PREFACE 序言
On the occasion of the publication of the book, Modern Electric Vehicles, Electric Drives and Power Electronics, it gives me great pleasure to write a few words of congratulations on the author, Professor C.C. Chan, whom I have the fortune to be associated with for over a quarter of a century. Professor Chan is one of the most resourceful, dynamic, diligent and innovative person I have ever known. In his youth he enthusiastically devoted his energy and time to the reconstruction of China. As he approached his middle age, he realized that his efforts had been premature. Upon the request of his family in Indonesia he decided to leave the mainland of China for Hong Kong where we began to cross our paths in the University of Hong Kong. He distinguished himself as a lecturer in the electrical engineering department of which I was the head and he advanced to his professorship in record time. During his lectureship, he obtained his Ph.D. degree on a research project on Electric Motors for Electric Vehicles under my supervision. Professor Chan was full of energy and initiatives, resulting in receiving a donation from Honda Motors Ltd. in Japan for the construction of a model electric car and for the establishment of a Honda Chair Professor in Electrical Vehicles in the University of Hong Kong. After he took up the departmental headship in 1994, his devotion to doing research on electric vehicles continued unabated. He traveled widely in the world, establishing joint research projects on his pet subject in a number of countries. He has been instrumental to constructing a number of prototype electric vehicles in different countries, notably India and Japan. He was also the co-fbunder and the President of the World Electric Vehicles Association. There is no doubt that he has earned himself the honour as a co-pioneer in the research, development and promotion of the use of electric cars in the world. Ever since I took up electrical engineering as my profession I have always had a dream and the dream is that the electric car will one day find its rightful place on the roads. When my dream comes true I shall have Professor Chan and his co-pioneers to thank for.