Fabricio Machado received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McMaster University in 2024, an MBA focused on Project Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in Brazil in 2017, and a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei in Brazil in 2014. He began his journey at the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) as a master’s student in 2019 and transitioned to the Ph.D. program in 2020. With over ten years of experience in the automotive field, Fabricio has a solid background in multi-speed gearboxes for battery electric vehicles, vehicular mechanical projects, cross-functional team leadership, powertrain systems, and vehicle dynamics. He has held positions as a Design System Engineer and Assistant Chief Engineer at Stellantis South America and served as a Project Manager for the McMaster Engineering EcoCAR Team. Currently, as a Senior Principal Research Engineer at McMaster University/MARC, he leads a team of over 35 Ph.D., master’s, and undergraduate students on one of MARC’s largest projects in collaboration with Stellantis, focusing on advanced vehicle electrification, including electric powertrains, energy storage systems, electric machine design, motor controllers, power electronics, and software and artificial intelligence. Fabricio also coordinates three dynamometer testing cells for hardware-in-the-loop implementation, including an A&D three-machine dynamometer, an AVL high-speed dynamometer, and an AVL chassis dynamometer. His research further involves vehicle and gearbox modelling to assess power losses, thereby contributing to the development of more efficient drivetrains for the next generation of electric vehicles.
Full Profile
Fabricio Machado is an accomplished mechanical engineer specializing in electric vehicle powertrains. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Brazil, followed by an MBA in Project Management from Fundação Getúlio Vargas in 2017. In 2024, he earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McMaster University, focusing on multi-speed gearboxes for battery electric vehicles. With over ten years of experience in the automotive field, Fabricio has developed expertise in project management, cross-functional team leadership, and innovative engineering solutions. His work aims to improve energy efficiency and vehicle dynamic performance, reflecting his commitment to advancing sustainable transportation technologies.
Beginning his professional journey at Stellantis South America, Fabricio served as a Design System Engineer and, later, Assistant Chief Engineer. In these roles, he co-managed multi-fuel internal combustion engine projects with substantial budgets, implementing strategies that improved engine performance and efficiency. His adept use of Scrum methodology significantly reduced rework rates and research and development costs. Fabricio’s leadership skills fostered collaboration across design, production, and quality assurance teams, ensuring projects met stringent industry standards.
In 2019, Fabricio joined the McMaster Engineering EcoCAR Team as the project manager, which competed in the EcoCAR Challenge, North America’s premier Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition. He developed a robust Risk Management Plan for a hybrid powertrain architecture selection process and created a strategic decision-making framework based on competition and market requirements. This role further demonstrated his ability to lead complex projects and drive successful outcomes.
As a Ph.D. researcher at McMaster University’s Automotive Resource Centre (MARC), Fabricio’s research focused on electric powertrain architectures and enhancing energy efficiency by implementing multi-speed gearboxes in electric vehicles. Under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi, he gained extensive experience in hardware-in-the-loop implementation, powertrain testing, and vehicle and gearbox loss modelling. His work has resulted in numerous high-impact publications, contributing valuable insights to the field of automotive engineering.
Currently, Fabricio serves as a Senior Principal Research Engineer at McMaster University/MARC, where he leads a multidisciplinary team of over 35 Ph.D., master’s, and undergraduate students on one of MARC’s largest projects in partnership with Stellantis. His research encompasses advanced vehicle electrification, including electric powertrains, energy storage systems, electric machine design, motor controllers, power electronics, and software and artificial intelligence. Fabricio also coordinates three dynamometer testing cells for hardware-in-the-loop implementation: an A&D three-machine dynamometer, an AVL high-speed dynamometer, and an AVL chassis dynamometer. Through his leadership and expertise in managing research initiatives, fostering collaboration among diverse teams, and utilizing cutting-edge testing methodologies, Fabricio has been contributing to advancing the development of innovative, efficient drivetrains for the next generation of electric vehicles.
