Ricardo has completed the design, development and testing of a prototype electric propulsion module. Alumotor is a rare-earth-free synchronous reluctance motor and was delivered within Innovate UK’s funded consortium led by Ricardo to support sustainable mobility. It addresses issues related to the environmental impact of materials for electric motors.
Ricardo states that Alumotor offers a low-cost, robust, sustainable alternative to conventional copper wound permanent magnet machines. The synchronous reluctance motor is free from rare earth metals and critical raw materials, such as cobalt. It uses aluminum hairpin windings, and the machine is oil cooled to generate a power output of 214kW and maximum efficiency greater than 92%. This makes it suitable for light commercial vehicles and off-highway applications, with full scalability to suit other applications.
Dr Dragica Kostic-Perovic, Ricardo‘s chief engineer responsible for the Alumotor project, said, “We are excited to be at the forefront of testing aluminum hairpin windings, and are achieving strong performance data that will support future go-to-market activities. This is a significant development showing true innovation, and supports our reputation as experts in the design and development of future sustainable technologies.
A full interview with Ricardo on the Alumotor project can be found here.