With Electric Motors, Bikes Become Superbikes

At this year's Isle of Man TT Zero, the electric motorcycle racing series of the oldest motorcycle race in the world, Parker Hannifin equipped a total of three superbikes with the powerful GVM permanent magnet motors: In addition to Victory Racing, Parker also supported the teams from London's Brunel University and the University of Nottingham.

The electric motors used in 2016 offer a first-class power-to-weight ratio and a peak efficiency of 97%. With a diameter of only 19.1 cm and a length of 12.7 cm, the magnetic motor produces 177 hp. This enables the motorcycles to accelerate from 0 to 100 mph or 161 km / h in just 6 s; the top speed is around 275 km / h. In addition to the technical data, the race results speak for themselves: Victory Racing took second place at the Isle of Man TT Zero 2016, the universities from Nottingham and London came in third and fifth.

"Motorsport offers the perfect platform for developing cutting-edge technologies like our electric motors in the GVM family," said Kevin Holloway, Strategic Head of Vehicle Electrification at Parker Hannifin. "With the knowledge of the racetrack, we can further improve the products for our customers who develop hybrid and electric vehicles."

When developing the GVM permanent magnet motors used, Parker had to overcome two major challenges: On the one hand, the maximum performance had to be extracted from a compact motor with unchangeable installation space. On the other hand, the engine had to be efficient enough to be able to complete the entire race distance with the existing battery power.

When it came to engine cooling, Parker opted for internal water cooling because water can remove more heat than oil. Due to the developed water cooling system, the motor diameter did not increase, so that the motor has a smaller volume and thus a higher power density.

The motor, which is also available as a kit, can also be installed in other housings - a huge advantage for designers of superbikes, since the installation space is always very limited.

In addition to use in electric and hybrid vehicles, Parker's GVM permanent magnet motors can also be used in drive applications, electrohydraulic pumps, electric power steering or other auxiliary applications. (ud)