The focus of the IEEE-USA 2011 Annual Meeting is “Engineering in Motion”, essentially an in depth look at the challenges and opportunities inherent in vehicle electrification.  As one of the speakers pointed out, electric automobiles are not a new idea, numerous electrical vehicles and patents for charging systems surfaced near the beginning of the 20th century, but eventually faded from the scene given the ascendancy and improvements of the internal combustion, powered by cheap and abundant oil. Electric didn’t even come in second place, even the steam powered vehicles were viewed as superior (and safer).

What a difference a mere century makes! Petro-chemical products are not only not as easily and economically available, but the U.S. doesn’t own much of the raw materials, the by-products are polluting our environment, and the end is in sight given the industrial revolutions currently underway around the world, additional customers hungry for cars, trucks, and power production. While there are still major obstacles to the Presidential vision 1.2 million electrified vision on the road by 2015 (including electrics, hybrids, and other non gas-centric power trains), headed by available battery technology, charging infrastructure, power grid/transformer impacts, we’re a lot closer to meeting that vision than appears obvious, possibly even doubling the target number.

See more details of the IEEE-USA discussions on 2011 Annual Meeting blog at http://ieee-usa.blogspot.com/, complete with candid photos at the event.