A couple of years ago, back in 2022, Mahle presented the Super Continuous Torque (SCT) motor at the IAA Transportation, an electric machine capable of operating continuously at 90% of its maximum power. Now it is time to refine the system, turning it into an all-wheel drive unit, integrating two SCT motors and a cooling system into an electric truck axle with a continuous power output of 92% and a maximum power of almost 700 HP .
When the SCT engine was introduced, Mahle explained how the integrated oil cooling system It allowed it to continuously dissipate heat and operate at a high load of 90% of its maximum power for unlimited periods of time. Engines tend to have less efficient cooling. That is why they operate at a lower continuous power, to avoid overheating and damage. In this way, the gap between the continuous and maximum power figure is accentuated.
The SCT was designed with electric vehicles with batteries and fuel cells in mind, from passenger cars to trucks and heavy-duty machinery. With a shaft-integrated oil cooling system, the two engines combine to achieve 697 hp (520 kW) and a continuous power of 644 hp (480 kW). They improve the original figure of 90% with continuous output, reaching 92% of maximum power.
Why is more power for longer periods of time desirable? Imagine a heavy truck with a fuel cell going up a pass: with continuous maximum power on one axle it would overheat. With this electric twin axle it could, according to Mahle, propel a 35-tonne fuel cell electric truck over the Brenner Alpine mountain pass (between Austria and Italy) 10% faster than a diesel truck. This would save about 3.5 minutes on the trip from Innsbruck to Bolzano.
These SCT units could power agricultural or construction machinery at full load for extended periods of time, allowing them to get more work done. In a sports coupe it could be accelerated to maximum several times in a short period of time, ideal for making several overtakes in a row.
Mahle assures that the SCT engine technology and the accompanying liquid cooling system are ready for series production. He also reiterated that the motor can do without permanent magnets, combining SCT and MCT (Magnetless Contactless Transmitter) technologies in a single “perfect motor.”
