Midea Industrial Technology announced the acquisition of Wuhan TTIUM Motor Technology CO., LTD (TTIUM) as the two parties signed the paperwork in Wuhan on April 26. With this strategic move, Midea will further expand its territory in intelligent transportation and enter the market of green two-wheel vehicles. TTIUM will also be able to focus on product innovation leveraging on Midea’s extensive R&D resource.
TTIUM has been providing electric drives system for the global two-wheel vehicle market since its establishment in 2016. It is an independent drives technology developer with core technology ownership in motor design, motor control, structural and industrial design, and sensor technology. After the acquisition, TTIUM’s drives products will cover mid-motor, hub-motor, torque sensor, and cycle computer for two-wheel vehicles. TTIUM has established advanced plants both in China’s Wuhan city and Vietnam and are planning for global service centers in six countries worldwide, including Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. At present, TTIUM’s major market is in drives system solutions for mid-to-high-end e-bikes in Europe, the United States, and Japan.
Midea now owns two e-bike brands after the acquisition, namely Welling and Motinova. Midea will leverage the respective motor portfolio, featuring quietness, efficiency, intelligence, stability and compactness, to gain quick access to overseas market:
Welling will target the mid-to-high-end market. With collected R&D efforts from Midea Industrial Technology Research Institute, CRC Institute of Solid Mechanics, and Institute of Mechatronics, the brand will provide the market with self-owned innovations on high-precision sensor technology and integrated control systems, which is able to detect a cyclist’s pedaling intensity and give equivalent power support to the pedaller in a very short time.
Motinova will target the mid-end market. There are two series under Motinova. The VOLANS series motors are designed for urban traffic and suburban riders, featuring stability and quietness, supporting a maximum drive assist ratio of 270%. It is easy to operate, and able to switch back and forth among five speeds stably, creating a smooth riding experience. The PEGASI series motors are designed for electric-assisted mountain bikes, supporting a maximum drive assist ratio of 320%. It is strong, quiet, compact and lightweight, with a 10-millisecond response speed that can sensitively identify riding intentions so that cyclists can better experience the excitements on rough terrains.
Midea announced its four strategic pillars at the end of 2021: intelligent transportation, industrial automation, green energy, and consumer appliances. It aims to provide green and innovative solutions to cater for the actual needs of customers. The acquisition of TTIUM marks that Midea has officially entered the "two-wheel vehicle" market and further completed its product portfolio. It is a "win-win" in terms of technology sharing for future innovation. In addition, TTIUM will benefit from the existing R&D resource of Midea, the cutting-edge motor solutions of Welling, the automobile-standard electric and electronic component technology, the reliable test bed and lab, the wide use of lean manufacturing system and the established supply chain, to improve its competitiveness. On the other hand, TTIUM has extensive industry experience and customer resource that will help to inspire and support Midea on product and technology updates in intelligent transportation.
With extended layout and market access in intelligent transportation, Midea will work together with TTIUM to provide more innovations for electric-assisted automatic vehicle components, bring more choices to end users around the world, and support the development and transformation of the e-bike industry.
