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FEATURE GEARS & GEARBOXES


Magnetically geared Motors: the key to efficient MicroMobility


As congestion in cities rises, people are seeking alternative methods of transportation, with lightweight electric vehicles (LEVs) gaining


popularity around the world. David Latimer, CEO of Magnomatics, looks at the ever-increasing shift to micromobility and highlights the role innovative magnetically geared motors play in this growing market


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round the world, as people attempt to slash emissions, boost urban air quality, and reduce noise pollution in


urban areas, interesting mobility solutions have been appearing. In particular, there has been an


explosion in the popularity of LEVs such as e-bicycles and e-scooters. Considerably more accessible than an electric car and far easier to store, these micromobility solutions hold the promise of being able to fill gaps in public transport routes, providing a practical and popular answer to the perennial first-and-last-mile need. Aside from changing how people move


around cities, LEVs can help reduce road congestion and contribute to the more efficient use of parking and other shared public spaces. They also boast substantial environmental benefits.


MicroMobility and the environMent


Road transportation is one of the biggest contributors to carbon emissions in cities. In 2019, transport was responsible for 122 metric tons of the 455 metric tons of


CO2 emissions produced in the UK. LEVs have great potential to significantly reduce


CO2 emissions from the transport sector as their increased adoption means fewer vehicles that emit smoke, carbon, and other harmful gases. LEVs not only reduce CO2 emission


levels because of their electric propulsion systems, but they also require less energy because they are smaller and lighter. This means that they can function with smaller batteries, and they require fewer raw


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materials for production. All in all, they are more sustainable throughout their lifecycle than other transport options without sacrificing individual mobility.


ensuring lightweight electric vehicle efficiency


While traditional micromobility solutions such as conventional bicycles have been used for decades, the primary factor behind the current micromobility trend is electrification. Thanks to advances in technology, complete electric powertrains can be easily integrated into micromobility platforms. The question we must ask, however, is


whether LEVs are efficient? For many e-bicycles and e-scooters, powertrains have already become commodities. In this instance the priority is cost, not efficiency. However, low efficiency reduces payload and range, which means more charging, which is the opposite of the objective of introducing LEVs in the first place, namely lower energy use. Reliable motors, in particular innovative


magnetically geared motors, are a key enabling technology for micromobility to ensure efficiency. Magnomatics’ revolutionary magnetic gears have been implemented in a range of innovative industry solutions and, having achieved success at large scale, the company has turned its attention to much smaller machines, including drives for eVTOL aircraft for urban air mobility and for personal micromobility vehicles such as e-scooters and e-bicycles. The company’s patented Pseudo Direct Drive (PDD) consists of a magnetic gear


mounted inside a stator. The outer magnetics of the magnetic gear are attached to the inner bore of the stator, and copper windings in the stator are used to drive the inner rotor of the magnetic gear. This is a relatively high-speed electric motor


with a relatively low load, which results in low currents and hence, low temperatures. This in turn brings great efficiency, long life, and prevents demagnetisation of the outer magnet array. The torque in the inner rotor is then geared up in the novel polepiece rotor, typically by between 5 and 10:1. The result is a very compact and highly efficient electric motor, which is perfect for micromobility vehicles. The benefits of innovative magnetically


geared motors such as PDD against conventional generator technology, particularly for LEVs, are drastic reductions in motor size, no minimum cooling requirements, and reduced maintenance requirements. Ultimately, the lower mass and compactness of the PDD generator, when combined with partial load superior efficiency, low speed, high torque technology and improved reliability, makes it ideal for meeting the requirements of the broad range of new LEVs being developed.


the future


The development of micromobility solutions is becoming an increasingly exciting space and does not appear to be slowing down. As it continues to gain momentum, employing the right generator technology will drive efficiency and reliability in this exciting new market.


Magnomatics www.magnomatics.com


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