My task is to bring this expertise together, to advance innovative technologies with the industry, to anchor them in society together with politicians and thus to offer added value for the economy and Germany as a mobility location. The realignment is an important step in accompanying Germany on the road to the transport revolution," says Petri.
Vita Dr. Ralf Petri
Dr. Ralf Petri studied industrial engineering at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and graduated with a Master of Science. At the same time, Petri completed his doctorate at the Technical University of Braunschweig as part of a doctoral position sponsored by Volkswagen Group China. In 2015, the expert completed his doctorate with a Dr.-Ing. degree on the topic of "Technology-based material cost model for Li-ion battery cells in electromobility". In 2015 and 2016, Petri was responsible for the aftersales and post-series supply strategy for HV batteries at Robert Bosch Battery Systems as a project manager. In 2016, the expert moved to Audi AG in Ingolstadt. Here he was responsible for HV batteries as project manager for value analysis. Petri joined the VDE in 2018. After initially being Head of the Mobility department at the standardization organization VDE DKE, Petri now assumes overall responsibility for the Mobility division in the VDE Group.
