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GE Unveils More Efficient Traction Motor for EVs, Hybrids

General Electric Co. says its prototype 55-kW permanent-magnet traction motor costs less to make, tolerates high operating temperatures and has almost twice the power density of conventional traction motors.
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General Electric Co. says its prototype 55-kW permanent-magnet traction motor costs less to make, tolerates high operating temperatures and has almost twice the power density of conventional traction motors. GE also says its motor is 3%-5% more efficient.

The motor was developed as part of a $5.6 million U.S. Dept. of Energy project. Conventional motors run at 65 C and require their own dedicated cooling system, GE notes. It says its prototype motor can run at 105 C at speeds from 2,800 rpm to 14,000 rpm at 30 kW.

When used in a hybrid powertrain, the motor's temperature could be controlled using the piston engine's coolant, thus eliminating the need for a separate cooling system..

GE has built several prototypes and says its design now awaits durability testing. A key to the motor's performance is its high-resistivity permanent magnets that reduce or eliminate the need to segment the magnets, according to the company.

GE says it aims to develop a variant of the design within about four years that uses magnets containing no rare Earths.

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