Turntide Technologies

Not to be confused with defunct anti-spam company TurnTide.

Turntide Technologies (Turntide) is a U.S.-based business designs and manufactures best-in-class electric motors, power electronics, energy storage, and thermal equipment for anything that moves–on the road, off the road, on rails, and on the water. With breakthrough innovations like its axial flux motors, the company is setting a new standard for electric vehicles and equipment of all sizes. Turntide's systems-level approach delivers electric power solutions across a wide range of industries. Leading the practical shift toward global electrification, the team helps original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) deliver top- and bottom-line value by expanding their product lines to include electric vehicles. Turntide's technology is ideal for construction, agriculture, commercial vehicles, industrial, premium automotive, light vehicles, rail, and marine. It maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and India.

History

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Turntide was founded in 2013 as Software Motor Corporation (shortened to "SMC"), then changed its name to Software Motor Company in 2018. In July 2020, SMC rebranded to Turntide Technologies [1] to better represent the company's solutions and ambitions.

In 2016, SMC received a seed investment from National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research program,[2] and a second investment in 2017. Also in 2017, Turntide received investment from Wells Fargo's Innovation Incubator.[3]

Turntide entered the agriculture space in 2018 by partnering with VES, a dairy technology supplier, to launch DairyBOS, the Dairy Barn Operating System. Turntide acquired VES fully in October 2020.[4] The company then acquired and merged VES with Canadian agricultural tech company Artex Barn Solutions[5] to expand its offering into intelligent barn systems.

Turntide won a 2020 Gold Edison Award[6] and 2020 Product of the Year from Environmental and Energy Leader.[7]

In September 2020, Amazon awarded Turntide an investment as part of its first round of five Climate Pledge Fund investments.[8] At that time, Turntide also announced investment from Future Shape, the fund led by Nest founder Tony Fadell.[9][10] Then in March 2021, Turntide announced it had raised funds from Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Robert Downey Jr.'s climate fund FootPrint Coalition, Fifth Wall Capital, and Keyframe Capital.[11] It also announced that it had acquired building automation company Riptide.[12]

Fast Company also named Turntide one the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2021 in the Energy category.[13]

CEO Ryan Morris told CNN in April 2021 that the company would "soon announce a push into electric vehicles (EVs)."[14] In June 2021, Turntide announced that it had entered the EV space, with the acquisition of the Gateshead drivetrain division of BorgWarner and the battery company Hyperdrive,[15] as well as the EV controls company AVID Technology.[16]

In June 2021, Turntide announced it had raised another $225 million, including from Canada Pension Plan Investment Board[17]

Turntide's core product offering before 2024 was its Technology for Sustainable Operations, a cloud-based open platform that monitors and automates building and vehicle systems. The platform is powered by its Smart Motor System, a connected hardware-software machine built around a high rotor pole switched reluctance motor.

Southern California Edison utility certified in 2018 that the V01 Smart Motor System reduced energy consumption by 23%-57% compared with a standard AC induction motor, and 11% compared with an induction motor controlled by a variable frequency drive.[18]

In 2019, National Renewable Energy Laboratory certified that Turntide's motor reduced energy consumption in refrigerator condenser fans by 29%-71%.[19]

Turntide promotes its solution as a key ingredient for an eventual fossil fuel phase-out, since motors use about half the world's energy.[20] CleanTechnica wrote: "Conventional analog motors are the energy efficient equivalent of the incandescent light bulb, only instead of shedding loads of energy has heat they are constantly drawing electricity whether they need it or not. Turntide’s approach is based around the principles that govern switched reluctance motor technology, where the simplicity of the architecture translates into durability, efficiency, and power density advantages."[21]

In 2024, Turntide expanded its focus on EVs, including axial flux motors, a game changer in the space-constrained world of EVs.

Technology

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Turntide takes a systems-level approach, integrating electric motors, power electronics, and energy storage solutions into a unified ecosystem to power anything that moves. Its comprehensive approach ensures that the company's solutions operate seamlessly together, providing unmatched performance and efficiency, accelerating the journey to electrification. The technologies can be used in on- and off-highway applications including:

  • Construction
  • Mining
  • Agriculture
  • Recreational
  • Military and Defense
  • Commercial
  • Industrial
  • Premium Automotive
  • Urban and Light Vehicles
  • Rail
  • Marine

The technology that Turntide designs, engineers and manufactures decreases the carbon footprint of anything that moves.

Axial Flux Motors

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Turntide's axial flux motors are flatter, often called pancake motors, than traditional electric motors. In space-constrained applications like hybrid and electric vehicles and equipment, these flatter motors are ideal. They can provide two to four times more power at 50% less weight. While the smaller size is important for axial flux motors to fit into electric or hybrid configurations, the decreased weight is also a major factor. In a vehicle, a 10% weight decrease means a vehicle range increase of 13% to 14%.

Power Electronics

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Turntide designs, engineers, and manufactures reliable high-voltage inverters, low-voltage motor controllers, and direct-current (DC)/DC converters. These power electronics are designed for traction, generation, and auxiliary functions like pumps and fans.

Thermal Solutions

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Turntide’s fans use durable, brushless motors for top cooling performance across industries. The company's sealless pumps are compatible with 24 volts or 48 volts DC. They offer versatility for on- and off-road applications.

Energy Storage

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Turntide’s lithium-ion NMC batteries offer 15% more energy with improved density. Flexible and scalable, they’re ideal for rugged applications like construction, agriculture, and marine.

References

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  1. ^ "Software Motor Company Changes Name to Turntide Technologies". Pumps and Systems Magazine. July 21, 2020.
  2. ^ "SOFTWARE MOTOR COMPANY | SBIR.gov". www.sbir.gov.
  3. ^ "Wells Fargo Adds 10 Clean-Tech Startups to Innovation Incubator". newsroom.wf.com.
  4. ^ Herald, For the Chippewa (5 October 2020). "Turntide Technologies Takes Ownership Stake in VES". Chippewa Herald.
  5. ^ Torres, Chris (21 January 2021). "VES-Artex could broaden scope of 'smart' dairies". FarmProgress.
  6. ^ "Edison Awards™ - Honoring the Best in Innovation and Innovators". edisonawards.com.
  7. ^ "Environment + Energy Leader Awards 2020" (PDF). Business Sector Media. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  8. ^ Palmer, Annie (September 17, 2020). "Amazon names first recipients of its $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund". CNBC.
  9. ^ Schubarth, Cromwell (2020-09-24). "Sunnyvale startup, with help of Amazon and Nest founder, aims to replace the world's electric motors". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  10. ^ "Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates Bet On Electric Motor Startup". Bloomberg.com. 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  11. ^ "Firms backed by Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates have funded an electric motor company that slashes energy consumption". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  12. ^ Bellini, Martina (10 March 2021). "Turntide Technologies' Acquisition of Riptide". Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  13. ^ Staff, Fast Company (2021-03-09). "The 10 most innovative energy companies of 2021". Fast Company. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
  14. ^ Egan, Matt (5 April 2021). "This Amazon-backed startup is trying to save the planet, one motor at a time". CNN.
  15. ^ Parker, Charlie (8 June 2021). "Iron Man sees starring role for electric car companies". The Times.
  16. ^ Rathi, Ashkat (30 June 2021). "Gates-Led Fund Helps Electric-Motor Startup Launch Rapid Expansion". Bloomberg.
  17. ^ Jin, Hyunjoo (30 June 2021). "US maker of electric motors free from rare earths raises $225 mln". Reuters. Reuters. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  18. ^ "Software-Controlled Switch Reluctance Motors". ETCC. January 28, 2019.
  19. ^ Wheeler, Grant; Deru, Michael (2019). "Evaluation of High Rotor Pole Switched Reluctance Motors to Control Condenser Fans in a Commercial Refrigeration System" (PDF). National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  20. ^ "Infographic: The Profile of Energy Use in Industrial Motor Systems". Global Efficiency Intelligence. 16 April 2017.
  21. ^ Casey, Tina (2021-03-03). "From Humble Energy Efficient Electric Motor To Climate Hero". CleanTechnica. Retrieved 2021-03-13.
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