[17] His exploits, in more ways than one, in pushing electric vehicle technology earned recognition as a "Pioneer of Aviation" from the State of California in the form of Assembly Resolution #1740, presented to Yates in Sacramento during Senate and Assembly sessions on August 30, 2012[18] He is also a noted public speaker, having presented several television shows[19][20] and served as the first national spokesman for the Conrad Foundation,[21] and has delivered a TEDx talk on his philosophy of innovation and risk.

[27] In 1997 Yates replaced automotive designer Chip Foose at ASHA Corporation where he invented and patented a series of hydraulic control valves[28] for the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

[41][42] In February, 2011, Yates returned to Auto Club Speedway and announced his intention to set a professional level laptime fast enough to qualify the electric prototype motorcycle for an AMA Pro Daytona SportBike series event despite its claimed 585 pound curb weight.

[46] The final act of Yates’ electric superbike campaign took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the Utah desert at the BUB FIM / AMA Speed Trials August 27-September 1, 2011.

[17] In July 2012 he piloted this aircraft over 200 mph making it the world's fastest electric airplane[16] in a flight that ended with an emergency dead-stick landing following an in-flight lithium-ion battery problem.

[51] In August 2013 Yates attempted to set five Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world records in an effort that was stymied by electrical problems that led to an emergency deadstick landing.

The troubled flight was documented in a video[52] in which chase pilot Zach Reeder flying an experimental Van's Aircraft RV-8 redirects Yates away from landing on a public road and safely back to runway 10 at Inyokern Airport in California.

Yates’ Time to Climb World Record performance of 5 minutes 32 seconds demonstrated a sustained rate of climb of 2,000 feet per minute from ground level to 9,843 feet above the ground (3,000 meters), which is greater performance than most gasoline powered airplanes and was selected by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) as the “Most Memorable Aviation Record of 2013.” On October 5, 2013, Yates set a Guinness World Record with his electric airplane at the California Capital Airshow in Sacramento, California for "Time to Climb to 500 Meters" with a performance of 1:02.58 measured from wheels stopped until the aircraft reaches the required altitude.

On September 3, 2013, Yates' world record attempts and electric airplane transatlantic plans were featured by Discovery Channel on their Daily Planet Series.

The program challenges students ages 13 – 18 to use science, technology, engineering and math skills along with creativity, collaboration and entrepreneurship to develop products and services to benefit humanity and address global sustainability.

"[21] Yates has delivered numerous keynote speeches at NASA Ames and Space Center Houston that are streamed live to students and teachers around the world to launch the Conrad Foundation's Annual Spirit of Innovation Challenge.

"[22] On May 17, 2014, Yates delivered a speech entitled "Make | Ride | Fly: 200 MPH in 2 Homemade EVs" on the main stage at Maker Faire Bay Area, where he opened his presentation by hanging from a harness in a metal frame over the audience to demonstrate a simulation of parachuting out of his electric airplane during one of his three emergency landings.

[61] On July 11, 2014, Yates announced that he would take three months off from electric vehicle technology and setting world records to write a book aimed at showing kids how to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams.