Donald James Duncalf: A Lifetime of Energy Innovation

Jim Duncalf has spent a lifetime searching for ways to conserve energy. As a spokesperson and lecturer for the Illinois Department of Energy, he spoke at universities, business gatherings, and energy expos. He lived through the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo, witnessing firsthand the hardships, political tensions, and wars fueled by dependence on fossil energy. That experience shaped his conviction: while electric vehicles offer many benefits, plugging them into the coal‑ and fossil‑fueled power grid is far more costly to society than the Rad Cam‑powered OBE 1.

Over the past two decades, the global utility sector has spent hundreds of millions lobbying to control the automotive future. Massive government funds flowed to a handful of the world’s wealthiest individuals as they built cars tethered to the grid. In many countries, laws forced EV adoption through taxpayer subsidies—often benefiting wealthy buyers—while penalties and higher taxes fell on petrol car owners, disproportionately impacting lower‑ and middle‑class workers.

Automakers, driven by survival, poured billions into compliance. Yet the market remained unconvinced. By early 2025, a political backlash against grid‑powered EVs began in the United States and quickly spread worldwide. As of 2026, several major automakers are now producing EVs with “range‑extender engines”—ironically based on designs patented more than 160 years ago.