What Curtis Instruments, Inc. does

Curtis Instruments, Inc. is a 65-year-old US-headquartered designer and manufacturer of electric vehicle powertrain control and instrumentation systems, founded in 1960 in Mount Kisco, New York. The company produces motor speed controllers spanning AC induction, PMAC, BLDC, SepEx, brushed DC permanent magnet, and series motor topologies, along with vehicle instrumentation (CAN/serial programmable displays, hour meters, battery state-of-charge instruments, the Acuity battery monitoring system), DC/DC converters and battery chargers, DC contactors, and input devices. Its proprietary Vehicle Control Language (VCL) programming environment, motor auto-characterization routines, configurable CANopen profiles, and dual ARM Cortex microprocessor architecture form the technical platform underlying products certified to EN ISO 13849-1 functional safety standards. The medical mobility line (enAble X1 power wheelchair control systems with Bluetooth and cloud connectivity) is engineered at the Swiss R&D center to IEC62304 medical device standards.

Curtis operates across five primary vertical end markets: material handling, medical mobility, golf and recreation, aerial lifts, and airport ground support, with secondary exposure to construction, agriculture, and battery management. The company employs approximately 1,000 people across 15 wholly-owned subsidiaries, with five R&D centers (New York, California/Livermore, Switzerland/Biberist, China, and the UK/UKEC) and manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico, Bulgaria (Sofia, ~160 employees on three shifts), and China. It generates revenue predominantly through hardware sales of controllers, instrumentation, and power conversion products, complemented by engineering services (custom design, VCL coding training, dynamometer services) and aftermarket/reconditioning. Distribution is multi-channel: direct OEM sales for large customers, regional wholly-owned subsidiaries for technical and sales support (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Switzerland), authorized distributor networks for mid-market reach, and system integrators (e.g., Lancereal Limited in the UK) for small-to-mid OEM support. In September 2025, Parker-Hannifin Corporation acquired Curtis from Rehlko for approximately $1 billion, integrating it into Parker's electrification and industrial filtration portfolio.

Name

Curtis Instruments, Inc.

Legal name

Curtis Instruments, Inc.

Website

https://curtisinstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Curtis Instruments designs and manufactures electric vehicle motor speed controllers, instrumentation, power conversion, and medical mobility control systems for OEM customers across material handling, medical, golf, aerial lift, and airport ground support industries worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Vehicle Motor Controllers and Instrumentation

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Power Electronics Manufacturing (Inverters/DC-DC/Onboard Chargers) (IMACACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive ECUs/Control Modules & Embedded Electronics Manufacturing (IMACAJAC), Automotive Charging Hardware Manufacturing (On-board Chargers, Charge Inlets, DC-DC) (IMACAJAK)

Keywords

• Motor speed controllers
• Electric vehicle controls
• Power wheelchair systems
• Battery monitoring systems
• DC/DC power converters

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Kisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Motor Speed Controllers: Core revenue stream from manufacturing and selling electronic motor speed controllers that vary the speed of electric motors by controlling voltage and current. Products include AC induction, PMAC, BLDC, SepEx, brushed DC permanent magnet, and series motor controllers.
2. Instrumentation & Battery Monitoring: Sales of vehicle display instruments, CAN and serial instrumentation, hour meters, battery state-of-charge instruments, and the Acuity battery monitoring system.
3. Power Conversion Products: DC/DC converters and battery chargers for electric vehicle applications.
4. Engineering Services & Training: Custom system-level design and development services, training courses (VCL coding, V-model training, vehicle tuning/commissioning), and dynamometer services for motor speed controllers and inverters.
5. Aftermarket & Reconditioning: Repairs and reconditioning services for Curtis products, aftermarket golf controllers (MasterDrive for Club Car and E-Z-GO), and spare parts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Curtis Instruments designs and manufactures electronic motor speed controllers (AC, SepEx, brushed DC, and series motor controllers), vehicle instrumentation (CAN/serial gauges, hour meters, battery state-of-charge and Acuity battery monitoring systems), and power conversion products (DC/DC converters and battery chargers) for battery-powered electric vehicles. The company also offers the enAble line of medical mobility control systems for power wheelchairs, supported by the proprietary Vehicle Control Language (VCL), global R&D centers, and direct OEM engineering partnership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• enAble®: Power wheelchair control system brand featuring the enAble®X1 technology for powerchairs and rehabilitation vehicles, developed by Curtis's Swiss engineering center
• Curtis PMC
• MasterDrive

Products and services

• Motor Speed Controllers (AC, SepEx, Brushed DC, Series) Electronic motor speed controllers that vary the speed and torque of electric motors by controlling voltage and current across AC induction, PMAC, BLDC, separately excited (SepEx), brushed DC permanent magnet, and series wound DC motor topologies. Sold to OEM manufacturers of industrial, utility, recreational, and medical electric vehicles.
• MasterDrive Aftermarket Golf Controllers Aftermarket replacement motor controllers for Club Car and E-Z-GO golf vehicles, providing drop-in service and spare-part replacements for fleets of battery-powered golf cars at courses and recreational facilities.
• VCL Programming Tools and Handheld Programmers Programming hardware and software tools (including the 1313 handheld programmer referenced in Curtis video tutorials) that allow OEMs and service technicians to program, configure, and diagnose Curtis motor controllers using the proprietary Vehicle Control Language (VCL).
• CAN Modules CAN-based input/output and bridging modules that expand vehicle network connectivity and integrate Curtis controllers, instruments, and third-party components within electric vehicle CAN bus architectures.
• Programmable CAN & Serial Instrumentation Programmable CAN-bus and serial vehicle display instruments that show speed, state of charge, fault codes, and other vehicle parameters to operators of battery-powered electric vehicles.
• Hour Meters Hour meters that record equipment operating time to support maintenance scheduling for battery-powered industrial, recreational, and utility vehicles.
• Acuity Battery Monitoring System Battery monitoring system that continuously measures battery parameters to provide state-of-charge, state-of-health, and predictive maintenance information for fleets of battery-powered electric vehicles.
• Battery State-of-Charge Instruments Dedicated gauges and displays that indicate remaining battery state-of-charge to operators of electric vehicles, helping extend battery life and prevent unplanned downtime.
• DC/DC Converters DC/DC converters that step battery voltage up or down to power auxiliary 12V or 24V vehicle systems (lights, controls, accessories) from the main traction battery in electric vehicles.
• Battery Chargers On-board and off-board battery chargers for recharging traction battery packs in industrial, recreational, and medical electric vehicles.
• DC Contactors High-current DC contactors used to safely connect and disconnect traction battery packs in electric vehicles.
• Input Devices Operator input devices such as throttles, foot pedals, and switches that provide command signals to Curtis motor controllers in electric vehicles.
• enAble Power Wheelchair Control Systems Modular control systems (including the enAble X1) for high-end power wheelchairs and rehabilitation vehicles, with Bluetooth connectivity, cloud-based dongle-free programming, memory seat capabilities, real-time remote diagnostics via the Econ-R platform, and compliance with FDA, CE, TUV, ISO 7176, RESNA WC-2, EN 12184, UL, FCC, and IEC 62304. Developed by Curtis Instruments AG in Biberist, Switzerland.
• Connectivity Products Connectivity products (including the Econ-R platform) that enable real-time remote connection, fault diagnosis, and programming of Curtis controllers from a Windows station using Bluetooth and Apple or Android devices.
• Engineering Services, Training and Dynamometer Testing Custom system-level design and development services, training courses (VCL coding, V-model, vehicle tuning and commissioning), and dynamometer testing services for Curtis motor speed controllers and inverters, sold to OEM customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly half a million Curtis mobility control systems in use worldwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lancereal LimitedcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUK-based system integrator providing single point of contact for sales, design engineering, and application support for small to mid-sized OEMs in the UK. Ensures technical backing for customers with limited in-house engineering or software development resources.
• TVHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorService/Repair Centre for Europe, providing repair and service support for Curtis products in European markets.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Zapi Group: Italian-based manufacturer of electric vehicle motor controllers, battery chargers, and power electronics for industrial and commercial EVs. Zapi directly competes with Curtis in material handling, golf, and other industrial EV segments with a similar product portfolio.
• Sevcon (BorgWarner): Acquired by BorgWarner, Sevcon designs and manufactures motor controllers for electric and hybrid vehicles with deep overlap in on-road and off-road EV applications. A direct competitor to Curtis in the AC induction and PMAC motor controller market.
• Kelly Controls: Manufacturer of motor controllers and electronic controls for electric vehicles including golf carts, utility vehicles, and industrial applications. Closely comparable to Curtis in the golf and low-speed EV segments.

Broad incumbents

• Yaskawa Electric: Major Japanese industrial automation and motion control manufacturer offering AC drives, servo motors, and motor controllers. A broader incumbent whose industrial drive portfolio competes with Curtis in higher-power industrial EV applications.
• ABB (Motion Business): Global industrial conglomerate with significant motion control and power electronics business serving industrial automation, EVs, and electrification applications. ABB's broad drive portfolio competes with Curtis in selected industrial segments.
• Siemens (Motion Control): Major industrial conglomerate offering SINAMICS drives and motor control solutions across industrial automation, electric vehicles, and renewable energy applications. A broader incumbent competing in higher-power industrial EV segments.
• Bosch Rexroth: Part of the Bosch group, providing drive and control technology across industrial automation, mobile applications, and factory automation. Competes with Curtis in selected industrial EV control applications with broader scale.

Emerging players

• Allison Transmission: Transmission and propulsion solutions provider expanding into fully electric and hybrid electric propulsion systems for commercial and industrial vehicles. Overlaps with Curtis in drivetrain electrification for specialty vehicles.
• Dana Incorporated: Global supplier of drivetrain, e-axles, and electrified propulsion systems for commercial and off-highway vehicles. Increasingly competitive with Curtis as Dana expands its industrial EV controls and e-propulsion portfolio.

Regional players

• PGDT (formerly Pillar Innovations / Genesis World Energy): Specialty provider of EV powertrains and control systems for off-road and specialty vehicles with North American focus. Overlaps with Curtis in construction, mining, and material handling electrification.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CurtisInstUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curtis-instruments

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Curtis Instruments, Inc.