Linear Labs makes some enormous claims about its innovative electric motor design: two to five times the torque, three times the power, 20 percent greater efficiency, less complex powertrains, no gearbox required
Credit: Linear Labs

A Texas-based startup has raised US$4.5 million in seed funding to develop and commercialize a remarkable electric motor technology. The father/son team claims the design can massively reduce the size and complexity of electric powertrains while also significantly boosting efficiency and doubling the torque output.

Electric cars are stunning performers off the line. In sprint tests they routinely humble high-performance combustion-engined cars many times more expensive than them. But in order to achieve this massive startup torque out of small-diameter, easily packaged motors, most of them use gearboxes. Not multi-speed gearboxes like you’d use with a combustion engine, but single-speed reduction boxes designed to let electric motors spin at high, efficient RPM while the wheels spin slower.

These gearboxes are heavy, complex and expensive – and potentially unnecessary, according to […]