It's hardly surprising that electric and hybrid car' motors differ significantly from typical internal-combustion engines. The rare-earth magnets that help power electric and hybrid vehicles can be rather complex to fabricate, despite having fewer moving parts. We specialize in permanent magnets and their numerous applications here at Viona Magnetics, and work with you from design through manufacturing on all your magnet needs! Let's look at the role of magnets in electric and hybrid motors in more detail.

The Importance of Permanent Magnets in Electric Motors

Electric motors use magnets as a main component. A motor works by spinning a coil of wire surrounded by strong magnets. The magnetic field produced by the electric current created in the coil opposes the magnetic field produced by the powerful magnets. This creates a repulsive effect, much like putting two north-pole magnets next to each other. The coil spins or rotates at a fast speed because of this repulsion. This coil is connected to an axle, and its rotation drives the vehicle's wheels. Depending on the design, an average electric or hybrid car will use 4 to 12 pounds of rare earth magnets and can be found in a variety of automotive components.

What is a Hybrid Vehicle?

A hybrid vehicle moves by combining at least one electric motor with a gasoline engine. The electric motor does all the work occasionally, the gas engine does it other times, and sometimes they work together. As a result, less gasoline is burnt, resulting in higher fuel economy.

All hybrids use a high-voltage battery pack that is recharged by absorbing energy from deceleration that would otherwise be wasted to heat created by the brakes in traditional cars. This is accomplished using regenerative braking. The gas engine is also used to charge and maintain the battery in hybrids. Car manufacturers utilize various hybrid designs to achieve various goals, ranging from optimum fuel efficiency to keeping vehicle costs as low as feasible.

wire surrounded by strong magnets. The magnetic field produced by the electric current created in the coil opposes the magnetic field produced by the powerful magnets. This creates a repulsive effect, much like putting two north-pole magnets next to each other. The coil spins or rotates at a fast speed because of this repulsion. This coil is connected to an axle, and its rotation drives the vehicle's wheels. Depending on the design, an average electric or hybrid car will use 4 to 12 pounds of rare earth magnets and can be found in a variety of automotive components.

The Future of Rare Earth Permanent Magnets in Electric Vehicles

The rising demand for electric vehicles is predicted to result in a similar increase in demand for magnetic systems by 2030. Rare earth magnets are expected to continue to play a key role in the design of hybrid engines as well as electric motor components. Analysts predict that to keep up with the growth in demand the following steps will be taken:

• Neodymium magnet producers have increased their output.
• New neodymium reserves are being developed.
• Neodymium magnets used in electronics, cars, and other applications are being recycled more frequently.

Use Viona Magnetics for All Your Permanent Magnet Needs!

To get started, fill out our quote request form. Our friendly sales team will get back to you as soon as possible, or you can call us at 1-800-390-5650 for immediate assistance. Viona Magnetics is preferred by operations all over the world for our expertise, product range, pricing flexibility, custom solutions, and more. We will be happy to work on your next project's application.