EcoMotors Adds Iain Ridley as Vice President of Engineering

ALLEN PARK, Mich., March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- EcoMotors International, developer of the efficient, clean, lightweight, powerful opoc® engine, announced the hiring of Iain Ridley as Vice President of Engineering.  Ridley replaces the current VP of Engineering, Les Ryder, who will be retiring at the end of May. 

"Iain's addition to EcoMotors continues our success in recruiting world-class engineering talent and management leadership, and advances our work of bringing the disruptive opoc® engine to market," said Don Runkle, EcoMotors' CEO.  "Iain's demonstrated abilities in leading results-focused engineering teams will be key to our growth in the years ahead."

Iain has more than 25 years of engineering and management experience in product design and development from concept to production.  He comes to us from being Senior VP of Engineering at General Compression for the last couple of years where he quickly scaled up an elite engineering group to deliver a commercial demonstrator from a proof-of-concept within 18 months.  Prior to his most recent role, he was Chief Engineer of AVL Powertrain where he led the design and build of high powered diesel engines.  Prior to this role, Iain spent nine years at Ricardo, the formidable diesel engine design house, in a number of management and design roles.  Prior to Ricardo, Iain worked on Caterpillar and Mercedes Diesels.

Iain holds diplomas in Mechanical Engineering and Management from the Cape Technikon in South Africa, and an MS in Automotive Engineering from the University of Hertfordshire in England.

"Joining EcoMotors at this time was an irresistible opportunity," added Ridley. "The opoc® is clearly a game changer, and I look forward to bringing the engine's full potential to EcoMotors' growing roster of global customers."

The clean, efficient, and elegantly simple Opposed-Piston-Opposed-Cylinder opoc® architecture comprises 50% fewer components and far less mass than conventional engines. The perfectly balanced design means smooth, quiet and virtually vibration-free operation.  The fully modular capability of opoc® enables remarkable efficiency gains – as much as a 50% reduction in both fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in "Dual-Module" configurations when compared with conventional engines of similar power.

About EcoMotors
Established in 2008, EcoMotors is changing the landscape of internal combustion power. Based in Allen Park, Mich., EcoMotors is commercializing the unique opoc® engine for use in cars, light trucks, commercial vehicles, aerospace, marine, agriculture, auxiliary power units, generators, etc. Anywhere conventional gas or diesel power is currently utilized, opoc® represents a better propulsion solution.

EcoMotors primary investors are Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates and Braemar Energy Ventures. Khosla Ventures, based in Menlo Park, California, offers venture assistance, strategic advice and capital to entrepreneurs. The firm helps entrepreneurs extend the potential of their ideas in breakthrough scientific work in clean technology areas such as solar, battery, high efficiency engines, lighting, greener materials like cement, glass and bio-refineries for energy and bio-plastics, and other environmentally friendly technologies as well as traditional venture areas like the Internet, computing, mobile and silicon technology arenas. Vinod Khosla, who founded the firm in 2004, is a founder of Sun Microsystems and was formerly a General Partner at Kleiner Perkins. Bill Gates has been an enthusiastic supporter of EcoMotors and Braemar Energy Ventures has led the most recent round of investment as EcoMotors extends its scope around the world.

SOURCE EcoMotors

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