Electric Vehicles

The global automotive industry is experiencing historic and transformative change as breakthrough technologies, innovation, and government mandates redefine propulsion and mobility. The speed and scale of this transformation have forced companies to reconsider every aspect of their business models, including product development, supply chain sustainability, the allocation of human and capital resources, and strategic business relationships.

A primary driver of this industrywide shift is the rapid global transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles and other technologies, including hydrogen. Government incentives, regulatory mandates, and substantial public and private investment are accelerating this transition. The automotive industry is being transformed and reinvented at a pace that would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago.

Our Team and Commitment

The automotive team at Dickinson Wright has been at the forefront of anticipating and addressing many of these changes. We have expanded our focus beyond traditional internal combustion engine vehicles to include electric vehicles and the related advanced technology, intellectual property, environmental, and mobility issues. For more than a century, our automotive practice has provided practical guidance and advocacy to vehicle manufacturers and companies throughout the global automotive supply chain. As the industry transforms, our experience working with both established companies and disruptive technologies helps us bring perspective, creativity, and practical value to our clients.

In 2020, as the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles accelerated, we established a multidisciplinary Vehicle Electrification Task Force to address clients’ evolving needs. Since then, we have advised major original equipment manufacturers and other industry participants on nearly every aspect of the transition. This work includes structuring and negotiating complex battery manufacturing joint ventures, strengthening supply chain resilience, investing in and operating charging infrastructure, navigating government regulation and funding opportunities, and protecting intellectual property.

Our Firm

Since our founding in Detroit in 1878, Dickinson Wright has operated at the center of the North American automotive industry. Today, with offices strategically located across North America in key automotive corridors—from Detroit and Ontario to Ohio, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, and Silicon Valley—we work with established industry leaders and technology companies advancing change across the automotive sector.

Our Services

We provide practical, actionable advice informed by deep industry knowledge and supported by technology and efficient communication. Our representation includes: