SAIETTA Group plc (Saietta), specialists in providing high-tech advanced e-mobility propulsion solutions, has expanded its product offering for the light-duty electric vehicle sector. The focus on innovative product developments that push engineering and technology boundaries is central to Saietta’s efforts in providing state-of-the-art fully integrated electric drive system solutions across the mobility space.
In direct response to growing market demand and bespoke customer requirements, Saietta’s Axial Flux Technology (AFT) electric motor range has been enhanced and expanded with integrated power electronics, a modular gearbox and a bespoke axle architecture – providing light-duty vehicle manufacturers with a fully integrated one-stop-shop e-mobility system solution.
Saietta’s ability to radically upgrade its AFT product offering has been driven by a number of major developments and breakthroughs that has propelled the company forward in its sustainable mobility journey.
The acquisition of e-Traction in November 2021 – an industry leader in electric drivetrains and high-voltage power electronics for heavy-duty vehicles and bus applications – has been key in Saietta advancing the development of its in-house developed integrated inverter for the AFT motor range.
Based in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, e-Traction’s array of innovative technologies – including a proprietary software platform, powertrain control systems, an online diagnostics suite, corresponding manufacturing capabilities and its leadership in automotive power electronics intellectual property – has helped to inform Saietta’s latest AFT product upgrades. As a result, this newly added capability to the AFT range means that inverter and powertrain controls may be supplied to end customers as a fully integrated solution.
Continued success
Building on its recent success, Saietta has won important new global contracts from the light-duty vehicle sector for its integrated e-drive systems that are based on the advanced AFT 140 motors. This includes Ayro in the USA, Electric Assisted Vehicles in the UK, an established OEM of lightweight vehicles in India, and a new vehicle platform developer in Europe.
In addition, Saietta is developing proof-of-concept e-drive system designs for two further potential high volume light-duty commercial vehicle customers in India. Although still at a prototype stage, and with further milestones yet to be met, collectively these activities have the potential to develop into volumes of more than 87,000 integrated AFT 140 e-drive systems per annum.
Saietta has also enhanced its already renowned research and engineering teams with a number of top-level industry appointments. In March, Dave Pates joined Saietta as managing director of its light-duty e-drive division and his industry leading knowledge and expertise has been instrumental in the company’s recent commercial progress. Dave’s previous role was engineering director of Mahle Powertrain – formerly Cosworth Technology Group.
Last year Saietta established Propel, a standalone technology division whose aim is to deliver advanced next-generation electric propulsion solutions for the marine sector. Such has been the impact of Propel that in this short space of time it has both developed an integrated e-drive system and generated €1.5 million of revenue in its first year of operations. This has further underscored the outstanding ability of Saietta to leverage AFT technology into commercially successful vertically integrated e-drivetrain systems and get them to market within months.
Commenting on Saietta’s expansion and enhanced AFT product range, Wicher (Vic) Kist, chief executive officer of Saietta, said: “We are delighted that we are now in a position to offer customers fully integrated AFT e-drive system solutions. The acquisition of e-Traction has enabled us to reach this point sooner than expected and customer engagement has convinced us that this is the best commercial opportunity for delivering our AFT technology to market. Owning the power electronics and software development capabilities should allow us to help our customers to get their vehicle platforms to market faster.
“We believe that this approach will enable Saietta to continue to grow into one of the world’s leading light-duty and heavy-duty e-drive businesses and be a showcase of UK and European engineering and production excellence at this key stage in the transformation of the global automotive industry.
“We are also delighted that we can now manufacture these innovative products at our world-class automotive electric motor manufacturing facility in Sunderland – which has historically delivered over 25 million electric motors for automotive OEMs.”