Electric Heavy Truck Motors Leading a New Era of Green Transportation

The electrification of heavy-duty trucks is rapidly accelerating in response to the global energy transition and carbon neutrality initiatives. Heavy-duty trucks are vital to logistics and freight transport, and they are important in distributing goods within cities, transporting goods over long distances, and transporting goods around ports. The backbone of the industry will rely on the development and use of high-performance electric motors for truck applications.

Electric trucks are driven by electric motors that provide both power for operation, and drive per formance characteristics of the vehicle. High-performance electric motors are more reliable than diesel engines with respect to maximum power capability, maximum power conversion efficiency, and have the capability to convert the energy generated from braking into electrical energy that can be utilized to recharge the energy storage device and thereby extend the range of travel significantly for electric vehicles.

Currently, the two main types of electric motors used in electric heavy trucks are Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs) and Induction Motors with High Efficiency AC (HACIs). Both types of motors have been improved through advances in thermal resistance, service life, and reliability and are now capable of being used in harsh environments including highways, difficult terrain (mountains), and in other difficult operating environments (urban).

New technology continues to advance in truck motor design with motor suppliers leading the way with improvements to reduce weight, promote better thermal management for the motors, and add intelligent features to provide full monitoring and control of vehicle speed, distance, etc., and enable logistics companies to develop efficient logistics solutions.

Industry experts predict as electric battery energy density continues to improve and as the charging infrastructure continues to expand, the use of electric heavy freight motor applications will expand further and evolve. Electric motor manufacturers are continuing to create new technology by developing light-weight designs, improving thermal management, and developing intelligent controls to support the delivery of low-carbon freight and sustainable heavy freight transportation services.