Regional Jets May Soon Be Electric Thanks to MIT Breakthrough

Researchers at MIT have unveiled a compact lightweight design for a megawatt-scale electric motor that could facilitate the electrification of larger aircraft. The aviation industry’s weight restrictions have made it challenging to match the power-to-weight ratios of jet engines with electric motors. The MIT team’s design features a rotor with interior permanent magnets and a stator with densely coiled copper wires, enabling the generation of a strong magnetic field to drive the motor.

The motor is expected to weigh 57.4 kilograms and achieve a specific power of 17 kilowatts per kilogram, surpassing the requirements for powering large electric aircraft. Thermal management, achieved through air-cooled heat exchangers, was also a critical consideration in the design. Megawatt-scale electric motors could have an impact on aviation, particularly in hybrid systems and unconventional aircraft configurations, even before battery technology fully catches up.