Custom Electric & Hybrid Powertrain Engineering and Drive Subsystems.
QuantumWorks Corporation (QWC) is a San Diego, California engineering firm founded in 1993 that designs and builds custom electric and hybrid powertrains for ground vehicles, powersports craft, marine vessels, and unmanned aerial systems. QWC supplies complete plug-and-play electric powertrain kits, individual subsystems, and powertrain parts to OEMs, high-performance builders, and startups, and provides technology project management and business plan consultation. Founder Steve Tice co-founded electric powertrain pioneer EVDrive Inc. and has led technical management on landmark projects including the Nikola One 6x6 hybrid semi-truck, a world-record all-electric catamaran, multiple land-speed-record electric Corvette builds, and the first AWD torque-vectoring UTV.
Steve TiceFounder
End-to-end powertrain engineering for battery-electric (BEV) and hybrid (parallel or series PHEV) drivetrains, from requirements analysis and prototype development through low-volume production and knowledge transfer.
Motor/controller-inverter/gearbox assemblies in low (96-144Vdc), medium (300-400Vdc), and high (400-800Vdc) voltage configurations; axial and radial flux brushless motors; custom and off-the-shelf gearboxes; electronic differential and torque-vectoring systems.
Custom battery subsystems including cell modules, battery management systems (BMS), thermal management, and enclosures; active chiller cooling for sustained high-power delivery.
Custom PDU/PDC engineering for high- and low-voltage fusing, power control, and distribution.
Level 1 (110Vac), Level 2 (220Vac), and DC fast charge (CHAdeMO, SAE CCS) charging system design and integration.
Powertrain control software developed on inverter/controllers, dedicated VCU hardware, and MatLab/Simulink-based environments for flexible hardware deployment.
Custom touchscreen operator interfaces for electric powertrain monitoring and control.
Integration of DC-DC converters, electric A/C, e-PTO, e-hydraulic, brake vacuum pumps, electric power steering, and ESS thermal management systems.
Series PHEV range extender design and integration, including custom gas turbine and compact engine-based REX configurations.
Pre-wired electric powertrain kits with step-by-step installation guidance, BMS-managed lithium-ion energy storage, and complete wiring harnesses for direct installation into donor vehicles.
144Vdc plug-and-play conversion kits for Volkswagen vans and Beetles, with approximately 32kWh lithium-ion ESS using high-performance 18650 cells and higher system voltage for improved efficiency.
SE40V2.0 144Vdc electric outboard delivering 40hp/30kW at the prop, with Bluetooth wireless app control and Yamaha-compatible lower unit, for vessels under 20 feet and up to approximately 30 mph.
Replacement of internal combustion engine drivetrains with high-performance electric or hybrid powertrains across vehicle categories, plus retrofits that add regenerative energy capture to existing ICE-powered equipment.
Conversion engineering for cars, trucks, UTVs, motorcycles, forklifts, and construction equipment.
New vehicle architecture design optimized for electric or hybrid-electric powertrains from initial concept through prototype build.
End-to-end management of technology and systems development programs using iterative development methodology; business plan development and mentoring for early-stage technology ventures.
Technical engineering and systems support for unmanned aerial system development targeting fire detection and suppression, law enforcement, emergency medical services, utilities inspection, and natural resources management applications.
Automotive · Aviation · Marine · Transportation · Manufacturing
Transportation · 2016 · Client: Nikola / EVDrive
Designed and analyzed the prototype powertrain for the Nikola One commercial truck, unveiled in December 2016. The AWD 6x6 1,200-hp series PHEV architecture features one motor per wheel with custom clutchless two-speed gearboxes, four 80kWh custom energy storage systems, a 320kW gas turbine range extender, and custom PDUs and active cooling systems.
Automotive · 2012 · Client: MotoVox / EVDrive
Converted a Kawasaki Teryx-4 UTV to an all-electric PHEV-capable powertrain with one motor per wheel inboard, using four QWC/SEV-35kW peak 132Vdc drive subsystems totaling 140kW peak. Produced the first zero-radius-turn UTV ever demonstrated, featuring AWD torque vectoring, electronic stability control, and traction control.
Automotive · 2017 · Client: Genovation Cars
Custom 700+ hp rear-wheel-drive electric powertrain for the Genovation GXE Corvette C6, built in collaboration with EVDrive and Stafl Systems. The vehicle set multiple world electric car land speed records, including 186.8 mph in the standing mile and a final record of 209 mph.
Marine
Designed and developed a twin approximately 2,000-hp all-electric 800Vdc powertrain for a marine world-record attempt using a 36-ft catamaran hull, with dual axial flux motors and liquid-cooled approximately 200kWh battery modules.