Curtis

What Curtis does

Curtis Instruments, Inc., founded in 1960 and headquartered in Mount Kisco, New York, designs and manufactures integrated electric-powertrain control systems for battery-powered vehicles. The company's core products are motor speed controllers (AC induction/PMAC/BLDC, SepEx, brushed DC, and DC series variants), complemented by programmable CAN/serial instrumentation, battery monitoring (Acuity) and state-of-charge devices, DC/DC converters, battery chargers, DC contactors, and input devices (pedals, sensors, disconnect switches). A differentiated sub-brand, enAble X1, provides modular, Bluetooth-connected power-wheelchair control systems covering powerbases, hand controls, displays, actuator modules, and attendant controls, with safety design aligned to IEC 62304 and MISRA. All products are unified through the proprietary Vehicle Control Language (VCL) programming environment and configurable CANopen profiles, which together provide OEMs with deep application customization and integration with vehicle CAN-bus architectures.

Curtis serves electric-vehicle OEMs across material handling (forklifts, walkies, reach trucks), golf and recreational vehicles, agricultural and construction equipment, aerial lifts, sweepers, ground-support and light-on-road vehicles, and high-end medical mobility. The company operates a sales-led, engineering-partnership GTM: 85 general managers run regional sales and service subsidiaries that work directly with OEMs from prototype through production, supplemented by authorized distributors (e.g., Liftsure in South Africa), specialized system integrators (Lancereal in the UK), service partners (TVH in Europe), and small-OEM support programs in the Americas and UK. Manufacturing is conducted at ISO 9001/14001-certified facilities in Puerto Rico, China, and Bulgaria, while R&D is distributed across four engineering centers in New York, California, Switzerland, and the UK. Hardware sales dominate revenue, with secondary income from engineering services (custom system design, dynamometer testing) and repairs/reconditioning; pricing is opaque, conducted via RFQ rather than public list price.

In fiscal 2026 Parker-Hannifin Corporation completed its acquisition of Curtis Instruments, folding the business into Parker-Hannifin's motion-and-control electrification portfolio and identifying Curtis as part of its broader electrification expansion strategy.

Name

Curtis

Legal name

Curtis Instruments, Inc.

Website

https://curtisinstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Curtis Instruments designs and manufactures integrated electric-powertrain control systems — motor speed controllers, battery monitoring, instrumentation, and the enAble X1 wheelchair controls — serving OEMs in material handling, medical mobility, agriculture, golf, and off-road sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Vehicle Powertrain Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635), Relay and Industrial Control Manufacturing (335314), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (336320)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621), Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Powersports Electrical & Electronics Manufacturing (ECUs/BMS/Sensors/Wiring/Lighting) (IMACAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Infotainment, Telematics & Connectivity Hardware Manufacturing (TCU/V2X/GNSS) (IMACAJAH), Hybrid Powertrain Integration Manufacturing (ICE-HEV/PHEV modules) (IMACAHAJ), E-Mobility Controllers, Motors & Drivetrains (Consumer aftermarket/OEM) (CRACASAK)

Keywords

• Motor speed controllers
• Electric vehicle powertrain
• Battery monitoring systems
• Power wheelchair controls
• Vehicle control programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Biberist

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Motor Speed Controllers and Power Electronics Hardware: Curtis generates primary revenue from the design and manufacture of motor speed controllers, including AC induction, PMAC, BLDC, SepEx, and brushed DC controllers. Revenue also comes from instrumentation products, battery monitoring systems, DC/DC converters, battery chargers, DC contactors, CAN modules, and input devices. These are sold as both standalone components and integrated system solutions to OEMs.
2. Medical Mobility Control Systems: Curtis AG (Switzerland) specializes in modular control systems for high-end wheelchairs and rehabilitation vehicles, including the enAble X1 power wheelchair control system. Revenue from medical mobility products includes power bases, hand controls, display modules, attendant controls, actuator modules, and specialty control input devices.
3. Engineering Services and System Integration: Curtis provides engineering partnership services including custom system-level design and development, from initial prototype to final production. Services include dynamometer services for motor speed controllers and inverters at UK and US engineering centers, training, and application engineering support.
4. Repairs and Reconditioning Services: Curtis offers repair and reconditioning services through facilities in North America, Europe, and Brazil, supporting customers throughout the product lifecycle.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Curtis designs and manufactures electric vehicle powertrain components and integrated systems, including motor speed controllers (AC, PMAC, BLDC, SepEx, and brushed DC types), instrumentation, battery monitoring systems, DC/DC converters, battery chargers, DC contactors, CAN modules, and input devices. The company also produces the enAble X1 modular power wheelchair control system for medical mobility applications. Products are sold primarily to OEMs across material handling, golf, medical mobility, construction, agriculture, and off-road vehicle segments, complemented by engineering, dynamometer testing, and repair services.

Product overview

Curtis Instruments is a global leader in electric vehicle technology, offering a comprehensive integrated systems portfolio centered on motor speed controllers (AC, SepEx®, Brushed DC Permanent Magnet, and Series types) supplemented by instrumentation, power conversion, input devices, and connectivity modules. The company's products serve diverse industries including material handling, golf/recreation, medical mobility, construction, agriculture, airport, and light-on-road vehicles. Curtis's core product line is complemented by the enAble® X1 power wheelchair control system (a distinct sub-brand focused on medical mobility), and MasterDrive aftermarket golf controllers for Club Car and E-Z-GO vehicles. The portfolio is unified through Curtis's proprietary Vehicle Control Language (VCL) programming platform and CANbus communication architecture, enabling OEMs to customize system functionality across the full product range. Curtis operates four major R&D engineering centers (California, New York, Switzerland, and China) and owns manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico, Bulgaria, and China, with 15 wholly owned subsidiaries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• enAble: Power wheelchair control system brand including enAble X1 technology
• MasterDrive
• VCL (Vehicle Control Language)

Products and services

• Motor Speed Controllers Family of electronic motor speed controllers for AC induction, PMAC, BLDC, SepEx (separately excited), and brushed DC permanent magnet motors, providing smooth acceleration, deceleration, and forward/reverse control for battery-powered industrial, utility, and recreational vehicles.
• MasterDrive Aftermarket Golf Controllers Aftermarket replacement controllers for Club Car and E-Z-GO golf carts.
• CAN Modules Controller Area Network (CAN) expansion modules including system controllers and system expansion modules for integrating motor controllers, instrumentation, and accessories on a vehicle CAN bus.
• Programmable CAN & Serial Instrumentation Programmable CAN and serial display instruments for monitoring vehicle parameters and battery status on electric vehicles.
• Hour Meters Instrumentation devices for tracking operational hours on industrial and recreational vehicles.
• Acuity Battery Monitoring System Battery monitoring system providing real-time state-of-charge and battery health diagnostics for lead-acid batteries used in electric vehicles and equipment.
• Battery State-of-Charge Instruments Instruments indicating battery discharge levels and remaining capacity for electric vehicles.
• enAble X1 Power Wheelchair Control System Modular power wheelchair control system with Bluetooth connectivity, display modules, hand controls, actuator modules, light modules, and attendant controls. Supports multiple programming platforms (Windows, iOS, Android) and is designed to medical device safety standards including IEC 62304.
• DC/DC Converters Power conversion devices for stepping voltage up or down in battery-powered vehicle electrical systems.
• Battery Chargers Charging systems for replenishing battery packs in electric vehicles and equipment.
• Input Devices Operator interface accessories including foot pedals, sensors, disconnect switches, and electronic code switches for vehicle control interfaces.
• DC Contactors High-power electrical switching devices for controlling DC circuits in electric vehicle powertrains.
• Remote Diagnostic Module (Connectivity) Connectivity module enabling remote diagnostics and monitoring of vehicle systems via cellular or wireless networks.
• Programming Tools Handheld programmers and the Curtis Integrated Toolkit software for configuring and programming motor speed controllers using the Vehicle Control Language (VCL).
• Dynamometer Services Testing services for motor speed controllers and inverters available at Curtis' UK and US engineering centers to validate and optimize Curtis products for OEM customers.
• Legacy Products Archived product lines no longer actively sold but still supported for existing installed-base customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 500,000 Curtis mobility control systems are in use worldwide, especially in North America and Europe.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, minor and core.

• Lancereal LimitedsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurtis UK has partnered with Lancereal Limited, a Yorkshire-based system integrator, to provide small to mid-sized OEMs in the UK with a single point of contact for sales, design engineering, and application support. This partnership ensures technical backing for customers with limited in-house engineering or software development resources.
• TVH (www.tvh.com)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurtis has partnered with TVH as a service/repair center for Europe, providing repair and maintenance services for Curtis products in the European market.
• LiftsureminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCurtis UK has appointed Liftsure (www.liftsure.co.za) as an authorized distributor covering South Africa.
• Parker-HannifincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParker-Hannifin completed the acquisition of Curtis Instruments in fiscal 2026. The Curtis acquisition is on track to be accretive to EPS in fiscal 2026. Parker-Hannifin CEO Jennifer Parmentier highlighted Curtis as part of the company's electrification expansion strategy at the Bank of America Global Industrials Conference 2026 in London. Curtis represents a strategic addition to Parker-Hannifin's portfolio of motion and control technologies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zapi Group: Italian-headquartered designer and manufacturer of electronic motor speed controllers, battery chargers, and power conversion systems for electric vehicles. Direct overlap with Curtis across material handling, AGV, and industrial EV applications, with comparable decentralized sales and OEM partnership model.
• Sevcon (BorgWarner): Originally an independent motor controller specialist (Sevcon) acquired by BorgWarner, now part of BorgWarner's PowerDrive Systems. Competes directly with Curtis in low-voltage AC and DC motor controllers for on- and off-road electric vehicles.
• Kelly Controls: Smaller specialist in brushed and brushless DC motor controllers for EVs, golf carts, and light electric vehicles. Direct competitor to Curtis in the low-voltage EV controller segment with a comparable OEM customer profile.

Broad incumbents

• Dana Incorporated: Global supplier of drivetrain, e-Propulsion, and motion products for EVs, including integrated motor and inverter systems. Competes with Curtis at the broader powertrain system level in commercial and off-highway electrification.
• Allison Transmission: Manufacturer of commercial-duty automatic transmissions and fully electric and hybrid propulsion systems. Comparable as a broader powertrain incumbent serving medium- and heavy-duty commercial and industrial vehicles, with overlapping customer base in material handling and specialty vehicles.
• Nidec Corporation: Global market leader in electric motors and motor controls across automotive, industrial, and appliance applications. Comparable as a broad incumbent in motor controllers and integrated motor-drive electronics competing in low-voltage EV and industrial automation segments.
• Yaskawa Electric: Global manufacturer of servo drives, motor controllers, and industrial automation products. Overlaps with Curtis in motion control electronics and competes in industrial vehicle electrification as a broad incumbent.

Emerging players

• Inovance Technology: Chinese industrial automation and motion control specialist with a growing portfolio of EV motor controllers and drives. Comparable in product category and increasingly competitive with Curtis in low-voltage industrial EV controllers, particularly from China and emerging markets.

Others

• Pride Mobility Products: Major OEM manufacturer of power wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Customer and ecosystem peer to Curtis AG's enAble X1 control system business in the medical mobility value chain.
• Permobil: Global manufacturer of advanced power wheelchairs and rehab equipment. Customer and ecosystem peer to Curtis in the medical mobility controller market, sourcing similar control electronics for high-end rehabilitation vehicles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries10 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