Engineers seeking to significantly improve the efficiency and performance of electric motors could benefit from using aluminium matrix composites (AMCs), according to research from the Innovate UK ‘Make it Lighter with Less’ R&D competition. As electrification increases, vehicle manufacturers are seeking to optimise motor efficiency maps, for example by improving the efficiency as a function of torque and speed that ultimately determines the energy consumption for vehicles. The industry faces the challenge of identifying ways to improve efficiency and performance, whilst simplifying manufacturing and overall cost.By adopting AMCs in rotor design, Alvant was able to realise further benefits. In an axial flux electric motor application, suitable for passenger cars, Alvant’s technology can not only save weight; the component’s lower mass and reduction in force means engineers may be able to eliminate the number of fixing bolts required, reducing the bill of materials and assembly time.