PHIL BARKER

Chief engineer, hybrid and electric vehicle technologies, Lotus Engineering

Chosen because: In the popular imagination, Lotus is the stuff of racing legend: Colin Chapman, Jim Clark, Graham Hill and Mario Andretti, to name just a few. But the British company's Lotus Engineering division has forged a reputation as an innovator in hybrid and electric vehicles since it began work in the area in 1990. Phil Barker, 44, has headed Lotus' Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Group since 2008, leading an ambitious research and development program. During that time, Lotus has built a variety of demonstrator vehicles, both under its own brand and for clients. Those include: the Lotus Evora 414E and 414Evolution, Proton Emas, Dodge Circuit EV, Fuel Cell London Taxi, Jaguar Limo Green consortium project and Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Experimental Electric. Lotus also manufactures the Tesla Roadster under contract. Barker is taking on a larger responsibility as head engineer for Proton Green Technologies, of Proton Holdings Bhd. Proton, a Malaysian carmaker, owns Lotus.

Quote: "An EV is not just an electric motor in a conventional car. The solutions have to be holistic to take in all the systems."