Tom Chandlee: Charged up for a Changing EV Market

Like an atom, energy project director Tom Chandlee is most at home in motion. A self-described science and math nerd, Tom has spent his career exploring emerging technologies, with stops in nuclear engineering, high school physics education, renewable energy, corporate sustainability and, today, electric vehicle infrastructure.

“Back when my 17-year-old brain had to choose from 12 different types of engineering, I got to the word nuclear and thought, ‘That sounds weird. I’ll do that,'” Tom said.

After earning his engineering degree, Tom began his career in the nuclear industry. While the work was technically challenging, he found himself looking for a faster-paced environment where he could solve problems, learn new things and make a more visible impact.

That led him to an unexpected role as a high school physics teacher.

“I absolutely loved teaching,” he said. “But eventually I wanted to dust off the engineering degree and see what else I could build a career around.”

Finding Energy in a Growing Industry

Tom’s next move brought him into the rapidly expanding world of distributed energy resources, including solar energy systems and other technologies that generate power closer to where it is used.

He joined a startup solar company in Washington, D.C., during a period of major growth for the industry.

“It was just a ton of fun,” Tom said. “The combination of being in the solar industry and at a startup meant there was always something new happening.”

That experience shaped his approach to career development.

“The growth and innovation around me inspired me to seek out industries that are evolving and creating new opportunities,” he said.

Tom later spent nearly seven years at a big tech company,leadingprograms that supported the company’s renewable energy and decarbonization efforts. His work included managing on-site solar and battery storage projects and helping launch EV charging infrastructure across facilities in the United States and Europe.

Navigating the Future of Transportation Electrification

Today, Tom helps organizations navigate one of the fastest-changing areas of the energy transition: EV charging infrastructure.

As electric vehicles expand beyond passenger cars to include commercial fleets, transit agencies and heavy-duty transportation, organizations face new questions about how to plan, power and scale charging systems.

“The market is constantly evolving,” Tom said. “Success requires staying adaptable, understanding where technology is headed and helping clients make informed decisions as things change.”

One emerging challenge is the increasing electrical demand required to support large vehicle fleets.

“It can be challenging to bring several megawatts of power to a site that historically needed only a fraction of that amount,” Tom said. “There’s a lot of planning and coordination involved, but that’s also what makes the work interesting.”

Tom is particularlyexcited aboutprojects that combine infrastructure planning, engineering and long-term strategy to help clients prepare for future transportation needs.

Building What’s Next

Whether he’s helping deploy charging infrastructure, exploring new technologies or working through complex energy challenges, Tom remains motivated by the same curiosity that first drew him to engineering.

For him, the most rewarding part of the work is helping organizations translate ambitious sustainability and electrification goals into practical solutions.

“Transportation electrification is creating opportunities that didn’t exist even a few years ago,” he said. “It’s exciting to be part of an industry that’s changing so quickly and helping clients navigate what’s next.”