Investible and Breakthrough Victoria investee company Kite Magnetics has launched sales of what it claims is the world’s most powerful air-cooled electric aero engine.
The company unveiled the 120kW motor at the recent Avalon Air Show in Victoria.
The electric motor is more powerful than the engine of a small car but is much lighter that a car engine because of the use of Aeroperm, a lightweight magnetic material developed by Kite Magnetics.
According to Melbourne-based Kite Magnetics, the motor will enable a new generation of all-electric aircraft to stay in the air for longer making electric aircraft more viable for short flights which will potentially open up new air routes between underserved regional communities. The use of emissions-free electric aircraft will also help reduce carbon emissions for airlines.
Founder and chief executive Dr Richard Parsons said: “With our Aeroperm magnetic materials technology, we can reduce the energy wasted in parts of an electric motor by more than ten times. This means we can use air cooling even at very high power levels. This makes our motors simpler, more reliable and extremely lightweight.”
Kite mechanics expects to begin shipping orders for the new motor over the next 12 months.
Kite Mechanics was spun out of research at Monash University last year and has already raised $1.85 million from investors including Investible and Breakthrough Victoria.
Image: The Kite Mechanics team with their revolutionary engine.