Motor

PS

There’s no such thing as a DC motor

Electromagnetically speaking, there’s no such thing as a DC motor. Bear with me. Many of us are used to making a sharp distinction among electric machines based on whether they need to be supplied with an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) to run.

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Electric drivetrains for agriculture fit existing machines with ZF eTRAC

ZF's eTRAC portfolio tackles a persistent problem in agricultural electrification: how to swap out combustion drivetrains without forcing OEMs to redesign every tractor-implement connection.

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Modular high performance EV powertrain by New Eagle, Helix and Xtrac transforms C7 Corvette

New Eagle, Helix and Xtrac have collaborated to create an all-electric C7 Corvette Grand Sport that demonstrates what a production-validated, modular EV powertrain can achieve when three specialist engineering firms align their capabilities. The project serves as both a performance benchmark and a scalable foundation for retrofit conversions and future OEM programmes.

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Alpine A390 pushes electric sports car agility with three motor control

Alpine’s transition to electric performance has taken a major technical leap with the launch of the A390. The all‑new fastback sports car is not only the company’s first five‑seat EV but also the first to showcase a fully independent three‑motor drive system with a proprietary torque vectoring architecture.

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YASA sets new electric motor benchmark with 59kW/kg axial flux prototype

YASA has once again pushed the boundaries of electric motor design by surpassing its own previous record for power density. Earlier this year, the company’s axial flux prototype delivered 550kW from just 13.1kg, setting an unofficial world benchmark of 42kW per kilogram - almost double what the rest of the automotive market considered state-of-the-art.

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Vessev unveils VS-Drive podded motor boosting electric hydrofoil performance and cooling

New Zealand marine technology company Vessev has launched the VS–Drive, a podded electric propulsion system designed specifically for hydrofoiling vessels.

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ZF unveils modular EV drive platform boosting efficiency and cutting weight

ZF has developed a modular drive system for EVs that boosts efficiency and reduces size, writes Nick Flaherty. The SELECT platform covers electric motors and transmission to the inverter and AI-enhanced control software. “If you just optimise one piece you miss out on the global optimisation and you have lower efficiency,” says Dr Otmar Scharrer, senior vice president r&d, electrified powertrain technology at ZF.

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InfiMotion unveils magnesium‑alloy integrated drive system for high‑efficiency EVs

InfiMotion Technology in China has developed a lightweight integrated drive system with a magnesium housing to reduce the weight, writes Nick Flaherty. The TL300 combines dual motors, dual inverters and a common power control module in a single unit built from a magnesium alloy that reduces the mass of the housing by 25%.

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CTS unveils COBROS for enhanced vector control in PMS motors

CTS Corporation has developed COBROS, a revolutionary new platform for electric motor control. Utilizing real-time, in-situ magnetic field sensing with embedded PCB sensors, COBROS fundamentally changes how motors are controlled by directly measuring the magnetic fields within permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs).

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Carbon nanotubes drive metal-free motor

Researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) have developed an electric motor without metal, which instead uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs), writes Nick Flaherty.

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