Leading auto parts supplier Mahle has announced a groundbreaking 'Superior Continuous Torque' (SCT) motor for electric vehicles capable of delivering more than 90% of its peak power continuously without overheating - and it will run without magnets.
Electric motors, unlike internal combustion engines, often have separate peak and constant (or rated) power ratings. This is because running them for long periods of time can generate enough heat to damage components, so manufacturers build in thermal limiting systems that reduce power output to a constant level when they start to overheat.
For example, the motor in the Ox Patagonia electric motorcycle at 11 kW peak power is so poorly cooled that it can only handle 6 kW continuous power, which is 55% of peak power. On the other hand, the new EMCE engine from Energica develops a peak power of 126 kW, but can handle a constant power of 110 kW (87% of peak power) thanks to a very efficient cooling system.
Mahle says the new SCT motor takes things to the next level, delivering more than 90% of peak power at a constant power rating. It uses an innovative oil cooling system. If necessary, the heat removed can be collected for use elsewhere around the vehicle or removed through a radiator.
The result, the company says, is an exceptionally compact, lightweight and efficient electric motor capable of handling sustained high power situations that previously required much larger motors with much higher peak power ratings. It's, according to Male, an engine that can pull a large electric truck over a long, steep mountain pass without losing power, or take the brunt of a race track in a sports car.
Smaller engines also bring other benefits: they require fewer materials, lower costs, and weigh less, which increases the power-to-weight ratio for sports cars, as well as the payload of a heavy tractor. Mahle claims the SCT engine is suitable for cars, trucks, construction vehicles and tractors.
The SCT engine will be presented at IAA Transportation in Hannover this September.
bbabo.Net