Development of Traction Motor for Fuel Cell Vehicle

This motor adopted a salient pole type surface permanent magnet rotor, which enables it both to produce reluctance torque and to minimize the use of magnets. The inductance value is set at the limit value enabling output at the maximum rotor speed, which suppresses field-weakening current. The utilization of the magnets enables continuous operation at the maximum rotor speed by suppressing eddy current loss by means of magnet surface insulation and magnet segmentation. Strength reliability at high rotor speeds has been assured by applying the Weibull-theory as a method of evaluating the strength of magnets.