UQM Technologies Inc. announced the signing of a development agreement with Meritor Inc., located in Troy, MI. The development program is expected to last for 2-1/2 years. The alliance calls for Meritor to develop integrated axle components for E-axle technology. The components will be combined with UQM’s motor and inverter technology and hardware to create the Meritor and UQM Electric Axle System (MUQM Electric Axles) for the medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle markets.
The benefits of the system are expected to allow customers in the medium- and heavy-duty EV commercial markets to improve on component packaging requirements, realize cost savings from integration, and increase vehicle performance. “We are excited to align ourselves with Meritor to address the commercial market from a new vantage point. This allows UQM to focus on design and development and in turn approach the market as a Tier 2 supplier with a proven Tier 1 OEM,” says Joe Mitchell, President and CEO of UQM. “We believe this relationship gives Meritor the opportunity to become a leading supplier of E-axles using UQM’s technology allowing customers to benefit from integrated solutions that drive cost savings in the long term.”
“We are pleased to engage with UQM on this important project,” says John Bennett, Meritor’s General Manager of Global Product Strategy. “We believe that this relationship will provide leading edge technology that will meet and exceed our customers’ expectations for E-axle solutions.”
The companies anticipate that prototypes will be ready by early fall of 2017.
