As of November 2016, there were around 540,000 electric vehicles on the road in the United States. While this only equates to about .22% of vehicles in the country, this number is sure to rise soon with the increase in manufacturers releasing lines of electric cars. But what makes electric cars work in the first place? You might be surprised to learn that magnets play a large role.
How Do Electric Cars Work?
Electric vehicles store energy in batteries to power the electric motor and turn the wheels. Once the battery’s power is spent, it is necessary to recharge using grid electricity, usually from a wall socket. The battery not only powers the motor but also other functions of the car such as the windshield wipers and the headlights. Electric vehicles don’t produce tailpipe pollution because of their electric motors - they don’t even have tailpipes! In the motor, a stator housing is required to contain the moving parts. A rotor spins a shaft which creates torque. The stator and the rotor need to interact magnetically to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy.
Improving the Electric Car
During the early 1900s, electric vehicles made up 38% of all cars in the United States until the emergence of the internal combustion engine. After that, the number of electric cars on the road dropped down to practically zero. Today, the electric car is seeing a reemergence as green living and efforts to reduce pollution have increased. However, moving to an era of efficient electric cars is not as easy at it may seem. Many people assume that by improving the battery in electric cars, we will be able to increase the efficiency. The key is actually creating a lighter motor. In order to create a lighter but still efficient motor, it’s necessary to increase the strength of the motor’s magnetic field which will in turn, increase torque. Adding an iron core to the coil does exactly that. While it may increase the weight of the motor, it boosts magnetic-flux density by two orders of magnitude.
A big complaint around electric vehicles seems to be the lack of power. While it’s a great perk to have an environmentally friendly vehicle, we still love powering down the highways with speed. The more carmakers can improve the motors of electric vehicles, the more consumers will be interested in them.
We’re excited to see how electric vehicles continue to improve especially with the help of magnets! To stay up-to-date on all magnet-related news and advances, check out our blog.
