One of the parts that has been a major force behind the world’s gradual shift from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles is the motor.
Permanent magnet motors, which have an efficiency of 90% and are now thought to be the best option, are used in the majority of electric vehicles.
Nonetheless, a number of alloys used to make permanent magnets also contain rare earth minerals, which presents a number of difficulties. Deep tech start-up Chara Technologies, based in Bengaluru, is working to find a solution to this problem by creating motors devoid of rare earth minerals.
The voyage
The start-up’s co-founder and CTO, Mahalingam Koushik, adds, “‘Chara’ means motion.”
The global energy economy is shifting from one dependent on fossil fuels to one based on electrons. A motor is the primary device in the new energy economy that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy. We are attempting to offer a solution in this area.
The goal when Koushik and Bhaktha Keshavachar (CEO of Chara) joined together to launch a new business was to create something for the EV market, which is expanding and would therefore require new technology. Since most motors and controllers were imported, they saw that motors presented an opportunity for innovation.
The pair was quickly joined by Chara’s Chief Motor Designer, Ravi Prasad, and the business was officially registered in 2019.
The background
Induction motors and permanent magnet motors are the two types of motors that are typically utilized, depending on the type of application.
The average efficiency of induction motors, which are commonly found in home appliances, is roughly 70%.
Although permanent magnet motors have a 90% efficiency rate, they are more expensive and require complex mining and extraction of the rare earth minerals they need. This leads to irregularities in the material’s availability and constraints in the supply chain.
Another issue is that China controls 90% of its extraction, which leaves manufacturers very dependent on that nation.
According to Koushik, “rare earth minerals are named so because the content of each element in the ore is very less, not because they are rare.”
Motors require elements like neodymium and dysprosium, although just a few grams of each element can be found in a ton of ore.
Since their atomic weights and sizes are so close, these elements are found together. It therefore requires a lot of chemical processing and chemical leaching agents to remove them from each other. Furthermore, radioactive waste is produced by certain rare earth elements, which are radioactive. Therefore, it is not scalable environmentally.
The technology of Chara
The team at Chara claims that its motor is built using synchronous reluctance motor technology, which enables them to create motors that function just as well as permanent magnets without the cost issues that come with the latter.
“We will be anywhere between 15 and 30 percent less expensive than permanent magnet motors, depending on the power rating,” asserts Koushik.
The motor, the controller that powers the motor, and the software are all provided by the start-up.
We have made significant advances in controllers, motor design, and controller algorithms. We have successfully attained a very high power density and stable performance. Both in labs and in real-world cars, these motors and controllers have undergone testing, says Koushik.
In addition, the team is creating a cloud platform where the information gathered from the motors and controllers will be utilized for analytics and the creation of a digital twin, which will aid in diagnostics, predictive dynamics, and product enhancements.
Several uses
Currently, the company is developing motors for four-wheel vehicles, such as tractors and commercial vehicles, three-wheel vehicles (including passenger and cargo), and two-wheel vehicles.
The group is also developing a mid-size SUV-appropriate 125 kilowatt peak motor. A portion of the manufacturing is outsourced, while the majority is done internally.
The majority of motors and controllers on the market today are either imported or produced domestically by reputable MNCs. What we are doing is restricted end-to-end localized manufacturing and development.
According to Koushik, this gives the team greater control over design and supply. “We develop the products end to end—the motor design, electromagnetic design, mechanical design, thermal design, and structural analysis; and then when it comes to the controller, electronics design, thermal design, mechanical design for the enclosure and the heat sync, and the software that runs on the controller,” Koushik says.
Moving ahead
Given the novelty of the market and the anticipated expansion in the segment in the near future, the Chara team is largely focusing on the EV segment, even though the motor and controller have numerous uses, including EV, industrial use, HVAC, and appliances.
Additionally, we are examining industrial applications where efficiency and sustainability are crucial. Our motors will be a great option if individuals are focusing more on operating costs.
As of right now, the company says it has fourteen distinct clients placing early purchases, with each customer purchasing between ten to fifteen of the goods. According to Koushik, about thirty units have been shipped thus far.
In 2021, the start-up that was awarded the first grant from the IISc MSME Centre of Excellence successfully secured funds for the first time. Leading the investment was Kalaari Capital, with IIMA Ventures also participating. It secured further funds in December 2022, with Exfinity Venture Partners leading the round.
Koushik states, “We would like to deploy the motor in large numbers in the coming days now that we have proven the technology.” The issue of rare earth minerals is not specific to India; it affects the entire world. Thus, we want to develop our solutions.
