MAHLE Unveils Range Extender and Magnet-Free Motor for Trucks

Ahead of its showcase at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hanover, MAHLE has unveiled two key propulsion technologies designed to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission commercial vehicles: a compact range extender for battery-electric trucks and a permanent magnet-free electric motor. In response to commercial haulage challenges—such as sparse fast-charging infrastructure, long charging queues, and payload penalties associated with oversized batteries—MAHLE has already initiated pilot prototype projects with major commercial vehicle manufacturers.

The newly developed range extender combines an internal combustion engine, generator, thermal management system, fuel tank, and exhaust gas aftertreatment into a single, compact module that integrates into existing battery-electric chassis. Powered by an oil-cooled high-voltage generator delivering 110 kW continuous output (130 kW peak) with a power density exceeding 7 kW/kg, the unit replaces approximately one-third of a standard truck's battery pack. This reduces total vehicle weight by roughly 600 kg and rear axle load by 400 kg while providing an overall operating range of more than 800 km (400 km on battery power, 400 km via the generator). When powered by renewable fuels such as HVO100, the system operates with near-zero net carbon emissions.

Alongside the range extender, MAHLE announced the world premiere of its Contactless Transmitter (MCT) electric motor. Engineered for heavy-duty commercial vehicle drive axles, the MCT motor utilizes inductive, non-contact power transmission to energize the rotor, eliminating both permanent magnets and the need for rare earth elements. Delivering a peak output of 370 kW and over 900 Nm of torque, the 10-kg-lighter motor achieves 95% efficiency in the European VECTO driving cycle without the supply-chain vulnerabilities of critical raw materials.

Additional Context
This section provides technological and market background not explicitly detailed in the original release. Long-haul heavy commercial transport faces a fundamental physical constraint under pure battery electrification: battery packs engineered to achieve 800 km of continuous range can weigh between 4 to 6 tonnes. Under strict axle-load regulations and Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) limits, this battery mass directly cannibalizes paying cargo capacity, while the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) infrastructure required for fast turnaround remains in its infancy along major European freight corridors. A range extender acts as a bridge technology, dramatically shrinking battery pack size and cost while safeguarding fleet economics.

Simultaneously, MAHLE’s MCT motor addresses a major vulnerability in electric vehicle supply chains: reliance on rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium, which are heavily concentrated in single-nation processing monopolies and subject to volatile pricing. Conventional wound-field or externally excited synchronous machines (EESMs) eliminate permanent magnets but traditionally rely on mechanical slip rings and brushes that generate carbon dust and require periodic maintenance. By utilizing a contactless, high-frequency inductive transformer to excite the rotor windings across an air gap, the MCT motor delivers maintenance-free, brushless operation with high continuous torque, presenting a secure, circular-economy alternative for heavy-duty electric axles.

Edited by Lekshman Ramdas, Induportals editor – adapted by AI.

www.mahle.com