An electric motor being retrofitted into an old Citroen 2CV in southern France. If the motor is the heart of an electric vehicle, then coils in turn are the heart of the electric motor. — Clement Mahoudeau/AFP
Deep in the electric-vehicle industry’s supply chain is a little-known Japanese manufacturer that makes a seemingly mundane, but essential, device: coil-winding machines.
If the motor is the heart of an electric vehicle, then coils in turn are the heart of the electric motor. Odawara Engineering Co, founded 70 years ago as a supplier for appliance makers, is an expert in the making the dense loops of wire that go into those motors. Tesla Inc, manufacturer of the Model S and Model 3 sedans and most recently the world’s most-valuable automaker, is one of its biggest customers.
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