Delphi Technologies is to invest in PolyCharge America, a start-up established to commercialise a new capacitor technology, designed to make high-power inverters smaller, lighter and more tolerant to high temperatures.
The minority equity investment, for an undisclosed sum, builds on an existing technology partnership between Delphi Technologies and Sigma Technologies, the parent company of PolyCharge.
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Inverters are a key system element in vehicle electrification, controlling the electric propulsion motor. Package space is at a premium in today’s vehicles and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face challenges with space, weight and cost in tight engine compartments.
Delphi maintains PolyCharge addresses these concerns.
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to electro-mobility and bringing new, highly innovative technologies to solve OEM customers’ biggest challenges,” said Delphi Technologies CEO, Liam Butterworth.
“PolyCharge’s technology delivers on both of these objectives. Our strategy is to forge strategic collaborations and investments where they support our growth ambitions and help our global customers deliver more attractive cost-effective solutions for consumers.”
Today’s inverters use a DC-link capacitor, which is based on wound polypropylene technology. PolyCharge’s solid-state NanoLam capacitor technology is a superior alternative that utilises thin polymer dielectrics to produce self-healing high-voltage capacitors which are half the size and weight of the current technology, with significantly higher temperature resistance.
Delphi Technologies, a US$4.5bn company in vehicle propulsion and aftermarket solutions, was created as a spin-off from Delphi Automotive in December last year to drive progress on greener solutions for passenger and commercial vehicles.
PolyCharge was formed by Sigma Technologies in September 2017 to develop and commercialise its NanoLam technology for electric drive vehicles, renewable energy inverters, medical, aerospace and industrial mobility applications.
The company’s headquarters, engineering, and product development centre are located in Tucson, Arizona.
PolyCharge also has representative offices in Taipei and China.
