Electrical Steel development for automotive electric motors (E-STATE)

Purpose and goal:

The objective is to develop new electrical steel grades to be used in stators and rotors of electrified vehicles, thereby enabling more efficient and/or cheaper electric vehicles. The new electrical steel grades will be evaluated through extensive material testing and evaluation of prototypes made with the new steel grades.

Expected results and effects:

The project will lead to increased knowledge about the parameters that affect important properties of electrical steels and how these properties in turn affect the performance of electric motors and vehicles. Expected effects are improved competitiveness for the entire value chain from steel to vehicles and a positive impact on the electrification of road transports and thereby on climate change.

Approach and implementation:

Heats with new chemical compositions are manufactured in the laboratory and their properties are evaluated. A full-scale production heat is made and processed into finished electrical steel grades of different thin gauges and their properties are evaluated. The impact of the electrical steel on the performance of electric motors and vehicles is evaluated through simulations. Prototype motors are designed and built from the full-scale manufactured steel and measured in test benches.