Changing the world with tools, tinkering, and Tesla.
For nine years and counting, Clyde Michaels has been pivotal in the development and deployment of solar technology and renewable energy systems. With an aspiration to transition to a sustainable future, he’s worked tirelessly to promote the use of renewable energy sources. Clyde’s experience and passion makes him essential to Signature Electric.
Early years
Clyde’s fascination with tech began after he left South Africa by the end of Apartheid. He immigrated to Canada as a young boy, inspired by the multicultural land of promise and opportunity. It was a dawning moment of, “This is where I need to be”.
He was a tinkerer as a kid, taking apart his Dad’s tools, and building electric cars and helicopters. “I electrocuted myself many times,” he admits.
One day, Clyde was tinkering around with a remote control car and had a sudden revelation. The double A battery he put in the car made it drive faster than anything he’d ever seen before. And at that moment he had an epiphany—electric vehicles would take over the world.
Journey with Tesla
Clyde’s interest in EVs lead him to Tesla. At the time, it was a startup with only 2,000 employees. Yet Clyde sensed the opportunity within the company. Clyde was impressed by Tesla’s vision to change the norm in 2010 and bring that cutting-edge tenacity into Canada.
Elon Musk himself approved of Clyde’s hire and stationed him at the Yorkdale location in Toronto. Clyde was working as a salesman—but he wasn’t interested in selling. It was Tesla’s technology that caught his eye, specifically the Tesla Roadster. This was the first electric sports car—and the only alternative to Smart cars. Today, Clyde owns a Tesla Roadster, which is now a big collector car.
“I own a piece of history, I was part of that transition.”
Clyde encountered Signature Electric when Tesla recruited the company to provide charging infrastructure. He immediately took interest in Signature Electric’s mission to deploy clean energy. “Signature Electric is not about the money, they have core values that run deep,” he notes. Clyde began talking about ideas with Signature Electric in 2016, and by 2018, Clyde started working with the company.
Present Day
Clyde aspires to create a cleaner future for all. He believes we can get there with V2G charging. Clyde explained the process of plugging the vehicle into an electric power source, such as a charger or a charging station, and then the charger uses that energy to power the grid.
At the end of the day, Clyde’s ultimate goal is to create a better world for his family and daughters. Regardless of the challenge, Clyde will tinker his way to a solution.