Hillcrest Energy Technologies revealed that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a global Tier 1 automotive leader in mobility innovation.
According to the terms of the MoU, Hillcrest and the supplier will collaborate to integrate an optimized version of Hillcrest's 250-kilowatt (kW), 800-Volt (V) inverter into a future powertrain system.
The Vancouver, British Columbia-based clean technology company, which develops power conversion technologies and control system solutions for electric vehicles and electrical systems, said the joint project is expected to run through 2023.
READ: Hillcrest soft-switching technology leads to smaller, lighter inverters and better power quality
Throughout the process, Hillcrest and the new partner will test a series of configurations with the end goal of commercializing a nominal 350kW product that takes advantage of Hillcrest's highly efficient inverter.
Hillcrest said that the “adaptable nature” of its technology allows a “high level of optimization” and “seamless integration with the supplier's future product.”
"Our partner is an early leader in electrification and has a shared understanding that efficiency is at the core of our electrified future," Hillcrest CEO Don Currie said in a statement. "We are thrilled to collaborate on a project that could become the basis for many future products."
Hillcrest's inverter technology is designed to be smaller, lighter, and more powerful than currently available inverters. By leveraging higher switching frequencies and soft switching capabilities, Hillcrest's inverter technology has been proven in product testing to reduce losses and dramatically improve inverter efficiency, performance, and reliability.
Hillcrest's 250kW, 800V Silicon Carbide (SiC) commercial inverter prototype channels these benefits to improve performance of the full system, according to the company. Optimized versions of the inverter can be deployed in a variety of power systems, from commercial and industrial electric transport to grid-tied renewable energy and storage.
The company said it expects these systems to deliver “increased efficiency, performance, payload and reliability” while “decreasing overall weight, complexity and cost.”
"This is the second MoU Hillcrest has announced this month. These combined opportunities are a tangible demonstration of customer interest in our inverter technology as well as our ability to move quickly into the next phase of the commercialization process," added Currie.
Contact the author Uttara Choudhury at uttara@proactiveinvestors.com
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