Talks to Watch

Tesla Model 3's motor - The Brilliant Engineering behind it

8M views · Dec 18, 2020 · 12:08 · 2 HN recommenders · 5 mentions · discussed 2020–2022

An engineering explainer on why Tesla abandoned the induction motor for the Model 3 and used an IPM-SynRM design. It covers the reluctance torque and permanent magnet principles behind the choice.

Why Hacker News points people here: HN recommends it as a clear explanation of the Model 3 motor and reluctance rotor design.

“This youtube video describes it rather well, and I'd recommend giving it a watch”HN comment, 2022

What Hacker News said 5

RecommendssorenjanDec 2020

“have been surprisingly good.”

Surprisingly good engineering explainers

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Youtube has recommended a few videos from the channel Learn Engineering that have been surprisingly good. For example: this video

in “1937 film explains how a car differential works” · view on HN
Recommendslondons_exploreAug 2022

“This youtube video describes it rather well, and I'd recommend giving it a watch”

Explains Model 3 motor's reluctance rotor design

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A tesla Model 3 motor already is partially a reluctance motor. This youtube video describes it rather well, and I'd recommend giving it a watch [1]. Notice the air gaps - thats the reluctance part of the rotor. [1]: this video

in “A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor” · view on HN
Cites itiknowstuffApr 2021

“They used a totally different motor called IPM-SynRM.”

Explains why Tesla chose IPM-SynRM motor in Model 3

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> The engineers of Tesla motor's shocked everyone when they abandoned the versatile induction motor in Model 3 cars. They used a totally different motor called IPM-SynRM. Let's understand why the Tesla engineers made this crucial design change. this video

in “Lithium battery costs have fallen by 98% in three decades” · view on HN
Cites itb3njiAug 2022

Quoting parent's recommendation of the Model 3 motor video

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> A tesla Model 3 motor already is partially a reluctance motor. This youtube video describes it rather well, and I'd recommend giving it a watch [1]. Notice the air gaps - thats the reluctance part of the rotor. > [1]: this video I dont think he's using air gaps? "Instead of using air gaps, Sansone thought he could incorporate another magnetic field into a motor."

in “A 17-year-old designed a novel synchronous reluctance motor” · view on HN
Cites itilytNov 2022

“They went into a lot of effort to optimize it over RPM range.”

Shows the Model 3 uses an IPM-SynRM motor

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> What sort of motor do you think a Tesla model 3 uses, for example? IPM-SynRM this video They went into a lot of effort to optimize it over RPM range. If you want to make a point use real motor curves at least. Your graph suggests it goes to sub 20% efficiencies at low speed which is completely false and would suggests way higher gains from gearbox than in reality. Hell, it would suggest ICE like performance, it's THAT bad.

in “The stick shift might survive the electric revolution” · view on HN