CONCORD, Ontario — Automotive supplier Eberspaecher Group has acquired a majority stake in Vecture Inc.

The Canadian battery management company, based in Concord, has about 100 employees.

In the future, Eberspaecher Vecture Inc. will offer battery management products for industrial applications, medical technology, and vehicles. In vehicle technology, battery management systems, as part of the overall energy storage system, are the interface between the vehicle and the electronic components installed in batteries.

Eberspaecher, based in Esslingen, Germany, now holds 80% of the shares in Vecture. The Vecture founders retain 20% and will continue to be active in the management of the company.

In the school bus industry, Eberspaecher is best known for providing air-conditioning systems and engine pre-heaters, formerly under the name Espar.

With the Vecture investment, Eberspaecher expands its electronics business within its automotive controls division. According to Eberspaecher, Vecture’s expertise in the development and production of mission-critical battery management systems and complete energy storage systems facilitates further expansion of the company’s vehicle electronics portfolio.

"We see great opportunities in lithium-ion battery technology,” said Dr. Dirk Walliser, chief operating officer of Eberspaecher Automotive Controls. “With Vecture’s many years of experience and expertise, we can provide better solutions for vehicle battery management and complement our supercapacitor systems offerings. With this, we have the energy management of 12-, 24-, and 48-volt on-board networks, as well as highly automated vehicles or mild hybrid functions, in mind."