THE MAN FROM ARPA-E

20AUTP04_01

04/01/2020

Authors Abstract
Content

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.

Meta TagsDetails
Pages
6
Citation
Brooke, L., "THE MAN FROM ARPA-E," Mobility Engineering, April 1, 2020.
Additional Details
Publisher
Published
Apr 1, 2020
Product Code
20AUTP04_01
Content Type
Magazine Article
Language
English