Project Summary

Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) account for 80% of domestic freight movement in the UK and contribute to 20% of land transport emissions, yet the electrification of HGVs (eHGVs) remains slow due to high costs, limited range and reduced payload caused by increased vehicle weight. Battery innovation has dominated electrification efforts, however electric motors – the second heaviest and most expensive component – have often been overlooked. Typical eHGV motors weigh500kg each and eHGVs require between two and four motors;using costly, carbon-intensive rare-earth magnets. This project will deliver the Coolshaft-HD proof of concept, a proprietary sealed rotor cooling system that enables significant motor downsizing by improving thermal management, reducing the motor size, weight and cost by 40%, with further benefits of increased eHGV range and reduced rare earth magnet dependence by 40%.? The project will produce a prototype-ready design for further testing with Tier 1 manufacturers to accelerate adoption and scalability.