Single Rotor Successfully Reaches 55,000 RPM
Rotating 55,000 times per minute—this represents a major technological breakthrough for the drive motor, which acts as the “engine” of new energy vehicles. Recently, a single rotor for electric vehicle drive motors, independently developed by BAIC Group’s Haina Chuan Company, successfully achieved an ultra-high speed of 55,000 revolutions per minute and received certification from an authoritative organization. The rotor’s speed has reached the current leading level in the industry.
Motor speed is one of the key indicators for measuring the performance of a new energy vehicle’s power system. Currently, among new energy vehicles on the road, even higher motor speeds are only around twenty to thirty thousand revolutions per minute. “A higher rotational speed can not only increase the vehicle’s top speed but also effectively optimize the motor’s volume and weight, thereby improving the vehicle’s high-speed cruising capability,” said a relevant company representative.
Breaking through in rotor technology tests comprehensive capabilities in material research and development, structural design, and precision manufacturing, requiring breakthroughs item by item—
In terms of materials, the company’s technical personnel successfully developed high-performance silicon steel material, providing a solid foundation for the motor’s high-speed stable operation. In structural and process design, carbon fiber winding technology, along with the optimization and exploration of the rotor structure’s topology, created conditions for further increasing the speed. In the manufacturing stage, precise control of the rotor’s weight allows the motor to maintain smooth operation even at extreme speeds, with performance and overall reliability improved by approximately 5%.
These technological breakthroughs were born in the Haina Chuan factory located in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, where multiple motor models have previously been mass-produced and launched. This is Beijing’s first automotive motor project, filling a crucial link in the Beijing new energy vehicle industry chain for the motor and electronic control segment.
The achievement of 55,000 RPM this time pertains to the single rotor speed. The “rotor” is just one of many components in the electric drive system, responsible for rotating the motor and driving the vehicle. Although there is still some distance to go before mass production of the complete electric drive unit, the breakthrough in single rotor speed precisely lays the foundation for future increases in motor speed and is expected to ultimately enhance the vehicle’s power performance.
The testing and validation of the ultra-high-speed rotor is the first step towards achieving an ultra-high-speed electric drive. “Having taken the first step, we will next explore how to break through key technologies such as bearings, reducers, and control algorithms that match the ultra-high-speed rotor, ultimately achieving ultra-high speed and ultra-compact size at the assembly level,” the aforementioned representative said.
Beyond new energy vehicles, this technology is also being explored for application in low-altitude economy equipment such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, meeting aviation-grade reliability requirements. As a core component platform under BAIC Group, Haina Chuan has gradually established full-stack in-house R&D capabilities covering key systems including dedicated hybrid transmissions, electric drive assemblies, motors, and motor controllers. Related products have begun achieving mass production since this year and have received market orders from multiple customers, with total lifecycle sales exceeding 27 billion yuan.