Steinmetz

What do they actually do

Steinmetz makes high‑power motor controllers (inverters) for electric vehicles and machines. Their first product, the MC0‑500, is listed as “Available Now,” with a published datasheet showing 500 kW continuous power, automotive‑style protection ratings, and electrical/mechanical specs (site, MC0‑500 datasheet). The controllers are designed for straightforward integration: engineers wire battery and motor, connect sensors (encoders/resolvers or sensorless), run a one‑click auto‑tune, and monitor performance over common vehicle networks (CAN, LIN, Ethernet) (site).

They emphasize features that shorten commissioning and enable customization: open‑source firmware, multi‑sensor feedback support, and real‑time diagnostics over standard interfaces (site). The company flags U.S. manufacturing intent (“Proudly Made in America”) and publishes road‑mapped variants (MC0‑250, MC0‑10) and an expansion into motors in 2026, though today the live, orderable product is the MC0‑500 (site). Public materials focus on product specs; there are no published customer case studies or production deployments yet (site, YC profile).

Who are their target customer(s)

• Vehicle OEMs (cars, light trucks, EV startups): They need compact, production‑ready inverters that reduce packaging and cooling complexity, plus a supplier that can support a path from prototype to production. Steinmetz markets high power density and U.S. manufacturing intent to address these needs (site, YC).
• Commercial and heavy‑duty vehicle OEMs (buses, heavy trucks, off‑road, marine): They require controllers that sustain high continuous loads in harsh environments with clear IP ratings, thermal limits, and durability. Steinmetz publishes protection ratings, operating temperatures, and continuous power specs to support this use case (site, MC0‑500 datasheet).
• Industrial machine builders (materials handling, construction equipment, factory machines): They need robust drives that integrate with industrial/vehicle networks and can be retuned for different motors without long commissioning cycles. Steinmetz highlights multi‑sensor support, network interfaces, and one‑click auto‑tuning to reduce setup time (site).
• Robotics teams and advanced motion integrators: They want compact, high‑performance controllers with precise feedback options and firmware they can modify. Steinmetz points to small‑form‑factor controllers, encoder/resolver support, and open firmware for customization (site).
• EV conversion shops, prototype vehicle builders, and engineering teams: They need off‑the‑shelf controllers that can be wired, auto‑tuned, and tested quickly without deep inverter expertise. Steinmetz emphasizes one‑click auto‑tuning, real‑time monitoring, and accessible firmware to speed first runs (site).

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Offer paid evaluation units and hands‑on integration support to nearby EV startups, conversion shops, robotics teams, and industrial builders to get running systems in weeks; document 1–2 short reference writeups per pilot (site, MC0‑500 datasheet).
• First 50: Convert pilots into structured 6–12 week production pilots with clear milestones, application notes (CAN/LIN/Ethernet), and limited early‑production pricing so mid‑size OEMs can validate reliability and thermal performance (site).
• First 100: Open distributor and system‑integrator partnerships, publish production documentation/warranties/supply terms, and invest in U.S. manufacturing QA to pass OEM audits and support volume orders (site, YC).

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

The direct market is traction inverters for EVs, estimated around USD 6.8B in 2024 with strong growth as EV sales exceed 17M in 2024 (GMInsights, IEA). Adjacent markets include broader automotive power electronics and industrial/robotics drives, which lift the long‑term opportunity into the tens of billions (Mordor Intelligence, Business Research Insights, MarketsandMarkets).

Bottom-up calculation:

Illustrative: focus on high‑power (>130 kW) traction inverters plus early industrial/robotics adopters. If Steinmetz addresses 50,000 units/year across performance EVs, commercial vehicles, and industrial/robotics niches at a blended low‑volume ASP of ~$10k (public listings show ~$6k–$16k), that implies a ~$500M serviceable slice initially, with room to expand via higher volumes and lower OEM ASPs (example listings, GMInsights segment context).

Assumptions:

• Targets high‑power EV programs, commercial/HD vehicles, and industrial/robotics niches first (tens of thousands of units annually, not millions).
• Low‑volume ASPs approximate ~$10k based on public listings; OEM ASPs would be lower at scale.
• Market growth tracks EV adoption and the >130 kW segment remains a majority of traction‑inverter revenue (GMInsights).

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Cascadia Motion (BorgWarner): Sells high‑performance traction inverters and e‑drive components widely used in motorsport, prototypes, and niche OEM programs.
• Dana TM4: Tier‑1 supplier of motors and inverters for light and heavy‑duty electrified vehicles; entrenched in commercial/HD applications.
• ZF: Major Tier‑1 offering e‑powertrain components including traction inverters for OEM platforms at global scale.
• Vitesco Technologies: Automotive power electronics supplier providing inverters and e‑axle systems to established OEMs.
• Curtis Instruments: Well‑known industrial motor controller vendor in materials handling and off‑road equipment; adjacent to EV traction use cases.