The world is facing a pressing need to shift towards sustainable transportation in order to combat climate change, reduce pollution, and preserve natural resources. One of the key aspects of achieving this goal is the design and development of efficient and eco-friendly electric motors. Motor design plays a crucial role in sustainable transportation, as it directly impacts the performance, efficiency, and environmental impact of vehicles.
Rory Brogan, is the Founder and CEO of Torev Motors, a company that has redesigned the electric motor to be more efficient while reducing the use of harmful rare earth metals to make the motors more sustainable. Rory was a recent guest on the Hardware to Save a Planet podcast, brought to you by Synapse, where he shared how the Torev Motor works. Rory also shared his insights on the importance of innovation, customer validation, and the five ‘T’s in the startup ecosphere.
Listen to the full podcast with the link at the end of the blog to get inspired by Torev’s mission to build a sustainable future and find out how their innovative motor design sets them apart from the competition.
Electric motors are clearly a key component of our energy transition, and we’ll need a lot of them to power all the EVs and wind turbines, among other things, to move away from fossil fuels towards more sustainable solutions. Rory and his team have invented a more efficient and sustainable electric motor that lowers the use of rare earth metals. The use of rare earth metals is a double-edged sword as their extraction generates effluent that contaminates air, water, and soil, and their geographic distribution could cause supply chain issues.
The Importance of Customer Validation and Five ‘T’s for Startups
A fundamental mistake many startups make is to assume that having a new technology is in and of itself enough to make a difference. The fact is that the idea is only 20% of the story, and you’re not going to start making a difference till you get customer validation based on your prototype. Rory unpacks a five ‘T’s framework to connect the idea with customer validation that includes the team, technology, total potential market, your traction in the market, and the terms of your funding deal.
“As a startup, you need to hold yourself to a framework, and I call it the five ‘T’s. It starts with your team, your tech, your total market, your traction, and eventually, the terms of the deal”.
The Dual Challenge in Electric Motors
Electric motors have been around for almost 200 years, and the dual challenge of today’s motor is how to make it more efficient and, hence, more economical while reducing the dependence on rare earth materials for greater sustainability. While sustainability is the cherry on top, any innovation has first to demonstrate an economic benefit, and that benefit comes from Torev’s dual-mode motor.
“And so the USP of our motor depends a lot on who we’re talking to, what the real advantage is for them. However, the economic benefit is a common underlier.”
An Under-the-Hood Look at Torev’s Motor
Almost all electric motors work on the principle of opposite and attracting magnetic fields. All motors have two parts: the stater, or the stationary part around which the coil is wound, and the rotor, which is the moving part. The Torev motor replaces the single coil with two coils that have opposite charges and thereby creates a higher magnetic flux that drives the rotor. The added efficiency increases battery range, thereby adding an economic benefit to the solution.
“We’ve taken the same basic idea of creating a very well-controlled magnetic field shape to achieve high efficiency, and we have implemented what’s referred to as a semi-toroidal field that lends itself to a very high-efficiency motor design.”
Collaboration between researchers, engineers, and manufacturers is crucial to drive innovation and push the boundaries of motor design for sustainable transportation. By fostering a culture of collaboration and encouraging research and development, we can accelerate the adoption of sustainable transportation solutions.
Motor design plays a pivotal role in enabling sustainable transportation. From improving efficiency and performance to achieving lightweight and compact designs, motor design directly impacts the overall sustainability of vehicles. By selecting appropriate materials, employing sustainable manufacturing processes, and integrating with renewable energy sources, motor designers can contribute to a greener and more sustainable transportation sector.
Continuous innovation and collaboration are key to driving the evolution of motor design and realizing the vision of a sustainable future.
Join Us on Hardware to Save a Planet
The Hardware to Save a Planet podcast explores the technical innovations that give us hope in the fight against climate change. Each episode focuses on a specific climate challenge and explores an emerging physical technology solution, with the person bringing it into reality.
To learn more about Torev Motors’ revolutionary design and the range of its potential applications, tune in to the latest episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, brought to you by Synapse.
Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3SqbgY5
Spotify: https://bit.ly/48ERwW9