Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in Automotive and Transportation Technologies Around the Globe

October 12, 2023 08:00 ET| Source: AutoTech Breakthrough

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AutoTech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global automotive and transportation technology markets announced that Tau Motors, an advanced technology company that develops next-generation products for electrification, wins this years’ “Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Innovation of the Year” award in the fourth annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards for its software-defined power converter system.

Tau’s Ion converter system is made up of next next-generation power electronics modules – called auto converter modules (ACMs) – that can be configured together like building blocks and resolve all power conversion challenges locally at the device level. Smart power conversion is critical to advance the world today. Fundamentally, electrification requires the need for power in different forms – whether alternating current (AC), direct current (DC), or different voltage or current levels. Tau’s Ion modules shrink the cost, size, and components required for power conversion which enables industry leading efficiencies, scalability, and power densities (processing more power per unit volume). Notably, the power density of Tau’s soft-switching Ion modules has continued to double approximately every two years while achieving particularly high efficiency – in excess of 99%.

Tau’s Ion system includes adaptive smart filtering technology and advanced controls to enhance the reliability of power conversion systems – while also providing a software-defined, networked system that offers redundancy and reconfiguration through a hierarchical protocol that enables smart energy conversion. The software-defined technology for Tau’s Ion modules was co-developed through an innovative partnership between Tau’s leadership and Matthias Preindl, PhD, an associate professor of electrical engineering at Columbia University and chief scientist of the Ion platform.

Tau’s Ion converter modules can be deployed in applications ranging from electric vehicles (EVs) to the grid. In EVs, the technology can be deployed as a traction inverter, dedicated on-board charger, or in an integrated system (e.g., combining the two). The technology is positioned to slash EV costs, increase their range, and reduce charging times while expanding the capability of EVs with their integration in electric grids. The Ion modules offer two-way, or bidirectional power conversion meaning that the vehicle can discharge stored power back onto the grid, into a building, or even another vehicle. This two-way charging – vehicle-to-anything (“V2X”) – is particularly useful in situations where the grid is compromised such as in a power outage, or in areas with an unstable grid. V2X capability also allows load management, for instance, enabling homeowners to draw energy from the grid while energy prices are lower, and power their homes or even sell energy back to the grid when prices are higher.

“We’re proud to have pioneered technologies that leverage the company’s software-defined hardware platform to enable new capabilities for power conversion technology. Our Ion modules provide industry leading scale, economics, and performance for EVs and beyond.” said Wesley Pennington, Tau Founder and CEO. “We believe that the key to a more sustainable future requires modern power conversion systems to reshape how energy moves throughout our world. Thank you to AutoTech Breakthrough for the recognition, as well as our team at Tau for making our work possible. We are excited to continue to work alongside our partners to deploy new technologies to market and accelerate the transition to clean energy.”

The mission of the annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program is to conduct the industry’s most comprehensive analysis and evaluation of automotive and transportation technology categories. This year’s program attracted more than 1,600 nominations from over 15 different countries throughout the world and features companies with leading innovations across the industry.

“Tau’s revolutionary platform is poised to disrupt multiple industries and reshape the world’s energy in applications ranging from electric vehicles to the grid. We’re pleased to recognize their technology as the ‘V2X Innovation of the Year,’” said Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director of AutoTech Breakthrough Awards. “Power conversion is at the heart of electrification, and efficiencies compound. When deployed in operation, Tau’s Ion modules offer significant cost reduction and unparalleled modularity, industry leading efficiency, enhanced robustness, and longevity. Tau’s Ion system is pushing the boundaries of existing, dated technology to enable new operating modes and capability for EVs while providing critical efficiency and scalability for the industry.”

About AutoTech Breakthrough
Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in automotive technologies, services, companies and products. The AutoTech Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of AutoTech companies and solutions in categories including Connected Car, Electric Vehicles, Engine Tech, Automotive CyberSecurity, Sensor Technology, Traffic Tech, Vehicle Telematics and more. For more information visit AutoTechBreakthrough.com

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.