What drives him is his passion for saving the environment, and this has led him and a team of engineers and scientists to discover something others hadn�t.
Or have they?
�The technology to produce PEVs has been around for 100 years, but few pursued it. Excuses included high production cost, limited travel range, and batteries that were too expensive. But the real reason is that mass producing electric cars could spell the demise of many internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle manufacturers, if they don�t adapt fast enough,� Lam explains.
�You see, major ICE vehicle manufacturers have invested billions on engine design and manufacturing plants, and they have thousands of automotive and design engineers working for them. Their investments and these employees would become redundant overnight if PEVs became commonplace. So they tell the world we are not ready for them and produce hybrids instead. But hybrids are really a rich man�s toy,� he says.
According to Lam, manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, and many others have a legacy in engine performance. If affordable PEVs became widely available, then these traditional manufacturers would lose their hard-won legacy and advantage overnight.
Lam thinks most people do not understand the full impact of Detroit Electric�s manufacturing deal with Proton.
�Imagine this: Detroit Electric has launched a whole new world economy. The world�s dependency on oil will dramatically reduce when PEVs become commonplace,� he declares.
�World leaders are still talking about alternative fuel, but we have already got it! I understand why existing ICE vehicle manufacturers like General Motors would hold back on their hybrid EV1, or Toyota on its hybrid RAV4. I wouldn�t want to �commit suicide� either, but they don�t have to if they adapt.
�My motto has always been to innovate and never put the self before what is good and right for society as a whole,� he says.
So strong are his convictions that Lam told his engineers during the successful test drive of their first prototype that, �God entrusted this technology to us, and we will burn in hell if we don�t share it with the global citizen.�
His vision to build practical and affordable PEVs for the man on the street will come to pass when the first batch of 40,000 electric cars rolls off Proton�s assembly lines in 2010. Costing about RM80,000 each, the cars will be sold in Europe and North America, with Asia coming into the picture later.
Hailing from a privileged background that included boarding schools in Britain, Hong Kong-born Lam, who now lives in Ascot, England, is surprisingly down to earth, not that this has ever hindered his climb in the corporate world.
At 33, he became the youngest regional director of Sun Microsystems and Sun Professional Services in Singapore. He developed the company from a four-person team to a 150-strong multinational corporation. When he joined the company, its revenue was only S$400,000 (RM920,000). By the time he left four years later, he had raised the revenue to S$50mil.
Lam could have gone anywhere in the world and have the red carpet rolled out for his electric cars, so why he did choose Malaysia?
�It�s simple really. I was previously the global CEO of Lotus Engineering, which is owned by Proton. So I�m well acquainted with how Proton is run. And so far, Proton has manufactured only one engine model, the Cam Pro, which means they can always scrap this investment if they decide to become a PEV manufacturer.
�Furthermore, unlike other manufacturers, Proton does not have a history in automotive engineering that can be threatened by the advent of PEVs.�
Detroit Electric saw the synergy with Proton and just went for it, says Lam, whose electric car models boast zero emission and are fitted with a motor that is said to be four to 12 times lighter than existing ones. This allows his vehicles to go from zero to 100kph in eight seconds.
His models can also travel some 400km on a full charge, which is one of the longest distances for electric cars. And it takes only seven to eight hours to fully charge the battery through an ordinary electric socket.
However, long distance travel can pose a problem for the moment. But this is temporary, assures Lam, who believes that developing economies like Malaysia and China have governments that are more willing to adapt green causes and new technologies. The Malaysian government is already backing Proton in this venture and former Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, was present at the signing ceremony between Detroit Electric and Proton.
Another company, independent of Detroit Electric and Proton, has also been formed to set up battery charging stations throughout the country to create the infrastructure for long-distance travel.
Both these companies are confident that the project will take off with a flying start when PEVs are introduced in Malaysia at a later stage.
Lam has also signed a major contract manufacturing deal in China, whereby taxi fleets and government customers in 13 cities will receive a subsidy of more than US$8,000 (RM28,320) towards the purchase of a hybrid or PEV. Charging stations have also been mandated in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.
The Dutch government also provides incentives for electric cars, such as free parking.
Lam joined Lotus Engineering when it was struggling and heavily dependent on Proton for 95% of its business. By the time he left to kick-start Detroit Electric, 95% of Lotus Engineering�s business was external. He helped restructure Lotus into a client-focused business by winning major engineering contracts and returned it to the black.
Many attribute this achievement to Lam�s drive to constantly challenge himself and motivate workers to share his vision for a better world.
�I�m not motivated by money.
�When we reach for ideals which are bigger than our selfish interests, then we can inspire others to excel.�
Lam�s electric car is certainly a ray of hope in a world staggering under the weight of pollution, global warming and severe climate change. Will his PEVs take the world by storm?
Only time will tell. Lam, though, has no doubts it�s a technology that the world has been waiting for.
�In the end, it is not the money or awards that matter, but the positive impact we make on the lives of others. This is the legacy we leave behind as humans, and ultimately, it is this that matters most,� he says.
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