Terzo Power Systems has announced it will supply its Hydrapulse electrohydraulic steering pump units (EHSU) to electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer SEA Electric. It will be used in conjunction with SEA Electric's all-electric chassis, the SEA-Drive power system.
Hydrapulse EHSU is a compact unit containing an integrated motor, controller and closed-loop feedback. It was specifically designed for electric steering applications and mobile steering assist. Low- and high-voltage options are available, as are various pump displacements and power levels.
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SEA Electric is focused on the electrification of commercial vehicles. It launched its first model in 2017, with additional models brought to market in various regions around the world since then. Four versions of the SEA-Drive power system are available to meet the power needs of a range of commercial vehicle applications such as trucks, buses and vans.
"One of the challenges of modern EV development is ensuring that all systems are as energy efficient as possible, something Terzo brings to the party," said Tony Fairweather, SEA Electric CEO and founder, in Terzo Power Systems' press release announcing the integration partnership. "Incorporating Terzo's cutting-edge Hydrapulse steering units in our SEA-Drive power-system will help us to continue pushing the envelope on EV performance, as well as providing ongoing world-class total cost-of-ownership."
The Hydrapulse EHSU is ruggedly designed, enabling it to meet the heavy-duty requirements of commercial vehicles and other similar applications. Terzo Power Systems states on its website that its EHSU is tested to SAE J1455 automotive standards, which ensures reliability and durability.
Use of permanent magnet technology in the Hydrapulse EHSU enables the unit to provide instant response and power-on-demand for optimized and efficient performance which will benefit productivity for commercial vehicle owners. In addition, the fully-integrated design of the steering unit provides an easy-to-install product for customers like SEA Electric, as all components are contained in a single unit. This also helps to reduce complexity and cost as there are fewer components to install.
WATCH AND LEARN: Hear about best practices to follow when working with high-voltage systems which are becoming more common in heavy-duty vehicles in our Engineering Academy technical presentation with Terzo Power Systems' founder Mike Terzo.