LAS VEGAS—During the recent Consumer Electronics Show here, Infinitum unveiled the Aircore Mobility traction motor. It features axial flux propulsion technology. The motor is designed to power a variety of electric vehicles, including cars, trucks and tractors, plus aviation and marine applications.
The Aircore Mobility motor delivers high power and torque density. It operates efficiently over a wide range of speeds and load conditions to maximize vehicle range. The device replaces the heavy, copper-wound iron stator found in traditional motors with a lightweight, printed circuit board (PCB) stator that is 10 times more reliable.
Compared to conventional motors, Infinitum’s new product is 50 percent smaller and lighter, and uses 66 percent less copper. By replacing the iron core with a PCB stator, mechanical losses are reduced, efficiency is increased, and noise and vibration are significantly reduced. The Aircore Mobility motor is covered by 32 issued patents and 44 pending patents.
Leveraging its unique PCB stator design, the next-generation motor can achieve up to five times the current density of a conventional, liquid cooled motor using a liquid cooling technique that allows the coolant to be in direct contact with the stator, mitigating heat across a larger surface area, enabling high overload capability and extended life.
“Our aircore motor topology eliminates core losses and delivers a broader range of speeds and load conditions where the motor can operate at high efficiency levels,” says Paulo Guedes-Pinto, vice president of technology at Infinitum. “The motor offers a new avenue in extending range for Class 1-8 vehicles, aerospace, marine, construction and agricultural machines.”
According to Guedes-Pinto, the motor is designed with and will be manufactured with a sustainable, circular lifecycle. It can be produced using fewer raw materials, while a modular design allows the housing, rotors and stators to be reused multiple times, giving parts a second and third life to serve future generations.
“The motor can also be manufactured almost anywhere locally without complex assembly equipment, and its smaller size means more product is shipped in equal space, which drastically reduces transportation related emissions,” claims Guedes-Pinto.
“Infinitum’s motor design using PCB stators offers promising performance and efficiency benefits for mobility applications due to superior heat mitigation and high power density,” adds Sam Abuelsamid, principal analyst at Guidehouse Insights Inc. “With supply chain challenges, the motor’s materials, rapid assembly and scalable production should be attractive to OEMs seeking dramatically simpler manufacturing going forward.”
