THIEN EDRIVES GMBH

Their core work

Thien eDrives is an Austrian electric drive technology company specializing in high-performance electric motors and power electronics for vehicle electrification. Their core competence lies in designing compact, high-speed electric motors and SiC-based inverters suitable for distributed drivetrain architectures in passenger and light commercial vehicles. They bring both component-level engineering depth and an understanding of mass-manufacturing constraints, making them a bridge between research-grade drive technology and production-ready systems. In EU projects they function as an industrial partner contributing drivetrain hardware expertise rather than coordination or management.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their earlier H2020 work (DRIVEMODE, 2017–2021), Thien eDrives focused tightly on the powertrain hardware layer: distributed motor placement, high-speed motor design, SiC inverter integration, and how to make these components viable for volume production. By the REFLECTIVE project (2021–2024), the scope expanded significantly to include the full vehicle system — charging infrastructure compatibility (both wired and wireless), reconfigurable interiors, and active safety and ADAS features. This shift suggests the company is moving from being a pure drivetrain component supplier toward a role in integrated light EV platform development.

Thien eDrives is expanding from motor and inverter specialization toward full-vehicle electromobility, including charging, safety systems, and vehicle configurability — making them increasingly relevant for consortia working on complete EV platforms rather than individual components.

How they like to work

Thien eDrives has participated exclusively as a consortium partner in both H2020 projects, never taking on the coordinator role — consistent with an industrial specialist that contributes targeted technical expertise rather than project management leadership. With 16 unique partners across 8 countries across just 2 projects, their network is reasonably broad for their project count, suggesting they join mid-to-large consortia. There is no evidence of repeated partner relationships, pointing toward an open collaboration model where they bring specific drive technology to diverse teams.

Thien eDrives has built a network of 16 unique consortium partners spanning 8 countries through just two projects, which is a solid breadth for this project volume. Their reach is pan-European, consistent with the automotive and electromobility consortia they participate in.

What sets them apart

Thien eDrives occupies a specific niche at the intersection of high-performance electric motor engineering and industrial manufacturability — a combination that is less common than pure research labs or pure OEM suppliers. Based in Austria, they bring Central European industrial precision to electromobility projects, and their track record spans both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), showing they can operate across the full TRL range from concept to near-market. For a consortium seeking an EV drivetrain partner that understands both physics and factory floors, they are a credible candidate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• DRIVEMODE
  Their largest EU project (€553,750 EC contribution, 2017–2021) and the foundation of their H2020 identity, focused on the integration of modular distributed drivetrains with high-speed motors and SiC inverters for electric and hybrid vehicles.
• REFLECTIVE
  Represents a deliberate expansion into full-vehicle scope — reconfigurable light EV with wireless charging, ADAS, and active safety — signalling Thien eDrives' evolution beyond pure drivetrain hardware.