The Advanced Propulsion Centre in the UK has provided funding for a project to expand the production of an innovative electric motor that doesn't rely on rare-earth elements. Advanced Electric Machines (AEM), a sustainable motor manufacturer, is leading the SIMPLE project (Scaled-up Innovative Motor Production for Lower Environmental Impact) initiative. This project involves establishing a dedicated pilot production line to manufacture their patented SSRD passenger car motor technology.
Traditional electric motors often utilize rare-earth elements like neodymium in their permanent magnet design, which is commonly found in electric vehicles. However, extracting these naturally occurring materials can have detrimental environmental impacts.
AEM asserts that the widespread adoption of their motors, which can be crafted using only aluminium and steel, holds the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 133 million tonnes, cut down 300,000 tonnes of radioactive waste, and decrease landfill waste by five million tonnes annually.
Dr Andy Steven, the Chief Technical Officer of Advanced Electric Machines, noted that while the company has already made significant technological advancements through collaborations with industry and university partners, the additional funding will further enable the company to tackle the obstacles associated with expanding its commercial production operations.
“As we scale production on SSRD to hundreds of thousands of units per year, we need to understand how to optimise the manufacturing processes for high volumes while also meeting the cost and performance targets that our customers demand.”
Dr James Widmer, CEO and co-founder of Advanced Electric Machines, said, "This funding has the potential to transform the UK's supply chain by laying the foundations for a significant scale-up of sustainable motor manufacturing. This project's output will help create skilled jobs and facilitate further innovation in the UK."
Responses
