“2-in-1” Electric Motors Could Boost EV Range By 20%

So much focus on improving the range of electric vehicles seems to focus on the battery pack, but advances in motor technology are equally important. Green Car Congress reports that a “2-in-1” electric motor design with an integrated A/C compressor could increase the range of electric vehicles by 15 or 20%.

Engineers from Nanyang Technological University and the German Aerospace Centre have developed an electric motor where both the traction and compressor drive units are fitted in the same housing, reducing complexity and improving energy regeneration during braking. Engineers estimate that this system alone can reduce battery usage by at least 3%, and as much as 8% on its own.

With additional modifications, the system can improve range by as much as 20% using today’s available battery technology. In the Tesla Model S, an extra 20% of driving range would be good for more 300 miles of range per charge, and even in the Nissan LEAF it would add another 14 or 15 miles between charges. Air conditioning is a huge power draw in electric cars, causing range sometimes to drop by 10 or more miles.

It’s this kind of clever thinking that’s going to help EVs compete with conventional cars in a few more years, along with better batteries and better chargers.

Source: Green Car Congress