Profile: Enova Systems, Inc. (ENA)

Enova Systems, Inc. (Enova), incorporated on July 30, 1976, is engaged in the development and production of commercial digital power management systems for transportation vehicles and stationary power generation systems. The Company develops, designs and produces drive systems and related components for electric, hybrid-electric, fuel cell and microturbine-powered vehicles. It also develops, designs and produces power management and power conversion components for stationary distributed power generation systems. In addition, it performs research and development to augment and support others’ and its own related product development efforts.

The Company develops and produces electric and hybrid electric drive systems and components for First Auto Works of China, International Truck and Engine (IC Corp), Hyundai Motor Car, United States Military, Optare Plc as well as several other domestic and international vehicle and bus manufacturers. It has also introduced its technology to companies, such as Concurrent Technology Corporation (CTC), PUES (Tokyo Research and Development and Better Place Inc. Enova’s various electric and hybrid-electric drive systems, power management and power conversion systems are being used in applications, including several light, medium and heavy duty trucks, train locomotives, transit buses and industrial vehicles.

Enova’s HybridPower hybrid electric drive system consists of an electric motor and the electronic controls that regulate the flow of electricity to and from the batteries at various voltages and power to propel the vehicle. The system is designed to be installed as a drop in, fully integrated turnkey fashion, or on a modular, as-needed basis. Its family of medium-duty drive systems includes 30 kilowatts, 90 kilowatts all-electric drives, 80/25 kilowatts hybrid drive, 80/40 kilowatts hybrid drive, 90 kilowatts hybrid drive and combinations of these systems based on customer requirements. Its family of heavy-duty electric drive systems includes 120 kilowatts all-electric drive, 120/60 kilowatts hybrid drive, 240/120 kilowatts hybrid drive.

The Company’s drive systems, in conjunction with, internal combustion engines, microturbines, fuel cells, flywheels, and generators sets provide hybrid-electric propulsion systems. The Series Hybrid is for low floor vehicles with a driving cycle that has a high percentage of stop and go and/or hilly terrain. The Post Transmission Parallel Hybrid is for vehicles with a driving cycle with a high percentage of stop and go, as well as constant speed cruising. The Pre-Transmission Parallel Hybrid is for vehicles with a driving cycle having a small percentage of constant speed cruising and a large percentage of stop and go cruising.

The electric drive unit is essentially an electric motor with additional features and functionality. The motor is liquid-cooled, environmentally sealed, designed to handle automotive shock and vibration, and includes parking pawl, which stops the vehicle when the driver parks the car. It also permits regenerative braking to provide power recovery, in which the mechanical energy of momentum is converted into electrical energy as the motor slows during braking or deceleration. The optional gear reduction unit takes the electric motor’s high revolutions per minute (rpm) and gears it down to the lower rpm required by the vehicle’s conventional drive shaft.

The HybridPower drive systems utilize induction alternating current (AC) motors. The AC drive system is scaleable and can be customized for different applications. The controller houses all the components necessary to control the powering of a vehicle. Its main component is an inverter, which converts direct current (DC) electricity to AC electricity. The Company also offers optional controllers for the air conditioning, power steering and heat pumps, 12 volts direct current (VDC)/24VDC DC-to-DC converter for vehicle auxiliary loads, such as cell phones, radio, lights, and a 6.6 kilowatts AC-to-DC on-board conductive charger, which allows for direct 110 volts alternating current (VAC) or 220 VAC battery charging. These are located in the same housing as the controller. Using the Company’s Windows-based software package, vehicle interfaces and control parameters can be programmed in-vehicle. Real-time vehicle performance parameters can be monitored and collected.

The Enova hybrid drive family includes a 120/60 kilowatts peak series hybrid system, a 240/120 kilowatts peak series hybrid system, a 90 kilowatts peak mild, pre-transmission parallel hybrid system, a 90kW peak post-transmission parallel hybrid systems and a 80 kilowatts peak pre-transmission parallel hybrid system. The Enova HybridPower hybrid-electric drive systems are based on the component building blocks of the electric drive family, including the motor, controller and optional components. Its hybrid systems are designed to work with a variety of hybrid power generation technologies. In its 120/60 kilowatts hybrid system, an internal combustion engine connected to a motor and motor controller performs the power generation. Other power options include liquid fueled turbines, such as the Capstone system, fuel cells, such as the Hydrogenics or Ballard system, or many others.

Enova’s drive system accessories range from battery management systems to hybrid controllers, to rapid charging systems. These critical components are designed to complement the HybridPower drive system family by providing the elements necessary to create a complete technical solution for alternative energy drive systems. Enova’s Battery Care Unit (BCU) monitors, manages, protects, and reports on the condition of the vehicles battery pack. It controls and manages battery performance, temperature, voltage and current to avoid harm to the batteries, to the entire system, and to the driver, operator and passengers. It also allows for monitoring for service to the battery and drive system.

The BCU monitors the battery pack voltage and 28 additional individual voltages with a range of 0 to 18vDC. Optional expansion modules allow 28 additional inputs per module, with up to 16 modules permitted. The BCU has eight user-programmable outputs and four user-programmable inputs to allow full integration into the vehicle. These can be used to customize input and output parameters, and to provide for other custom monitoring and battery pack control. The device is approximately 7.1 inches by 4.3 inches by 1.6 inches. The BCU directly interfaces with the HybridPower and other drive systems, and controls the Safety Disconnect Unit (SDU). The non-volatile read only memory (RAM) allows the BCU to update, store and report key battery pack parameters, such as amplifier hours, kilowatt-hours and state of change. The hybrid control unit (HCU) continuously monitors the condition of the battery pack through communications with the BCU, monitors the driver commands through communications with the motor controller, and the state of the hybrid generator.

The SDU is under the control of the BCU, and allows vehicle systems to connect and disconnect from the battery pack, when necessary, to prevent damage or harm. It also protects the battery pack during charging, protects it from surges, and constantly verifies that the battery pack is isolated from the vehicle chassis. The High Voltage Disconnect Unit (HVDU) is a reduced feature version of the SDU. The Company provides complete mating connector kits to help the vehicle original equipment manufactures (OEM) with their production process.

Enova’s distributed generation products are virtually identical in system configuration to that of a series hybrid vehicle, including a controller and battery management. In addition, the Company’s BCU will provide power management functions to control the entire system. Enova’s 20 kilowatts bi-directional Fuel Cell Power Conditioning System is applied to the stationary market for distributed generation applications. This unit is designed to interface directly with the Master Controller of the Stationary Generation System over a CAN bus.

Enova has reconfigured its Battery Management Unit to perform the functions required to monitor, manage, and report on the status of a Fuel Cell Stack. The fuel management unit (FCU) monitors the fuel cell voltage and 28 additional individual voltages with a range of 0 to 18vDC. Optional expansion modules allow 28 additional inputs per module, with up to 16 modules permitted. The FCU has eight user-programmable outputs and four user-programmable inputs to allow full integration into the distributed generation system. These can be used to customize input and output parameters, and to provide for other custom monitoring and battery pack control. The device is approximately 7.1 inches by 4.3 inches by 1.6 inches.

The Company competes with Allison, Siemens, BAE, Eaton, ISE Corporation,Azure Dynamics and Odyne Corporation,