:focal(4128x2752:4129x2753)/tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/a8/1e/a81ee0b2-9f11-4597-911a-b80458860bfe/etsd014_robert_sansone_usa_0026_ca_1.jpg "This 17-Year-Old Designed a Motor That Could Potentially Transform the Electric Car Industry (1)")
Robert Sansone is a natural born engineer. From animatronic hands to high-speed running boots and a go-kart that can reach speeds of more than 70 miles per hour, the Fort Pierce, Florida-based inventor estimates he’s completed at least 60 engineering projects in his spare time. And he’s only 17 years old.
A couple years ago, Sansone came across a video about the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. The video explained that most electric car motors require magnets made from rare-earth elements, which can be costly, both financially and environmentally, to extract. The rare-earth materials needed can cost hundreds of dollars per kilogram. In comparison, copper is worth $7.83 per kilogram.
“I have a natural interest in electric motors,” says Sansone, who had used them in different robotics projects. “With that sustainability issue, I wanted to tackle it, and try and design a different motor.”
The highschooler had heard of a type of electric motor—the synchronous reluctance motor—that doesn’t use these rare-earth materials. This kind of motor is currently used for pumps and fans, but it isn’t powerful enough by itself to be used in an electric vehicle. So, Sansone started brainstorming ways he could improve its performance.
Over the course of a year, Sansone created a prototype of a novel synchronous reluctance motor that had greater rotational force—or torque—and efficiency than existing ones. The prototype was made from 3-D printed plastic, copper wires and a steel rotor and tested using a variety of meters to measure power and a laser tachometer to determine the motor’s rotational speed. His work earned him first prize, and $75,000 in winnings, at this year’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the largest international high school STEM competition.
The less sustainable permanent magnet motors use materials such as neodymium, samarium and dysprosium, which are in high demand because they’re used in many different products, including headphones and earbuds, explains Heath Hofmann, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan. Hofmann has worked extensively on electric vehicles, including consulting with Tesla to develop the control algorithms for its propulsion drive.
“The number of applications that use magnets just seems to be getting larger and larger,” he says. “A lot of the materials are mined in China, and so the price can often depend upon our trade status with China.” Hofmann adds that Tesla recently started using permanent magnets in its motors.
Electric motors use rotating electromagnetic fields to spin a rotor. Coils of wire in the stationary outer portion of the motor, called the stator, produce these electromagnetic fields. In permanent magnet motors, magnets attached to the edge of a spinning rotor produce a magnetic field that is attracted to the opposite poles on the spinning field. This attraction spins the rotor.
Synchronous reluctance motors don’t use magnets. Instead, a steel rotor with air gaps cut into it aligns itself with the rotating magnetic field. Reluctance, or the magnetism of a material, is key to this process. As the rotor spins along with the rotating magnetic field, torque is produced. More torque is produced when the saliency ratio, or difference in magnetism between materials (in this case, the steel and the non-magnetic air gaps), is greater.
Instead of using air gaps, Sansone thought hecould incorporate another magnetic field into a motor. This would increase this saliency ratio and, in turn, produce more torque. His design has other components, but he can’t disclose any more details because he hopes to patent the technology in the future.
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“Once I had this initial idea, then I had to do some prototyping to try and see if that design would actually work,” Sansone says. “I don’t have tons of resources for making very advanced motors, and so I had to make a smaller version—a scale model—using a 3-D printer.”
It took several prototypes before he could test his design.
“I didn't have a mentor to help me, really, so each time a motor failed, I had to do tons of research and try and troubleshoot what went wrong,” he says. “But eventually on the 15th motor, I was able to get a working prototype.”
Sansone tested his motor for torque and efficiency, and then reconfigured it to run as a more traditional synchronous reluctance motor for comparison. He found that his novel design exhibited 39 percent greater torque and 31 percent greater efficiency at 300 revolutions per minute (RPM). At 750 RPM, it performed at 37 percent greater efficiency. He couldn’t test his prototype at higher revolutions per minute because the plastic pieces would overheat—a lesson he learned the hard way when one of the prototypes melted on his desk, he tells Top of the Class, a podcast produced by Crimson Education.
In comparison, Tesla’s Model S motor can reach up to 18,000 RPM, explained the company’s principal motor designer Konstantinos Laskaris in a 2016 interview with Christian Ruoff of the electric vehicles magazine Charged.
Sansone validated his results in a second experiment, in which he “isolated the theoretical principle under which the novel design creates magnetic saliency,” per his project presentation. Essentially, this experiment eliminated all other variables, and confirmed that the improvements in torque and efficiency were correlated with the greater saliency ratio of his design.
“He's definitely looking at things the right way,” Hofmann says of Sansone. “There's the potential that it could be the next big thing.” Though, he adds that many professors work on research their whole lives, and it’s “fairly rare that they end up taking over the world.”
Hofmann says the materials for synchronous reluctance motors are cheap, but the machines are complex and notoriously difficult to manufacture. High manufacturing costs are, therefore, a barrier to their widespread use—and a major limiting factor to Sansone’s invention.
Sansone agrees, but says “with new technologies like additive manufacturing [such as 3-D printing], it would be easier to construct it in the future.”
Sansone is now working on calculations and 3-D modeling for version 16 of his motor, which he plans to build out of sturdier materials so he can test it at higher revolutions per minute. If his motor continues to perform with high speed and efficiency, he says he’ll move forward with the patenting process.
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As a rising senior at Fort Pierce Central High School, Sansone has dreams of attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His winnings from ISEF will go toward college tuition.
Sansone says he hadn’t originally planned to enter into the competition. But when he learned that one of his classes allowed him to complete a year-long research project and paper on a topic of his choice, he decided to take the opportunity to continue working on his motor.
“I was thinking if I'm able to put this much energy into it, I might as well make it a science fair project and compete with it,” he explains. After doing well at the district and state competitions, he advanced to ISEF.
Sansone is waiting until his next phase of testing before he approaches any car companies, but he hopes that one day his motor will be the design of choice for electric vehicles.
“Rare-earth materials in existing electric motors are a major factor undermining the sustainability of electric vehicles,” he says. “Seeing the day when EVs are fully sustainable due to the help of my novel motor design would be a dream come true.”
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FAQs
How a 17 year old revolutionized the EV motor? ›
Sansone created the prototype of this motor with a higher rotational force and efficiency than existing motors. For this he used a 3D printer, copper wires and a steel rotor. The young engineer stated that he doesn't have “tons of resources to make very advanced motors,” so he had to make an initial smaller version.
Who invented the electric car motor? ›However, it is the Scottish entrepreneur and chemist Robert Anderson who is generally referred to as the father of the electric car. Between 1832 and 1839 he worked on and presented a prototype that offered an evolution of a traditional carriage powered by electric cells.
Which motor is suitable for electric car? ›Electric traction motor: Using power from the traction battery pack, this motor drives the vehicle's wheels. Some vehicles use motor generators that perform both the drive and regeneration functions.
Who invented the prototype DC motor? ›In 1886 Frank Julian Sprague invented the first practical DC motor, a non-sparking motor capable of constant speed under variable loads.
Can a magnet motor power a car? ›By turning the magnetic coil attached to an axle, the wheels of the car also turn and the car moves. Motors that incorporate permanent magnets such as neodymium magnets, are better than induction, being lighter and generating more power.
What kind of motor is in a Tesla car? ›Motor Type(s)
Rear motor: AC permanent magnet synchronous motor, liquid-cooled, with variable frequency drive. Front motor (AWD vehicles): AC induction motor, liquid-cooled, with variable frequency drive.
History was made when Thomas Davenport of Vermont invented the first official battery-powered electric motor in 1834. This was the first electric motor that had enough power to perform a task and his invention was used to power a small-scale printing press.
Who made the first successful electric vehicle? ›William Morrison of Des Moines, Iowa built the first successful electric automobile in the US in 1891. By 1893, a handful of different makes and models of electric cars were exhibited in Chicago. The first electric taxis hit the streets of New York City early in 1897.
Who first designed electric cars? ›British inventor Robert Anderson created the first crude electric vehicle in 1832. It took until the second half of the 19th century before more practical versions were built in France and England.
What is the most efficient electric car motor? ›The rear-wheel-drive, standard-range Tesla Model 3 compact sedan is the most efficient EV of 2022, with rated energy use of 25 kWh per 100 miles.
Which motor is most commonly used in the latest electric vehicles? ›
Brushless DC motors
As a result, due to its traction capabilities, this motor has been the most widely used in EV applications. It has wire-wound poles in the stator and a permanent magnet rotor.
So, a DC motor is started by using a starter. There are various types of dc motor starters, such as 3 point starter, 4 point starter, no-load release coil starter, thyristor controller starter etc. The basic concept behind every DC motor starter is adding external resistance to the armature winding during starting.
Do DC motors exist? ›There are three main types of DC motors: separately excited, self excited, or permanent magnet. In the separately excited and self excited, an electromagnet is used in the stator structure. With the permanent magnet type, a powerful magnet generates the magnetic field.
Why is it called a DC motor? ›A direct current (DC) motor is a type of electric machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. DC motors take electrical power through direct current, and convert this energy into mechanical rotation.
Can a permanent magnet motor generate electricity? ›The study reveals that permanent magnet motors with rated 5.5 kW in elevators which is working by transferring mechanical energy into electricity when the motor is rotating without power therefore the motor is capable of producing electrical energy back into the grid system.
Can a magnet unlock a car? ›Most magnets will work as long as it is large enough to cover the keyhole completely. All you need to do is place the magnet over the lock when you leave your car.
Why can't magnets power cars? ›Practical implementations fail because there is no substantial energy in magnets that could be employed for propulsion or to compensate for energy losses. The force between permanent magnets is conservative as the magnetic field follows a potential, so that there is no work done over a closed cycle.
Are Tesla Motors DC or AC? ›Tesla's AC motor was groundbreaking.
With its three main parts: a rotor, a stator and coils, this clever new system would convert electrical energy into mechanical energy with the use of the electro magnetic induction, i.e. magnetic field was being created with the use of alternating current.
The cost to replace Tesla Battery
There haven't been many documented battery replacements, so it's hard to come up with the price range. But the cost of the battery may range anywhere from $12,000 to $15,000. Labor costs are a different story but expect to shell out between $20,000 and $22,000 for battery replacement.
Yes, electric cars have transmissions, but they are drastically different than internal combustion engine transmissions. They're so different, they look like they don't even have a transmission.
What was the first electric motor called? ›
Faraday continued experimenting into the fall of 1831, this time with a permanent magnet. He discovered that he could produce a constant current by rotating a copper disk between the two poles of a permanent magnet. This was the first dynamo, and the direct ancestor of truly useful electric motors.
Did Tesla invent the induction motor? ›In 1887 and 1888 Tesla had an experimental shop at 89 Liberty Street, New York, and there he invented the induction motor. He sold the invention to Westinghouse in July 1888 and spent a year in Pittsburgh instructing Westinghouse engineers. Tesla obtained more than 100 patents in his lifetime.
Who created the motor effect? ›The first surviving Faraday apparatus, dating from 1822, demonstrates his work in magnetic rotation. Faraday used this mercury bath to transform electrical energy into mechanical energy, creating the first electric motor.
What was the first electric car in the US? ›William Morrison from Des Moines, Iowa develops a six-passenger electric wagon that is often considered the first practical electric vehicle in the United States. Electric cars become increasingly popular. First 12 electric cabs operate in New York City.
What was the first fastest electric car? ›It's official: The $2.1 million Rimac Nevera is the fastest electric car in the world. With a few disclaimers. The two-seat hypercar reached a top speed of 412 kilometers (256 miles) per hour Oct.
What was the first motor car? ›On January 29, 1886, Carl Benz applied for a patent for his “vehicle powered by a gas engine.” The patent – number 37435 – may be regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile. In July 1886 the newspapers reported on the first public outing of the three-wheeled Benz Patent Motor Car, model no. 1.
Is the Nissan LEAF the first electric car? ›Nissan is celebrating 10 years of the all-electric LEAF, the world's first mass-market electric vehicle (EV). The pioneering LEAF hit the roads in December 2010. First sold in Japan, Europe and America, it's now driven in 59 markets. Customers worldwide have bought more than half a million LEAF electric cars.
Is Tesla the first electric car? ›The very first electric car was invented in 1832 by Scottish inventor called Robert Anderson. In 1890, William Morrison created a successful electric car with a top speed of 22kmh. Tesla's 2008 Roadster was the world's first premium all-electric sedan.
What is the 49000 horsepower motor? ›A high temperature superconductor (HTS) developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation and tested by the U.S. Navy holds this title. It is the world's first 36.5 megawatt (49,000 horsepower) HTS ship propulsion motor.
Which type of electric motor is fastest? ›Brushless motors
They can operate at higher speeds (up to 100,000 rpm compared to 20,000 rpm for brushed motors). They have a longer service life (over 10,000 hours of operation)
What is the most horsepower ever put in a car? ›
1. Rimac Nevera (1,914hp)
Do electric cars engines last longer? ›For instance, you'll never have to get an oil change in an electric car. You'll never have to replace a timing belt or a head gasket, either. And while electric vehicles may eventually require battery replacement (see below), the motor itself is likely to last longer than a standard gasoline engine.
Are electric motors faster than gas? ›EVs accelerate faster than gas-powered cars and have more than enough speed for every-day usage. The reason for this is that electric motors are much simpler than internal combustion engines.
Do electric car engines last longer than gas engines? ›While battery life used to be a concern for prospective EV owners, modern technology has allowed EVs to last as long if not longer than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.
What is the most common type of electric motor? ›Induction motors are the most common and are rated for continuous duty operation. They're considered "asynchronous" motors due to the existence of a lag, or slip, between the rotating magnetic field produced by the stator and its rotor.
Do electric cars use 3 phase motors? ›All three major EV motor types use three-phase alternating current to set up a rotating magnetic field (RMF), the frequency and power of which are controlled by the power electronics that respond to the accelerator.
How was the electric motor revolutionary? ›The induction motor is one of the most important inventions in modern history. It turned the wheels of progress at a new speed and officially kicked off the second industrial revolution by drastically improving energy generation efficiency and making the long-distance distribution of electricity possible.
Which high school student has invented a motor that has the potential to make electric cars truly sustainable? ›This 17-Year-Old Designed a Motor That Could Potentially Transform the Electric Car Industry. Robert Sansone is a natural born engineer.
How can the student increase the speed of the electric motor? ›- Increasing the strength of current.
- Increasing the number of turns in the coil.
Electric car motor life expectancy
In ideal conditions, it has been suggested that the optimal lifespan is between 15-20 years. Compared to a combustion engine, an electric car motor has fewer parts, meaning reduced and easier maintenance.
Who improved the electric motor? ›
On 8 August Jacobi tests an improved electric motor with three-to four-fold the mechanical performance of his second machine of 1838 (about 1 kW).
Who built the first electric car in the US *? ›The first electric car in the United States was developed in 1890–91 by William Morrison of Des Moines, Iowa; the vehicle was a six-passenger wagon capable of reaching a speed of 23 kilometres per hour (14 mph).
Who designed first electric sports car? ›Follow us on: Follow us on: Lotus has revealed the first official sketch of its electric sports car following a collaboration between the automaker and battery cell company Britishvolt with a focus on the research and development of advanced new EV technology.
Who was the first electric motor? ›1834 – The first electric motor is made
History was made when Thomas Davenport of Vermont invented the first official battery-powered electric motor in 1834. This was the first electric motor that had enough power to perform a task and his invention was used to power a small-scale printing press.
By using a soft iron core. By increasing the number of turns in the coil.
What makes a strong electric motor? ›The strength of the motor (torque) is determined by voltage and the length of the wire in an electromagnet in the stator, the longer the wire (which means more coils in the stator) the stronger the magnetic field. This means more power to turn the rotor.
How do you speed up or slow down an electric motor? ›By modulating or changing the timing of these pulses, the speed of the motor can be controlled. So, the longer the pulse is “ON,” the motor will rotate faster, while conversely, the shorter the time the pulse is “ON,” the slower the motor will rotate.
Do electric cars expire? ›Electric vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries usually last for around 5-7 years easily.
Do fully electric cars last longer? ›The electrical system (battery, motor, and associated electronics) typically requires minimal scheduled maintenance, and brake systems generally last longer than those on conventional vehicles because of regenerative braking.
Do electric cars last longer than gas cars? ›While battery life used to be a concern for prospective EV owners, modern technology has allowed EVs to last as long if not longer than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.