Rated and Overload Capability of a Synchronous PM Spoke Motor for e-bike Application

The electric bicycle industry is experiencing a rapid transformation, becoming increasingly popular as a form of urban transportation. This study presents the analysis of a typical electric motor configuration used in such application. The focus is on the nominal and overload capability, evaluated through both finite element simulations and experimental tests. Motor nominal and overload capabilities are examined. Thermal behaviour is determined through thermal test and a thermal network is built to predict the temperature during various motor operations. Maximum torque and power that the motor can deliver, maximum speed achievable are calculated. An esteem of the efficiency during nominal and overload operation is carried out, based on losses computation. The capability of the motor is linked to the possible ground tilt that can be overcame. Finally, according to a given drive cycle, the motor performance and the winding temperature are predicted based on the magnetic and thermal model.