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ISE Corporation (“ISE”) is a supplier of integrated hybrid-electric drive systems and control software for large buses and trucks. ISE's controllers and software govern and optimize the use of energy in its hybrid-electric drive systems, which use electric power for vehicle propulsion but also generate onboard power using conventional engines. ISE combines its control systems with electric motors, generators, and other components purchased from various suppliers and partners, integrating all of the parts into complete “ThunderVolt®” hybrid-electric drive systems that ISE sells to bus and truck manufacturers. In addition to its principal business as a supplier of fully integrated drive systems to vehicle manufacturers, ISE installs its systems into buses, trucks, and other vehicles on a smaller scale, generating additional revenue and demonstrating its drive systems in an ever-expanding variety of vehicle models.

Brief ISE History

ISE was formally incorporated in California in January 1995 and has more than 60 employees. The California city of Long Beach placed the first large-scale orders for buses using ISE's hybrid drive system - these buses are presently being used in revenue service. More than 30 additional ISE gasoline-hybrid buses are being used in other California municipalities, including Los Angeles, Gardena, Norwalk, Montebello, Fresno, San Bernardino, and Orange County. ISE is presently the only U.S. supplier of gasoline-hybrid drive systems for large transit buses, a technology that produces significantly lower emissions than diesel hybrid systems. More on ISE History...

ISE Hybrid-Electric Drive Systems

Hybrid-electric drive systems are gaining favor throughout the automotive industry because they have been shown to improve fuel economy and reduce harmful emissions. ISE specializes in production of “series” hybrid-electric drive systems, where the engine is completely decoupled from the driveline and is used only to generate electrical power. This type of hybrid architecture is especially attractive for large vehicles that perform large amounts of stop-and-go driving, such as urban transit buses and delivery trucks. Conventional buses and trucks of this type are highly inefficient and produce high levels of toxic emissions because they have large (typically diesel) engines that are constantly ramping up and down – the least efficient way to operate a power source. In the ISE series hybrid system, a smaller engine is mated to a generator and operated at a constant, efficient speed and power output level. When vehicle power requirements temporarily increase – such as during acceleration or hill-climbing – additional power is drawn from an onboard energy storage system comprised of batteries or ultracapacitors (a new type of energy storage device). When vehicle power requirements are low, the energy storage system is recharged. Not only is engine efficiency increased, but the vehicle is able to recapture energy whenever it slows down through a process called “regenerative braking.”

The main obstacle to the adoption of series hybrid drive systems has been the technological complexity of managing the interaction of the three separate power sources in such a system: the engine-generator, energy storage system, and the electric drive motor (which acts as a generator during regenerative braking). This problem is particularly challenging in heavy-duty buses and trucks, where the power levels to be managed are significantly higher than in smaller vehicles such as passenger cars. ISE’s proprietary control system uses a network architecture similar to an Ethernet computer network to monitor and control all of the hybrid system components. Each major hybrid component is controlled by a microcomputer that acts as a “gateway” to the overall network, which uses an ISE-developed operating system that uses standard automotive industry Controller Area Network (CAN) protocols. This gives the ISE hybrid architecture greater flexibility and upgrade potential than competing architectures, as any engine or other component using CAN-based controls can be plugged into the ISE system with a minimum of new development. The ISE “ThunderCAN™” operating system has shown itself to be as robust and reliable as it is flexible, making ISE’s hybrid-electric drive system one of the first to be purchased on a large scale by a major U.S. transit bus manufacturer or transit agency. More on ISE Hybrid-Electric Drive Systems...

ISE Innovations

ISE has built several key innovations into its control system and hybrid architecture that further improve the performance of the overall system. For example, ISE has developed an engine “idle-stop” capability that automatically stops the engine-generator subsystem when the vehicle comes to a stop or sees its power consumption decline for an extended period. The idle-stop capability is enabled by an ISE-developed control algorithm and a suite of electrically-driven accessories that power the vehicle’s power steering, braking, and air conditioning accessories using electric motors and compressors. Conventional accessories, which rely on engine-driven belts, require the engine to be operated all the time, and are notoriously inefficient and prone to mechanical failure. ISE hybrid systems using deep-cycle battery packs enable large buses and trucks to drive ten miles or more in an “all-electric” mode, on battery power alone – producing zero emissions and almost no noise. More on ISE Drive System Features...

ISE Products and Services

ISE’s product offering is supported by a key strategic agreement with Siemens, which supplies the electric motors, motor controllers, and generators used in nearly all of ISE’s ThunderVolt® hybrid drive systems. ISE is in the third year of a five-year agreement with Siemens that establishes ISE as the preferred distributor and integrator of Siemens' ELFA® components for the U.S. transit bus market. The Siemens ELFA® components used by ISE are the most proven heavy-duty electric vehicle components in the world, having accumulated more than 30 million miles of service in more than 600 buses in Europe. Using its own control system and Siemens components as a base, ISE can “mix and match” various engines and energy storage systems, relying on the flexibility of its system architecture – thereby offering customized drive systems more closely tailored to the needs of individual bus and truck customers.

For customers who desire maximum fuel economy, ISE offers a variant of its drive system using the latest, clean-burning diesel engines. The first full-size transit buses placed into regular revenue service using ISE’s diesel hybrid drive system have been averaging 5.6 miles per gallon in New Jersey Transit’s bus fleet – a 21% improvement over conventional buses operating out of the same garage and 60% better than buses operating on most central urban routes. Based on these fuel savings, ISE’s hybrid system can reduce the cost of operating a single transit bus by up to $10,000 per year. This is a larger fuel saving than offered by any competing hybrid system.
For customers seeking the lowest possible emissions, ISE has developed a variant of its system that uses an Ultra-Low Emission (ULEV) rated gasoline engine. The ISE gasoline hybrid system produces lower emissions than any competing diesel hybrid bus drive system, and is being purchased in quantity by transit agencies in California in response to restrictions on diesel exhaust. ISE also offers two variants of its system that run on hydrogen – a fuel cell hybrid drive system and a hybrid system that uses an internal combustion engine modified to burn hydrogen. These systems produce virtually zero emissions and are extraordinarily efficient, as well as using a completely renewable fuel that can greatly reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. In addition, ISE is developing a new hybrid transit bus system that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG).

More on ISE Products and Services ...

ISE’s competitive advantage in the hybrid industry is widening because ISE is able to adapt its system to new, performance-enhancing technologies much more rapidly than its competitors. ISE introduced the first hybrid transit buses to use low-emission gasoline engines, PEM fuel cells, hydrogen-burning internal combustion engines, nickel sodium chloride batteries, and ultracapacitors. Ultracapacitors, presently used on all of the more than 100 ISE-powered buses in revenue service in California, store and release energy much more efficiently than batteries and are ideal for boosting acceleration and recapturing braking energy with minimum onboard energy storage weight. Ultracapacitors are also expected to last five to ten years in vehicle applications – significantly longer than most battery technologies.

ISE Key Partners in Clean Air

Past and current ISE customers include public transit agencies such as New Jersey Transit, AC Transit, SunLine Transit, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation; and major vehicle manufacturers such as General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler, New Flyer Industries, Thor Industries, and Motor Coach Industries. ISE has also received grant funding from numerous federal, state, and local agencies including the U.S. Department of Transportation, several branches of the U.S. Military, and the California Energy Commission. More on ISE Key Partners...


	About ISE
	ISE Corporation (“ISE”) is a supplier of integrated hybrid-electric drive systems and control software for large buses and trucks. ISE's controllers and software govern and optimize the use of energy in its hybrid-electric drive systems, which use electric power for vehicle propulsion but also generate onboard power using conventional engines. ISE combines its control systems with electric motors, generators, and other components purchased from various suppliers and partners, integrating all of the parts into complete “ThunderVolt®” hybrid-electric drive systems that ISE sells to bus and truck manufacturers. In addition to its principal business as a supplier of fully integrated drive systems to vehicle manufacturers, ISE installs its systems into buses, trucks, and other vehicles on a smaller scale, generating additional revenue and demonstrating its drive systems in an ever-expanding variety of vehicle models. Brief ISE History ISE was formally incorporated in California in January 1995 and has more than 60 employees. The California city of Long Beach placed the first large-scale orders for buses using ISE's hybrid drive system - these buses are presently being used in revenue service. More than 30 additional ISE gasoline-hybrid buses are being used in other California municipalities, including Los Angeles, Gardena, Norwalk, Montebello, Fresno, San Bernardino, and Orange County. ISE is presently the only U.S. supplier of gasoline-hybrid drive systems for large transit buses, a technology that produces significantly lower emissions than diesel hybrid systems. More on ISE History... ISE Hybrid-Electric Drive Systems Hybrid-electric drive systems are gaining favor throughout the automotive industry because they have been shown to improve fuel economy and reduce harmful emissions. ISE specializes in production of “series” hybrid-electric drive systems, where the engine is completely decoupled from the driveline and is used only to generate electrical power. This type of hybrid architecture is especially attractive for large vehicles that perform large amounts of stop-and-go driving, such as urban transit buses and delivery trucks. Conventional buses and trucks of this type are highly inefficient and produce high levels of toxic emissions because they have large (typically diesel) engines that are constantly ramping up and down – the least efficient way to operate a power source. In the ISE series hybrid system, a smaller engine is mated to a generator and operated at a constant, efficient speed and power output level. When vehicle power requirements temporarily increase – such as during acceleration or hill-climbing – additional power is drawn from an onboard energy storage system comprised of batteries or ultracapacitors (a new type of energy storage device). When vehicle power requirements are low, the energy storage system is recharged. Not only is engine efficiency increased, but the vehicle is able to recapture energy whenever it slows down through a process called “regenerative braking.” The main obstacle to the adoption of series hybrid drive systems has been the technological complexity of managing the interaction of the three separate power sources in such a system: the engine-generator, energy storage system, and the electric drive motor (which acts as a generator during regenerative braking). This problem is particularly challenging in heavy-duty buses and trucks, where the power levels to be managed are significantly higher than in smaller vehicles such as passenger cars. ISE’s proprietary control system uses a network architecture similar to an Ethernet computer network to monitor and control all of the hybrid system components. Each major hybrid component is controlled by a microcomputer that acts as a “gateway” to the overall network, which uses an ISE-developed operating system that uses standard automotive industry Controller Area Network (CAN) protocols. This gives the ISE hybrid architecture greater flexibility and upgrade potential than competing architectures, as any engine or other component using CAN-based controls can be plugged into the ISE system with a minimum of new development. The ISE “ThunderCAN™” operating system has shown itself to be as robust and reliable as it is flexible, making ISE’s hybrid-electric drive system one of the first to be purchased on a large scale by a major U.S. transit bus manufacturer or transit agency. More on ISE Hybrid-Electric Drive Systems... ISE Innovations ISE has built several key innovations into its control system and hybrid architecture that further improve the performance of the overall system. For example, ISE has developed an engine “idle-stop” capability that automatically stops the engine-generator subsystem when the vehicle comes to a stop or sees its power consumption decline for an extended period. The idle-stop capability is enabled by an ISE-developed control algorithm and a suite of electrically-driven accessories that power the vehicle’s power steering, braking, and air conditioning accessories using electric motors and compressors. Conventional accessories, which rely on engine-driven belts, require the engine to be operated all the time, and are notoriously inefficient and prone to mechanical failure. ISE hybrid systems using deep-cycle battery packs enable large buses and trucks to drive ten miles or more in an “all-electric” mode, on battery power alone – producing zero emissions and almost no noise. More on ISE Drive System Features... ISE Products and Services ISE’s product offering is supported by a key strategic agreement with Siemens, which supplies the electric motors, motor controllers, and generators used in nearly all of ISE’s ThunderVolt® hybrid drive systems. ISE is in the third year of a five-year agreement with Siemens that establishes ISE as the preferred distributor and integrator of Siemens' ELFA® components for the U.S. transit bus market. The Siemens ELFA® components used by ISE are the most proven heavy-duty electric vehicle components in the world, having accumulated more than 30 million miles of service in more than 600 buses in Europe. Using its own control system and Siemens components as a base, ISE can “mix and match” various engines and energy storage systems, relying on the flexibility of its system architecture – thereby offering customized drive systems more closely tailored to the needs of individual bus and truck customers. For customers who desire maximum fuel economy, ISE offers a variant of its drive system using the latest, clean-burning diesel engines. The first full-size transit buses placed into regular revenue service using ISE’s diesel hybrid drive system have been averaging 5.6 miles per gallon in New Jersey Transit’s bus fleet – a 21% improvement over conventional buses operating out of the same garage and 60% better than buses operating on most central urban routes. Based on these fuel savings, ISE’s hybrid system can reduce the cost of operating a single transit bus by up to $10,000 per year. This is a larger fuel saving than offered by any competing hybrid system. For customers seeking the lowest possible emissions, ISE has developed a variant of its system that uses an Ultra-Low Emission (ULEV) rated gasoline engine. The ISE gasoline hybrid system produces lower emissions than any competing diesel hybrid bus drive system, and is being purchased in quantity by transit agencies in California in response to restrictions on diesel exhaust. ISE also offers two variants of its system that run on hydrogen – a fuel cell hybrid drive system and a hybrid system that uses an internal combustion engine modified to burn hydrogen. These systems produce virtually zero emissions and are extraordinarily efficient, as well as using a completely renewable fuel that can greatly reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. In addition, ISE is developing a new hybrid transit bus system that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG). More on ISE Products and Services ... ISE’s competitive advantage in the hybrid industry is widening because ISE is able to adapt its system to new, performance-enhancing technologies much more rapidly than its competitors. ISE introduced the first hybrid transit buses to use low-emission gasoline engines, PEM fuel cells, hydrogen-burning internal combustion engines, nickel sodium chloride batteries, and ultracapacitors. Ultracapacitors, presently used on all of the more than 100 ISE-powered buses in revenue service in California, store and release energy much more efficiently than batteries and are ideal for boosting acceleration and recapturing braking energy with minimum onboard energy storage weight. Ultracapacitors are also expected to last five to ten years in vehicle applications – significantly longer than most battery technologies. ISE Key Partners in Clean Air Past and current ISE customers include public transit agencies such as New Jersey Transit, AC Transit, SunLine Transit, and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation; and major vehicle manufacturers such as General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler, New Flyer Industries, Thor Industries, and Motor Coach Industries. ISE has also received grant funding from numerous federal, state, and local agencies including the U.S. Department of Transportation, several branches of the U.S. Military, and the California Energy Commission. More on ISE Key Partners...