Yifan Tang

Yifan Tang is an electrical and automotive powertrain engineer whose work focuses on the development of high-performance electric drive components and control systems. He is the Chief Technology Officer for the California-based premium EV manufacturer SF Motors. He was previously VP of Drivetrain Engineering for Lucid Motors, and from 2007 to 2012 served as Principal Motor Technologist for Tesla Motors, where he is known for designing the electric drive motors for the Tesla Roadster, Model S and Model X prototype. Tang’s work has been issued 35 U.S. patents, and has appeared in over 30 technical papers. He is considered one of the leading developers of next-generation electric drive and energy transfer technology. In addition to working on electric motors, control circuits and torque transfer systems for cars and SUVs, Tang has made contributions in wind power, UAV propulsion and long-range solar aircraft technology.
Early life
Tang received his Ph.D in electrical engineering from Ohio State University. He also studied in China. His student work included novel methods for generating wind power, and in 1994 he became a senior development engineer working on wind power electronics at Siemens.
Recent Work
Tang is among the engineers credited with the rapid recent development of motors and torque vectoring systems for electric vehicles. He is the Chief Technology Officer for the California-based SF Motors, a part of global auto, industrial and parts manufacturer Sokon Industries Group. Current projects based out of SF Motors’ Silicon Valley R&D facility include work on next-generation solid-state electrolyte based batteries and refinements to the SF Motors’ drive system. In addition, Tang works on the company’s “Protective Autonomy” system, which integrates sensor information to keep both vehicle occupants and the external environment safe in a range of driving scenarios. Tang also works on the vehicle’s motor controls to provide near-instant torque vectoring for high-performance situations and increased safety in variable traction environments. Yifan Tang also helps design the company’s R&D processes, using in-house production of e-drive and energy storage components to ensure smooth and timely transitions from low-volume to mass production.
 
< Prev   Next >