Revolutionary!!!
UQM Technologies Announces Revolutionary Electric Motor Performance Breakthrough
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Newly Developed UQM(R) Electric Motor System Demonstrates High Torque and High Speed Capability in a Single Machine Greater Than Twice That of the Industry's Next Best Performing Motor Technology; New System Will Dramatically Improve The Performance of Electric, Hybrid Electric and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles At a Cost Competitive With Existing Systems
Tuesday September 17, 8:32 am ET
FREDERICK, Colo., Sept. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- UQM Technologies, Inc. (Amex: UQM - News), a developer of alternative energy technologies, announced today that it has achieved a revolutionary breakthrough in the performance of an electric motor. The Company has developed and successfully tested a permanent magnet electric motor system that achieves a 10 to 1 top speed to base speed ratio or what is commonly referred to in the industry as constant power speed ratio (CPSR). The newly developed system provides both high torque and high speed capability in the same machine at levels greater than twice that of the industry's best performing motor technology.
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Many electric motor applications require high torque capability for starting and low speed operation, but must also achieve high speed. This is particularly the case for battery electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicle propulsion. For the military, high torque at low speed translates into obstacle and grade climbing capability, while high speed enables pursuit, dash and evasive maneuvers as well as on-road convoy transport. Many commercial applications have similar requirements. Conventional vehicles achieve the high torque required for launch and low end acceleration and the constant power required for high road speed by using a transmission and multiple gear changes.
In January of 1998, UQM Technologies announced that it had received a key patent for a method of "phase advance control" of permanent magnet motors that eliminates the need for multiple mechanical gears in its on-road vehicle applications. Considered revolutionary at the time, UQM's systems incorporating phase advance were able to achieve a top speed to base speed ratio of 4 to 1, the best in the industry. The Company's already established reputation for small, lightweight and highly efficient electric propulsion systems was further enhanced by this new capability which led to numerous successful applications of UQM® propulsion systems in vehicles ranging from motor scooters to passenger cars to trucks and buses.
In nearly all electric propulsion applications since that time, vehicles have been designed around the 4 to 1 limitation, sometimes resulting in unwanted gearing and/or less than desired performance. This has particularly been the case in the more demanding off-highway equipment and military vehicle applications. Providing vehicle developers with electric propulsion systems capable of a top speed to base speed ratio of 10 to 1 overcomes a significant limitation and opens up many new application opportunities for UQM® systems.
"This is perhaps the most significant discovery in the history of our company and reflects the continued technical leadership exhibited by our engineering organization," said William G. Rankin, UQM Technologies' President and Chief Executive Officer. "Not only does this revolutionary achievement accomplish what heretofore was considered impossible, the new technology can be applied to a wide range of motor system sizes, power levels and voltages and uses conventional low cost materials and manufacturing processes. What phase advance did to replace 4 to 5 speed transmissions in electrically propelled automobiles several years ago, 10 to 1 does to replace 12 to 16 speed transmissions for heavy on-road, off-road and military vehicles today. This breakthrough has changed the game and further distanced us from the competition. UQM® propulsion systems now have an even greater advantage in substantially improving the performance of any vehicle propelled by electric motors."
Commenting on the new development, Bernard B. Poore, Manager, Product Technology for John Deere (NYSE: DE - News), said, "The majority of our vehicles require low speed torque coupled with high speed transport and present a particularly tough challenge for electric propulsion systems. We have been working with UQM for many years because their superior technology is well suited to the variety of demanding applications in our industry. Their achievement of 10 to 1 is a significant breakthrough and will greatly improve the performance of electric and hybrid propulsion systems. We know of no other demonstrated technology that comes close to this performance."
Added Gary Smith, President of PEI Electronics, a unit of Integrated Defense Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: IDE - News), "UQM Technologies is a key supplier of permanent magnet electric propulsion motors and electronic control systems to our hybrid electric vehicle programs, including UPS's hybrid electric delivery truck and the U.S. Army's hybrid electric HMMWV. We originally selected UQM's motor and motor controller system because of its proven reliability, product maturity and production readiness. UQM's new technology will significantly expand the control range and performance of their motors, and we will be better able to address our customer's demanding vehicle performance and packaging requirements in both current and future production vehicles."
UQM Technologies, Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of power dense, high efficiency electric motors, generators and power electronic inverters for the automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, medical, military and industrial markets. A major emphasis of the Company is developing products for the alternative energy technologies sector including power systems for electric, hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, 42 volt under-the-hood power accessories and other vehicle auxiliaries and distributed power generation applications. The Company's headquarters, engineering and product development center and motor manufacturing operation are located in Frederick, Colorado. Its electronic products manufacturing facility is located in St. Charles, Missouri. For more information on the Company, please visit its worldwide website at www.uqm.com .
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. These statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include statements regarding our plans, beliefs or current expectations, including those plans, beliefs and expectations of our officers and directors with respect to, among other things, the development of markets for our products. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements include our ability to be profitable, our ability to obtain additional financing, our reliance on major customers and suppliers, our ability to commercialize our products, our ability to manage growth and the possibility that product liability insurance may become unavailable to us.
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Source: UQM Technologies, Inc.
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