The future of regional aviation is a 94 kg hairpin winding oil-cooled beast that never overheats | Daily Reports Online
- The Fraunhofer IISB motor delivers 1,000 horsepower from a 94 kg package
- Power density reaches 8 kW per kg, beating typical EV motors
- A single motor matches three Tesla Plaid motors for total output
A new electric motor developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology delivers 1,000 horsepower from a unit roughly the size of a 12.5 kg gas cylinder and weighing just 94 kg.
The motor achieves a power density of 8 kW per kilogram, which exceeds typical EV motors that range between 2 and 4 kW per kilogram.
Even advanced aviation motors usually top out at 5 to 6 kW per kilogram, making this device a substantial leap forward.
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How hairpin windings and oil cooling deliver 1,000 hp from a 94 kg package
The motor uses 4 x 3 phase hairpin windings instead of conventional copper wire, allowing more copper to be packed into the same space.
This configuration produces higher current and more power while also providing better cooling and mechanical strength.
Direct oil spray cooling removes heat faster than traditional air cooling, enabling higher output without overheating.
The combination of these techniques allows the motor to remain compact, which is critical for aircraft applications where space and weight are at a premium.
For context, the Tesla Model S Plaid uses three motors to reach approximately 1,020 horsepower, while this single motor achieves nearly the same output alone.
Another major innovation is the motor’s use of NO15 steel, which measures just 0.15 millimeters thick – roughly half the thickness used in most electrical motors, and thinner steel produces fewer eddy currents.
Fewer eddy currents mean less heat and greater efficiency, especially at higher speeds. The new motor can operate at approximately 21,000 rpm.
It is also built with four independent sections, each with its own winding, inverter, and control system – so if one section fails, the other three keep running, which is critical for aircraft safety.
This motor was developed as part of Project AMBER, a European Union Clean Aviation program targeting hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric propulsion for regional aircraft.
The project aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from aviation by at least 30% compared to 2020-era regional aircraft.
Avio Aero’s Catalyst advanced turboprop engine pairs with the motor, and GE Aerospace also participates in the consortium.
However, Fraunhofer IISB developed the motor entirely from concept through validation, following aerospace standards.
A 94 kg motor producing 1,000 horsepower is objectively impressive, but the gap between a lab-validated prototype and certified aviation hardware remains substantial.
Project AMBER’s timeline is also ambitious, but whether hydrogen fuel cells can deliver reliable power for regional routes remains unproven.
Still, for an industry that measures progress in decades, this motor represents a genuine engineering achievement.
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