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US e-drive developer plans big Gateshead development

US firm Turntide Technologies has acquired two UK companies and launched Turntide Transport, a new division of the company focused on electrified propulsion for commercial transportation. It plans to establish operations in Gateshead, England, marking the beginning of what it calls a multi-year, £100 million investment in the region. Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed.

The company said that it will combine its Smart Motor System with acquired electric vehicle technology. The Turntide Transport division will initially target electromechanical systems in some of the more challenging markets to decarbonise - including commercial and industrial vehicles, rail, marine and aerospace.

Turntide’s so-called Platform for Sustainable Operations brings together the Smart Motor System with automation and cloud insights to dramatically improve the efficiency of building control, electric vehicles, and industrial processes. Until now, Turntide has achieved this within the built environment - primarily retrofitting the electric motors in HVAC and agriculture with intelligent, optimal efficiency systems.

The acquisition of battery pack manufacturer Hyperdrive Innovation, will allow Turntide to include energy storage in its solutions. Hyperdrive designs, develops, and manufactures modular high-performance lithium-ion battery systems for a wide range of applications.

Also a part of the acquisition is the BorgWarner Gateshead Technical Centre, a company that has been designing power electronics for a wide range of vehicles for over five decades - focusing on motor controllers and other devices that determine the motion of electric vehicles.

By integrating technology from both entities, Turntide Transport says that it will be a one-stop powertrain platform provider - including the battery pack, power electronics, motor, and connected intelligence.

“The electrification of transport is inevitable, but it isn’t coming quickly enough. With success in the built environment under our belt, incorporating the technology from these two companies with the Smart Motor System will allow Turntide to simplify the path to sustainable transport,” said Matt Boyle, OBE, managing director of Turntide Transport.

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