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Dana TM4, previously known as TM4 Inc., is a joint-venture between
Dana Corporation Dana Incorporated is an American supplier of axles, driveshafts, transmissions, and electrodynamic, thermal, sealing, and digital equipment for conventional, hybrid, and electric-powered vehicles. The company's products and services are aimed ...
and government-owned
public utility A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...
Hydro-Québec. Established in 1998, it is active in the development of electric vehicle motors and related power systems. After spinning-off from Hydro-Québec's research center to commercialize their electric powertrain technologies, TM4 encountered some success in the 2000s, participating in many short-lived OEM demonstration programs. Commercially, things began to take-off in the 2010s, especially after they diversified their product ranges to serve the commercial vehicle (bus and truck) market. As of 2018, thousands of electric and hybrid vehicles were equipped with TM4 systems. To help TM4 become a global player in the supply of electric drivetrain components, Hydro-Québec, who had been its sole shareholder for most of TM4's existence, announced that it planned to set up a joint-venture with a world-scale auto parts manufacturer to facilitate the mass production and marketing of its product. In line with this strategy, it announced in June 2018 that Dana Corporation would take over as majority shareholder of the company, while it would keep a minority stake. In 2019, Hydro-Québec announces that the company has invested $85 million to maintain its 45% interest in TM4, now called Dana TM4, and that now includes the following strategic relationships: * The exclusive property of Chinese company Dana Electric Motor Co. Ltd, formerly called Prestolite E-Propulsion Systems (PEPS), in which Dana TM4 previously held a 50% interest. Dana Electric Motor Co. manufactures and markets electric powertrain systems, particularly for buses and trucks. This transaction will enable Dana TM4 to optimize its operations and ensure the development of its activities in China, the fastest-growing market in terms of transportation electrification. * The integration of the activities of electric motor company SME, an Italian company which has developed a range of electric motors and controls for a wide range of off-highway electric vehicle applications, including material handling, agriculture, construction, and automated-guided vehicles. SME low-voltage systems are a perfect complement to the Dana TM4 high-voltage product line. This investment puts Dana TM4 in a position to offer electric powertrain systems for all types of land vehicles, including light vehicles (cars and pickups), commercial vehicles (buses and trucks), and off-highway vehicles (construction, mining, and lift trucks).


Background


Technology development

On August 19, 1994, the
Premier of Quebec The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of th ...
, Daniel Johnson, had announced a C$100 million project to develop an electric car for the year 2000. On August 30, 1994, Hydro-Québec had presented their first prototype based on a
Dodge Intrepid The Dodge Intrepid is a full sized front-wheel drive four-door sedan that was produced by Dodge for model years 1993 to 2004. It is related to the Chrysler 300M, Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, and Eagle Vision which were a ...
. The economy in fuel consumption was evaluated between 80 and 85%. The project was cancelled in 1995 and many have seen the abandonment of this project as a repetition of the history of the
CF-105 The Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow was a delta-winged interceptor aircraft designed and built by Avro Canada. The CF-105 held the promise of Mach 2 speeds at altitudes exceeding and was intended to serve as the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) p ...
. In 1998, Hydro-Québec worked on a prototype with a joint venture between
Dassault Group Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French corporate group, group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, a ...
and
Société de Véhicules Electriques Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son Ser ...
, the first prototypes based on a
Renault Kangoo The Renault Kangoo is a family of multi purpose vehicles manufactured and marketed by Renault since 1997, in commercial as well as passenger variants, across three generations. For the European market, the Kangoo is manufactured at the MCA plan ...
were built in 2006. Hydro-Québec has been criticized for not having taken advantage of some of its innovations. An electric
wheel motor The wheel hub motor (also called wheel motor, wheel hub drive, hub motor or in-wheel motor) is an electric motor that is incorporated into the hub of a wheel and drives it directly. History * First wheel motor concept: Wellington Adams of ...
concept that struck a chord with Quebecers, first prototyped in 1994 by Pierre Couture, an engineer and
physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...
working at Institut de recherche d'Hydro-Québec (IREQ), is one of these. The heir to the Couture wheel motor is now marketed by TM4, a subsidiary that has made deals with France's
Dassault Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son Ser ...
and
Heuliez Heuliez was a French company that worked as a production and design unit for various automakers. It specialized in producing short series for niche markets, such as convertibles or station-wagons. The business activity ended on 31 October 2013. ...
to develop an electric car, the
Cleanova Cleanova are a set of plug-in hybrid vehicles by the Société de Véhicules Electriques (SVE), a joint venture between Dassault, Heuliez and Hydro-Québec. Cleanova II is based on Renault Kangoo. In January 2010, SVE has been taken over by Dow Ko ...
, of which prototypes were built in 2006. Hydro-Québec announced in early 2009 at the
Montreal International Auto Show The Montreal International Auto Show (''Le Salon International de l'Auto de Montréal'' in French) is an annual auto show held for 10 days in mid-to-late January in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It usually takes place at the Palais des congrès de Mon ...
that its engine had been chosen by
Tata Motors Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing company, headquartered in Mumbai, India, which is part of the Tata Group. The company produces passenger cars, trucks, vans, coaches, buses. Formerly known as Tata Eng ...
to equip a demonstration version of its Indica model, which will be road tested in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
. IREQ's researchers are also working on developing new
battery Battery most often refers to: * Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power * Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact Battery may also refer to: Energy source *Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
technologies for electric cars. Current research is focusing on technologies to increase
range Range may refer to: Geography * Range (geographic), a chain of hills or mountains; a somewhat linear, complex mountainous or hilly area (cordillera, sierra) ** Mountain range, a group of mountains bordered by lowlands * Range, a term used to i ...
, improve performance in cold weather and reduce charging time.


Pilot programs and expansion of product range

The first commercialization of the systems started in 2004 with the interest of
Cleanova Cleanova are a set of plug-in hybrid vehicles by the Société de Véhicules Electriques (SVE), a joint venture between Dassault, Heuliez and Hydro-Québec. Cleanova II is based on Renault Kangoo. In January 2010, SVE has been taken over by Dow Ko ...
and
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
. Citroën had presented their new diesel hybrid
Citroën C-Métisse The Citroën C-Métisse is a concept car which was produced by the car manufacturer Citroën. It was first introduced in the autumn of 2006 at the Paris Motor Show. It has been stated that the reason for creating such a car was to show that any hy ...
equipped with the TM4 motor at the Paris auto show in 2006. In 2009, 110 units were delivered to the Miljø and
Tata Motors Tata Motors Limited is an Indian multinational automotive manufacturing company, headquartered in Mumbai, India, which is part of the Tata Group. The company produces passenger cars, trucks, vans, coaches, buses. Formerly known as Tata Eng ...
demonstration project in
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...
. In 2011, Tata Motors expect to sell up to 5000 of their Indica Vista EV in Europe, and to be able to face this demand, TM4 has upgraded its production facilities in Boucherville to be able to produce up to 10,000 units of their MOTIVE powertrain systems per year if needed. Over the years TM4 has diversified its product range based on the needs of two segments of the transportation industry. Its MOTIVE systems are compact and power dense in order to be integrated into light-duty on and off-road vehicle platforms while the SUMO motors are high torque, direct drive system optimized for buses and commercial vehicles. The
Société de transport de Montréal The Société de transport de Montréal (STM; en, Montreal Transit Corporation) is a public transport agency that operates transit bus and rapid transit services in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Established in 1861 as the "Montreal City Passenger Ra ...
(STM) announced that it would replace the aging fleet of buses with a new family of buses powered by TM4 engine. All buses that run on the network of the STM in 2026 should run on electricity. The current fleet of 1,600 buses need 50 million liters of diesel each year. The plan would eliminate the need of diesel and eventually reduce the greenhouse gas. Los Angeles-based Thor Trucks use a TM4 for their battery-electric truck.


Mass production and joint-venture in China

China being one of the biggest market for
electric bus An electric bus is a bus that is propelled using electric motors as opposed to an internal combustion engine. Electric buses can store the needed electricity on-board, or be fed continuously from an external source. The majority of buses ...
es, TM4 announced in 2012 the creation of a 50/50 joint venture in China. In partnership with
Prestolite Electric Prestolite Electric Incorporated is a global manufacturer and supplier of alternators, starters, electrical equipment, and services to the transportation, industrial, military, marine, agricultural and construction industries. The company sells i ...
Beijing Limited (PEBL), TM4 created Prestolite E-Propulsion Systems (PEPS). Under this agreement, PEPS will produce the technologies developed by TM4 under license and will market them to the commercial vehicle and bus industry (the TM4 SUMO systems). In 2014, TM4 and PEPS announced the beginning of high volume production in the Beijing plant as well as its first large scale commercial orders, from major Chinese bus manufacturers such as
Foton Motor BAIC Foton Motor Co., Ltd. ( ), known as Foton Motor or Foton, is a Chinese company that designs and manufactures trucks, buses and sport utility vehicles . It is headquartered in Changping, Beijing, and is a subsidiary of the BAIC Group. Histo ...
. In May 2017, it was announced that PEPS had produced and sold more than 5000 electric bus powertrains for the Chinese market. Later that month, the first
Novabus Nova Bus (stylized as NOVABUS) is a Canadian bus manufacturer headquartered in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, Canada. Nova is owned by the Volvo Group. The company has roots in the General Motors Diesel Division, which opened in 1979. Nova Bus was es ...
LFSe buses using TM4 powertrains have started operating in Montreal in 2017. TM4 is also supplying Quebec-based Lion Bus with drivetrain systems, as well as many other truck and bus manufacturers and integrators in North America and Europe.


Dana acquisition and global expansion

On June 22, 2018, Dana Incorporated and Hydro-Quebec jointly announced that TM4 would be turned into a 55 / 45 joint-venture. Both parties believe that by partnering and complementing their respective strengths, TM4 will be able to reach its full potential. In July 2019, Hydro-Québec announces that the company has invested $85 million to secure the growth of TM4, now called Dana TM4, and to ensure its leadership position in the electric powertrain sector. This investment includes the exclusive property of Chinese company Dana Electric Motor Co. Ltd, formerly called Prestolite E-Propulsion Systems (PEPS), by Dana TM4, in which it previously held a 50% interest. The new Dana TM4 entity also incorporated the activities of Italian low voltage inverter and motor manufacturer SME Group, as well as, in 2020 Ashwood Electric motors in the UK. In 2020, Dana TM4 announced the opening of a new production facility for electric motors and inverters in the Pune region of India and in 2021, an announcement was made regarding a new production plant in Amal, Sweden.


References


External links

*{{official website Hydro-Québec Hybrid electric vehicle advocates Companies based in Boucherville Electric vehicle organizations 1998 establishments in Quebec Joint ventures Canadian companies established in 1998