Axial flux motor developed by Orbis Electric delivers V8 engine torque while fitting within a wheel's confines
Introducing HaloDrive: A Revolutionary Electric Motor for Commercial Transportation
Orbis Electric, a motor-maker based in the UK, has unveiled a groundbreaking electric motor system called HaloDrive. This high-performance, modular axial flux motor-generator is designed for a variety of e-mobility applications, including commercial transportation such as trucking fleets.
Exceptional Torque Density and Efficiency
HaloDrive delivers an impressive torque density of 100 Nm/kg, outperforming conventional radial and axial flux designs. It operates at up to 97% efficiency, offering significant weight, size, and cost advantages compared to traditional motors. This makes it an ideal choice for powering electric transport refrigeration units (eTRUs) on commercial trucks, where efficiency, space, and weight savings directly impact operational costs and emissions.
Modular Design and Applications in eTRUs
The modular HaloDrive system can be configured both as a motor and as a generator, making it practical for powering auxiliary systems such as refrigeration units on commercial trucks. Its lightweight and compact axial flux design enables integration within vehicle axles or wheels, conserving space and reducing vehicle weight. The motor’s ability to operate efficiently as a generator allows energy recuperation during braking and kinetic energy recovery, converting it to electricity that can power the eTRU, reducing reliance on diesel-powered refrigeration and lowering fuel consumption.
Benefits of HaloDrive
The benefits of HaloDrive are numerous:
- High Efficiency (up to 97%): Reduces energy loss, improving fuel economy and lowering emissions when powering refrigeration.
- High Torque Density (100 Nm/kg): Enables a smaller, lighter motor that fits in constrained spaces like wheel hubs or axles.
- Modular, Tunable Architecture: Allows customization for different truck platforms and refrigeration power needs.
- Reduced Weight and Size: Facilitates higher payload capacity by minimizing unladen vehicle weight, improving overall efficiency.
- Improved Range and Fuel Savings: Vehicle weight reduction contributes to up to 20% improved driving range and, in one test, increased fleet fuel efficiency by 61%.
- Environmental Sustainability: Injection-molded plastic stator reduces material costs and environmental impact compared to rare-earth magnet-heavy motors.
Cost Savings with HaloDrive
The lightweight, modular design of HaloDrive reduces manufacturing complexity and material costs compared to traditional permanent magnet synchronous motors. Enhanced energy efficiency and regenerative braking capabilities reduce diesel fuel consumption by supplementing or replacing diesel-driven refrigeration power, leading to operational savings. Faster installation times (around three hours) also help fleet operators achieve better cost efficiency.
HaloDrive: A Game-Changer for Commercial Transportation
HaloDrive offers a significant step forward in the electrification of commercial transportation. Its versatility and advanced design support electrification efforts by improving fuel efficiency, operational flexibility, and sustainability while lowering total cost of ownership for trucking fleets. When HaloDrive replaces a diesel-powered TRU, it can deliver up to a 100% reduction in diesel fuel consumption and is 90% less expensive to operate. Marcus Hays, founder and CTO of Orbis Electric, notes that HaloDrive meets the immediate electrification needs across various industries, is compact and efficient, and positions businesses for future energy and sustainability standards. HaloDrive has already been piloted by passenger vehicle OEMs and heavy-duty truck fleets.
- In commercial transportation applications like trucking fleets, Orbis Electric's HaloDrive motor offers a significant advantage with its high-performance, axial flux design.
- The modular HaloDrive system can not only function as a motor but also as a generator, facilitating powering auxiliary systems and enabling energy recuperation during braking.
- By delivering an impressive torque density of 100 Nm/kg and operating at up to 97% efficiency, HaloDrive contributes to significant weight, size, and cost savings compared to traditional motors.
- HaloDrive's potential for environmental sustainability is shown through the use of injection-molded plastic stator, which reduces material costs and environmental impact.
- HaloDrive represents a game-changer for commercial transportation, lowering total cost of ownership for trucking fleets, delivering up to a 100% reduction in diesel fuel consumption, and positioning businesses for upcoming energy and sustainability standards.
