Exro Technologies Inc. continues to expand into new market segments with a strategic agreement with one of the world’s most innovative manufacturers of snowmobile powertrains. Under this new partnership, Exro and Finland’s Aurora Powertrains Oy, which in 2019 released an all-electric snowmobile, the “eSled”, will work to both increase motor performance while decreasing cost for future production. The partnership will see Exro’s technology being added to the Aurora electric powertrain, a further move to global commercialization of Exro technology.
“We are very excited to now be entering the snowmobile industry, which sees more than one billion dollars of global sales annually,” said Exro CEO Sue Ozdemir. “This is also important as it takes Exro’s technology overseas to Europe and forms a key partnership with one of the transportation sector’s true innovators in the use of electric powertrains.”
Exro’s Dynamic Power Management for Electric Motors
Exro’s patented Dynamic Power Management (DPM) proprietary software system controls electric motor coils through individual coil switching for optimal settings for each specific power need. Exro’s DPM results in expanded speed/torque capability and improved machine efficiency across a wider operating range.
Exro’s ability to manage coils has evolved into development of an even more robust energy management system being designed to use artificial intelligence to control individual coils for even more efficient performance. Pre-configuration of the motor separates leads and enables management of coils and leads.
Exro Solution: Integrate technology into existing motors; retrofit an existing motor or OEM design to our specifications; motor control with semiconductors / change electromagnetics of the motor for a control system that adjusts for higher and lower speeds and variable torque
- Benefit: Greater efficiency and lifespan
Exro Solution: Integrate existing system with intelligent control technology
- Benefit: Reduce/eliminate need for mechanical gearbox, eliminating mechanical friction, reducing parts, weight, cost, maintenance
- Benefit: Ability to increase efficiency of downstream power electronics due to reduced losses in passive rectifiers, inverters, converters and regulators
“Our company strategy is to strengthen our core competencies and on the other hand create partnerships with world leading technology providers. One step on this is co-operation with Exro, together with them, we are looking forward to working side-by-side to further develop the capabilities of our electric powertrain technology. This is a growing market and we see increased potential with partners like Exro,” said Ari Karjalainen, CEO of Aurora. “We believe this is a global market that will continue to grow as consumers demand low-impact, zero-emission recreation vehicles.”
According to the International Snow Machine Manufacturing Association, the snowmobile sector has a global imprint. In 2018 there were 124,786 snowmobiles sold worldwide. ISMMA estimates the economic annual economic impact of snowmobiling to be $26 billion in the US, $8 billion in Canada and $5 billion in Europe and Asia.
Exro’s Chief Technology Officer, Ari Berger, who is leading the adoption of Exro into sectors such as e-bikes, automotive fleets, the marine industry and others, called the Aurora partnership another milestone in commercialization, “Our partnership with Aurora further proves Exro can be applied and scaled to a wide variety of sectors.”
