“If we hadn't had lunch in 2003, Tesla wouldn't have existed.”

-Elon Musk on his first meeting with Straubel.

The initial premise of this meeting, Straubel said, was to get Musk to support Straubel's electric plane project.

Jeffrey Brian Straubel is the inventor on more than 30 patents covering the most basic areas of Tesla's batteries, motors and control systems.

Tesla CTO and battery mastermind Jeffrey Brian Straubel, Elon Musk's partner and right-hand man in Tesla's rise since 2003. To this day, he is considered one of the world's top experts in automotive battery technology and energy storage.

“Doing something obvious, before it becomes obvious.”

Since 2003, before it became obvious, Straubel took consumer electronics lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and brought them into Tesla's automotive business, completely changing the electric vehicle (EV) industry.

The mastermind behind key decisions made regarding Tesla's power systems and battery technology. These are decisions that gave the company a continued advantage in efficiency and driving range after other companies created competing electric models.

He has played the main role of the company exceptionally since 2003 with the enthusiasm and madness of Elon Musk.

He was an author and contributor, often chiming in on company calls or presentations with clever answers to technical points; He provided some insight into the company's technology that made a real difference early on.

Straubel said in a 2016 speech, ahead of Tesla's Model 3 launch event.

“I never imagined Tesla would expand or grow as fast as it does.”

In the first quarter of 2019, Tesla co-founder Straubel stepped down as chief technology officer, becoming a senior advisor.

Jeffrey Brian Straubel is now the co-founder and CEO of Redwood Materials

Redwood Materials is an economic startup focused on recycling complex materials like batteries. It helps in the transition to the world of electric vehicles and sustainable transportation.