THE MAN FROM ARPA-E

Advanced R&D programs directed by Dr. Chris Atkinson are building the energy-efficient mobility future.

Engineers and scientists working in mobility R&D have described Dr. Chris Atkinson as a guiding light in their efforts to make future vehicle propulsion technologies more efficient- and commercially viable. One long-time industry associate dubbed him “the ultimate project manager”-and who could disagree? As a Program Director of ARPA-E-the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy-Dr. Atkinson oversees the funding and progress of 20 or more R&D projects. He leads a team of engineers and commercialization experts at ARPA-E, focusing on improving the energy efficiency of connected and automated vehicles, advanced combustion devices, and energy conversion and storage systems in the transportation space.

The building blocks of future batteries, power electronics, EV and PHEV charging, IC engines, and related systems in their nascent stages of development, can be seen on the agency's website. A visit to arpa-e. energy.gov reveals an extensive roster of promising R&D projects and programs that the agency is shepherding, many still too early for significant private-sector investment. They include thermal recovery systems; battery chemistries; rare-earth-free electric machines; bio- and synthetic-fuels and advanced switching, among many other initiatives.