Lovins, Amory B.

Amory B. Lovins (1947-), an American physicist noted for his advocacy of renewable energy and energy efficiency. His book, Soft Energy Paths (1977), was among the first to articulate the social and environmental imperatives of shifting from the “hard” (fossil and nuclear fuels) to “soft” (renewable) energy sources. Lovins formed the Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, Colorado, a leading think tank and advocacy group aimed at shifting the hydrocarbon, automobile, real estate, electricity, water, semiconductor, and other industries toward advanced resource productivity. Lovins had a particular interest in automotive technology. He led the design of the Hypercar®, a vehicle designed to capture the synergies of ultralight construction, low-drag design, hybrid-electric drive, fuel cells running on compressed gaseous hydrogen fuel, and efficient accessories. The Hypercar® is designed to deliver a 3- to 5-fold improvement in fuel economy, and equal or better performance, safety, amenities, and affordability relative to today's vehicles.