The worldwide demand for automotive transportation remains strong even as the price of conventional fuels fluctuates. Auto companies are committed to providing safe and affordable vehicles which run on whatever energy sources are available in a particular market. A brief history of vehicle propulsion methods will be followed by an update on the current status of electric vehicles, including hybrids, batteries, and fuel cells. The lubrication challenges of each will be presented.
Edward P. Becker earned a B.S in Metallurgical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and an M.S in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Illinois. He joined General Motors at the Cadillac Motor Car Division in Detroit. While at GM, he received his Professional Engineer’s license, and earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan through the GM Technical Education program. He retired from General Motors after 30 years of service, mostly in the Powertrain division working on a variety of GM engines, transmissions, and rare earth permanent magnets for electric motors.
Ed then established Friction & Wear Solutions, LLC to solve tribological problems. He is a frequent guest lecturer at schools and technical societies, as well as running leadership training seminars for organizations and companies. He is a life member of American Mensa, past president of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers, and a long-time member of ASM International. Ed has been teaching for the Engineering Society of Detroit’s Professional Engineers Licensing Review class since 1990, and received ESD’s most prestigious tribute, The Gold Award, which honors an outstanding engineer or scientist, in 2018. He has numerous publications in technical journals and handbooks and holds 9 US patents.
