SatCon Technology Corp. (Cambridge, MA), a developer of power control electronics, announced that it has begun shipping products both domestically and internationally from its new line of modular-built hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) products consisting of high-voltage electrical and electronic components capable of input voltages up to 450 Vdc for use in the HEV markets. The first set of vehicle-qualified products includes a 5 hp brushless motor, a 30 A (peak) drive controller, and a dc-dc converter rated at 12 Vdc and 120 A continuous.
SatCon President and COO Millard Firebaugh stated, "The HEV market sector is a prime area of focus for SatCon. To this end, we are commercializing a suite of products, including scalable traction motors, generators, and smart battery chargers specifically aimed at this market. We expect to grow this aspect of our business aggressively in the future, leveraging upon our extensive experience base in HEV technology."
In addition to the launch of the new products listed above, SatCon is also pursuing vehicle drive components for the propulsion system of vehicles. All of these products are designed to meet thermal and environmental exposure in vehicle applications. Some examples of the uses of these components would be for off-road applications, delivery vehicles (particularly in city stop-and-go applications), and in small-to-medium size fleet vehicles (such as taxis and mail-delivery vehicles). These are all services in which HEVs are efficient in reducing fuel consumption.
