5 Things You Need to Know About Electric Vehicle Drive Motors
The development of electric vehicles has been continuously evolving over time. However, there are many aspects that still need improvement to make electric cars work better. The emergence of electric cars is not a new phenomenon, but the technology used is an advancement of conventional drive technology.
Yes, fundamentally, electric cars operate with a system similar to other electrical appliances. The electric motor is the main component that can convert electrical energy into motion energy, including in electric cars. Now, to understand various aspects regarding this drive motor, let's take a look at the following facts.
The function of the drive motor to convert energy
Essentially, the drive motor of an electric car plays a very important role in the vehicle's function. Yes, the drive motor converts electrical energy from the battery into motion energy or torque in the vehicle. The torque produced in the vehicle arises from the electromagnetic induction of the magnetic field and the stator winding without electrical connections to the rotor.
Starting from a single-phase induction motor with static speed
The drive motor used in electric cars is fundamentally the same as the drive motor in a fan. However, the motion load required in electric cars is certainly much greater than the motion load in a fan. There are many combinations of components that need to be moved so that the motion energy can drive the vehicle's engine components.
Single-phase induction motors have started to be used with varying static speeds. This has provided an opportunity to develop the function of induction motors to be even better.
Developed into a three-phase induction motor
The development of the electric vehicle drive motor components was made by Galileo Ferraris and Nikola Tesla. The three-phase induction motor has a very strong and simple construction, making its performance far better than previous technologies. In terms of cost, the maintenance expenses of this drive motor are also lower.
The technological change in induction motors combined with transistors was used for the first time in electric cars. This combination of both systems is what was used in the production of the world's first mass electric car. Induction motors now only require transistors to turn the electric motor on and off using electromagnetism.
Refined with reluctance motor technology
The performance of induction motors still has shortcomings because they generate heat and waste energy. Therefore, induction motors were developed to function even better. The discovery of reluctance motor technology resulted in a type of drive motor with very high power density.
The function of the reluctance motor is quite ideal for producing one of the fastest electric cars, the Tesla Model S P100D. Indeed, there are still some minor drawbacks because the torque fluctuations are quite high at low vehicle speeds. However, this can still be addressed with electronic control.
To date, there are four types of electric cars available in the market, namely hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and fuel cell electric vehicles. However, the market price of electric cars in Indonesia is still relatively high due to the lack of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives for electric vehicles.
Nevertheless, the practical use of electric cars can significantly reduce fuel consumption. Energy use can also be utilized more efficiently without compromising the vehicle's function as a comfortable means of transportation. Well, when electric cars are available in Indonesia later, you can consider whether to use them or not.
Author: Rizkita Darajat
