It was an impressive little workhorse, and this year, Mahle further refined it into a full drive unit, integrating two SCT motors and a cooling system into an all-electric truck axle with claimed 92% continuous power output and near-700-hp peak rating. The working axle essentially does more with less, using small motors for demanding tasks.
When it first revealed the SCT motor two years ago, Mahle detailed how the integrated oil cooling system enabled it to continuously dissipate heat and run at a high load of 90% peak for unlimited periods of time. Typically, motors have less efficient cooling and must run at a lower continuous power to prevent overheating and damage, resulting in a larger gap between continuous and peak power ratings.
The SCT was always designed to power a range of battery- and fuel-cell-electric vehicles, from light passenger cars to heavy-duty trucks and machinery. Mahle caps its new working electric axle with an SCT motor at each end to show how effective the small, efficient unit can be. With an oil cooling system integrated neatly within the axle, the two motors combine for a peak power of 697 hp (520 kW) and a continuous power of 644 hp (480 kW), further improving upon the original 90% figure with a continuous output of 92% of peak.
It's not hard to imagine why more power for longer is desirable, and Mahle has used the example of a heavy-duty fuel-cell truck cab to emphasize its utility. The steady high output at the rear wheels could allow such a truck to efficiently climb a hill or mountain in a way that would overheat and overwhelm a lesser electric drive. In fact, Mahle estimates the dual-SCT electric axle could push a 35-tonne fuel-cell-electric truck up and over the Brenner Alpine mountain pass between Austria and Italy 10% faster than a diesel truck, shaving roughly 3.5 minutes off the commute from Innsbruck to Bolzano. More of this article (New Atlas) - link - more like this (electric motors) - link - more like this (Germany) - link
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