Nanyang Technological University scientists have made a notable breakthrough in electric vehicle technology. The scientists on board developed a 2-in-1 electric motor system which will increase the range of electric vehicles. The project was fully supported with the aid of the German Aerospace Centre. The prototype device combines a traditional electric motor with the air con compressor unit, drastically reducing the amount of space taken up by the parts, and the result of the merge? The electric motor acts more efficiently when powering the car's wheels, it's estimated that a further 20% range will be gained.
The innovative invention recently beat 19 other entrants in the TECO Green Tech International Contest and took home the Best Originality Award. The competition was held in Taiwan, and included the likes of Boston University and The University of California (UCLA).
A professor involved in¬ the project, Prof Mhaisalkar stated "This integrated design solution for air conditioning will go a long way in reducing the range anxiety of drivers, reduce maintenance costs, and will save time and money for the driver."
Although, don't expect to see this feature in your standard low emission model any time soon. The German Aerospace Centre still have some fine tuning to do on the prototype before it could realistically be rolled out across the board. Although, if it does pass the test, it would reflect in the cost, combining the two will mean lower production costs, which then in turn would affect the purchasing price for consumers.
Any advancement which lowers the cost of production and purchase, as well as improving range in one combined move can only be a good thing.