Where do automotive engineers typically gain experience in electric vehicle design?

Electric vehicle design experience usually comes from jumping into roles at companies shifting gears-traditional carmakers reluctantly moving to EVs or startups obsessed with batteries and powertrains. Labs focused on battery chemistry or big suppliers of electronics give surprisingly solid exposure. Most real-world learning happens when you’re elbow-deep in messy prototype testing or troubleshooting, not just shiny CAD models.

Most engineers don’t start in sleek EV startups but in traditional automotive firms that are retrofitting their lines for electrification. These companies offer access to real-world challenges of integrating new tech with old systems. Battery manufacturers and power electronics supppliers punch above their weight since they’re the backbone of EVs, offering deep technical exposure. Don’t underestimate government labs or utility companies working on charging infrastructure - those places provide a unique angle few focus on yet shape the ecossystem fundamentally

A lot of people seem to get it from supplier jobs first - battery packs, motors, inverters, wiring harnesses, that whole chain. My friend got more real EV exposure at a tier-1 supplier than at a flashy startup because the team was smaller and everyone had to wear three hats, which sounds chaotic but was weirdly good for learning politics too. University labs and test facilities can help as well, though maybe not as much if you want production experience.