CTO, Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI) and Professor of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, University of California-Davis

Education
BS and MS Mechanical Engineering University of California, Berkeley, 1955, 1958

PhD Electrical Engineering University of Southern California, 1967

Early Career
Rockwell International 1955 to 1967 on aerospace projects, including work under contract to the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force and NASA

History
During my early career at Rockwell International, I received two patents on Helicopter stability control, while working on a project for the U.S. Army. I also worked on the Minuteman Missile, where I invented the MIRV multi-target system. While on loan under contract to NASA, I did rendezvous maneuver control design work for the Apollo Man on the Moon project.

In 1970, after my PhD, I started what was to become the cornerstone of my life’s work. I began hybrid electric vehicle research with the design and construction of a plug-in hybrid. But I learned at that time the concept was impractical due to limitations in computers, power electronics and battery technology. So I turned my attention to focus on flywheel and other auxiliary energy storage hybrids in an effort to greatly improve the fuel economy and performance of automobiles and trucks. This was also when I started work on the design of Mechanical Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT) because of the need in a flywheel system and all hybrid systems.

Then in 1989 I designed and constructed two world-class super mileage vehicles, setting world records at 3300 mpg on gasoline, and 2200 mpg on M85. But by 1990 I refocused my research effort on the Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), because the electric vehicle, or EV, was being encouraged by California and receiving worldwide interest. However, I felt the EV was impractical for the general public due to charging time and a lack of charging infrastructure.

Over the last 30 years I have constructed 15 hybrid vehicles using a variety of energy storage concepts. The last 15 years I have concentrated specifically on the Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) using advanced batteries.

I have published over 100 technical papers and have been issued over 30 patents, with many more pending. The patent portfolio on the hybrid and CVT work at the University has been exclusively licensed to a company I formed with partners called Efficient Drivetrains, Incorporated, or EDI.

The mission of EDI is to joint venture with companies world wide to bring the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) into mass production for every class of vehicle in every vehicle producing country to allow them to immediately begin the reduction of green house gasses, the vehicle carbon foot print and to displace the use of petroleum.

The beauty of the PHEV is manifold: it will allow the use of renewable energy of all forms, such as solar and wind; it can be integrated into society with no change in our current energy and vehicle-manufacturing infrastructure; it will allow people everywhere in the world to individually become energy independent; and it can greatly improve the efficiency of our current electrical generation and distribution system.