By replacing conventional electrical steel with ultrathin amorphous laminations, a hybrid motor architecture explores how reducing magnetic losses could improve drivetrain efficiency.
Horse Powertrain has introduced a hybrid transmission motor built around amorphous steel stator technology, aiming to improve electromagnetic efficiency in electrified powertrain systems. The design, referred to as the Amorphous Motor, focuses on reducing core losses within the motor while maintaining the output levels required for hybrid vehicle applications.
At the system level, improvements in motor efficiency can directly influence how effectively electrical energy is used within hybrid drivetrains. By reducing internal electromagnetic losses, the motor can improve energy conversion during propulsion and regenerative braking. When integrated into hybrid vehicle architectures, the design is expected to contribute to roughly a 1 percent reduction in overall vehicle fuel and energy consumption compared with conventional motor architectures.
These performance gains are linked to changes in how magnetic losses are managed inside the stator. The design reduces eddy current formation and iron losses that occur during magnetic flux cycling, two common sources of inefficiency in traction motors. According to the company, this approach reduces stator iron losses by around 50 percent compared with comparable motors that rely on conventional electrical steel. Lower core losses can also limit heat generation within the motor, which may support improved thermal stability during operation.
The improvements are achieved through the use of amorphous steel alloy laminations in the stator core. Unlike conventional electrical steel, amorphous steel offers higher magnetic permeability and lower hysteresis losses. The stator is assembled using laminations just 0.025 mm thick, roughly one tenth the thickness used in traditional motor constructions. The motor is specified to deliver peak output of 140 kW and 360 Nm of torque while reaching a maximum efficiency of 98.2 percent.
Ingo Scholten, Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Horse Powertrain, says that the development reflects continued work to refine electrified propulsion technologies. “The Amorphous Motor is an ideal tool to power a new generation of high efficiency range extended EVs, hybrids and plug-in hybrids.”
