New Sensor Measures Heat in EV Motors
Continental Automotive has developed a sensor that measures the temperature inside permanently excited synchronous motors in electric vehicles. Illustration courtesy Continental AG
FRANKFURT—Continental Automotive has developed a sensor that measures the temperature inside permanently excited synchronous motors in electric vehicles. The e-Motor Rotor Temperature Sensor (eRTS) delivers significantly more precise measurement results than the current software-based temperature simulation, with a tolerance range reduced from 15 C to 3 C.
This breakthrough enables automakers to reduce the amount of rare-earth elements used to increase the heat resistance of magnets.
The sensor contains two separate components: a wireless mote temperature unit located close to the magnet in the EV motor and a wired transducer element located outside the EV motor on the chassis that is connected to the inverter control.
“Our e-mobility sensors increase efficiency and sustainability in electric vehicles,” says Christoph Busch, who heads Continental’s product center. “The eRTS technology is a good example of this: reducing the use of rare earths contributes to a more sustainable supply chain, especially given that the number of EVs is expected to greatly increase in the coming decades.”
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