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This March will be 4 years since the patent was issued. The vehicle itself is a platform where many different powertrain configurations could be installed. The development process will be ongoing. The patent will expire when I am 76.5 years old, so there is time, but the clock is ticking.
Next step, after the vehicle is operational is the drive. The problem with the drive is it does not come up to you and grab you and pour it's advantages into your brain so you understand them perfectly. The Vehicle is the "billboard" the drive is the heart of the truly innovative part of the overall design.
Once the drive is installed, then the process of developing the control systems and possibly software to automate operation will probably produce a series of new patents.
By that time it will have shown it's advantages. Then it depends on investors or licensees to take it further.
Remember and this is critical, the drive will improve the performance of any vehicle, while at the same time increasing economy significantly, while eliminating the per vehicle parts count, copmplexity, and cost of maintenance. The engineers at Va Tech basically said the components should last beyond the service life of the vehicle, easily half a million miles. Their function and serviceability would not be compromised, even if completely submerged.
regards
Mech
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