- Fraunhofer IISB engine generates 1,000 horsepower in a 94 kg package
- Power density reaches 8 kW per kg, surpassing typical electric motors
- A single motor combines three Tesla Plaid motors for total power
A new electric motor developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology generates 1,000 horsepower from a unit about the size of a 12.5kg gas cylinder and weighing just 94kg.
The motor achieves a power density of 8 kW per kilogram, which exceeds typical electric motors that range between 2 and 4 kW per kilogram.
Even advanced aircraft engines typically max out at 5 to 6 kW per kilogram, making this device a substantial advance.
Article continues below.
How fork windings and oil cooling generate 1,000 hp in a 94 kg package
The motor uses 4 x 3 phase spade windings instead of conventional copper wire, allowing more copper to be packed into the same space.
This configuration produces higher current and more power while providing better cooling and mechanical strength.
Direct oil spray cooling removes heat faster than traditional air cooling, allowing for higher performance without overheating.
The combination of these techniques allows the engine to remain compact, which is critical for aeronautical applications where space and weight are at a premium.
For context, the Tesla Model S Plaid uses three motors to achieve approximately 1,020 horsepower, while this single motor achieves almost the same power on its own.
Another important innovation is the use of NO15 steel in the motor, which measures just 0.15 millimeters thick, about half the thickness used in most electric motors, and thinner steel produces fewer eddy currents.
Less eddy currents mean less heat and higher efficiency, especially at higher speeds. The new engine can run at approximately 21,000 rpm.
It is also built with four independent sections, each with its own winding, inverter and control system, so that if one section fails, the other three continue to operate, which is critical for the safety of the aircraft.
This engine was developed as part of Project AMBER, a European Union Clean Aviation program aimed at hybrid electric propulsion with a hydrogen fuel cell for regional aircraft.
The project aims to reduce aviation carbon dioxide emissions by at least 30% compared to 2020-era regional aircraft.
Avio Aero’s advanced Catalyst turboprop engine is paired with the engine, and GE Aerospace is also involved in the consortium.
However, Fraunhofer IISB developed the engine entirely from concept to validation, following aerospace standards.
A 94kg engine producing 1,000 horsepower is objectively impressive, but the gap between a lab-validated prototype and certified aviation hardware remains substantial.
Project AMBER’s timeline is also ambitious, but it has not yet been demonstrated whether hydrogen fuel cells can deliver reliable power for regional routes.
Still, for an industry that measures progress in decades, this engine represents a true engineering achievement.
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