Magnetics Business & Technology - March/April 2021 - 6

FEATURE ARTICLE

Top-Tier Automotive Suppliers Transform to Become Fully Integrated e-Powertrain
Manufacturers, Part 1 of 2
and hubs. The TM4 deal included a 50% stake in Prestolite
E-Propulsion Systems, a joint venture in China that makes electric motors, inverters, generators and controls for electric buses,
trucks and boats.

New e-drive plant in India for Dana

With electrification rocking the automotive industry, magnets and
motors are increasingly on the minds of design engineers and
supply chain managers at many of the world's top tier automotive
suppliers as they transform to become providers of fully integrated e-powertrains. This article highlights the paths of several
such as Dana, Deutz, ZF, BorgWarner and Meritor. Companies
previously covered include Continental, Magna, and Schaeffler.
Traditionally the bastions of gears, gasoline and diesel engines,
and hydraulics, they are adapting dramatically to design and
manufacturing operations that involve magnets, motors, magnet
wire and coil winding.
Dana, traditionally a supplier of
vehicle transmissions that is
based in Maumee, Ohio near
Toledo, seized
the opportunity
and today has
emerged as a
global provider
of fully integrated
e-powertrains. It has made eight acquisitions since 2017 to bolster its electrodynamic portfolio, and now has a wide breadth of
offerings and system integration competencies including motors,
inverters, controls and software, as well as thermal management
products for batteries and power electronics.
It took the big plunge in 2018 when it acquired Canada's TM4, a
manufacturer of electric motors and power components serving
commercial and recreational vehicle OEM's.
Now, Dana TM4 e-motors, depicted in the top photo, are available in a variety of configurations. They can be purchased individually or integrated seamlessly with Dana's e-axles, gearboxes

6

Magnetics Business & Technology * March/April 2021

In September, Dana announced plans for a 50,000 squarefoot facility in Pune, India, that will produce Dana TM4 low- to
high-voltage electric motors, inverters, and vehicle control units.
Scheduled to open this year, the plant will supply OEMs for a
variety of electrified vehicle applications, including buses and
trucks. With the addition of electric motors, inverters, and vehicle
control units to Dana's current capabilities in India, the company
is poised to serve as a preferred supplier with in-house capabilities to deliver complete and fully integrated e-Propulsion systems
to OEM customers across all mobility markets.
Its newest direct-drive
electric powertrain, the
TM4 SUMO LD, was
launched last year as a
motor-inverter combination
for Class 2 through Class 6
vehicles. The new offering
extends the comprehensive SUMO lineup which
is powering more than
12,000 electrified vehicles
today.

Christophe
Dominiak, CTO at
Dana

" The TM4 SUMO direct-drive electric powertrain offering is a globally adopted, roadproven, highly efficient solution utilized in
thousands of electrified vehicles, which is a
key differentiator setting us apart from other
electrodynamic solutions, " said Christophe
Dominiak, chief technology officer for Dana.
" The SUMO LD series has been engineered
into multiple Spicer Electrified products and is
able to be adapted to the architecture requirements of our customers, from direct-drive
solutions to fully integrated e-Axle designs. "

With three available models, it can generate up to 250 kW of
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