Elizabeth Krear

Elizabeth Krear is the President & CEO of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), bringing more than three decades of engineering, product development, and strategic leadership experience in the global automotive industry. She is recognized for her ability to guide organizations through transformational change, particularly in the transition to electrified, connected, and autonomous vehicle platforms.

Prior to joining CAR, Ms. Krear served as Vice President of the Electric Vehicle Practice at J.D. Power, where she led efforts to leverage data and insights that supported clients in optimizing business performance during the shift to electrified product portfolios.

Before J.D. Power, she was a Global Planning Program Vice President at Stellantis for the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and electrified body-on-frame SUVs and trucks, focusing on platform strategies that integrated electrification, autonomy, and connectivity. Earlier in her career, she served as Chief Engineer for the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator SUV vehicles, as well as the Ram 1500 Light Duty Truck portfolio.

Her extensive automotive background includes leadership roles in vehicle quality, program management, manufacturing, powertrain synthesis, and interior engineering. In 2020, Automotive News named her one of the “Top 100 Women in the North American Auto Industry,” recognizing her industry impact and leadership.

Ms. Krear holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wayne State University, as well as a Master of Business Administration from the Michigan State University Executive MBA Program.