At 17, a Florida teen built an EV motor that could reduce rare-earth dependence

The teenager’s garage-built motor model has received considerable attention far beyond science competitions, because it addresses the major technical issues in the electric vehicle industry: reliance on rare-earth magnets.

The invention by a Florida teenager, Robert Sansone, who was 17 when the project gained wider attention, involved building a motor model aimed at eliminating rare-earth magnets from electric vehicle motors. Well, the concept of invention did not arise as a breakthrough in technology. Instead, it used a well-known motor type, the synchronous reluctance motor. This type of motor has long been studied as a replacement for traditional motors that relied heavily on magnets.

What made this invention even more special was not just the inventor’s age, but also the fact that the same task was already being tackled worldwide by governments, laboratories, and manufacturers.

Why rare-earth magnets matter in EVs
According to the US Department of Energy (DOE), most traction motors in electric and hybrid vehicles are made from rare-earth permanent magnets due to their strong efficiency and performance. At the same time, the agency also emphasised that dependency on rare-earth minerals can cause challenges for manufacturers.

Rare earth minerals are listed among the critical resources necessary for developing different energy technologies, including transportation systems. According to the DOE, increasing interest in domestic recovery and alternative supply chain development has emerged due to concerns related to supply reliability. That concern is reflected in academic research as well. A 2023 review published in Materials, available via PuMED, noted that neodymium-iron-boron magnets are widely used in traction motors because they offer high magnetic energy density.

A project built on existing engineering
AWhat is notable about Sansone’s achievement is that his approach is based on an existing motor system architecture rather than an entirely experimental concept. Reportedly, synchronous reluctance motors are among the potential candidates for vehicles, along with induction and switched reluctance motors. This is critical to understand, as it means the teenager’s invention fits into a much broader ongoing discussion in the field of engineering.

Unlike those who claim to reinvent electric engines, Sansone’s prototype attempts to improve a motor technology that could possibly help in reducing dependence on rare-earth materials. That is the core of the engineer’s interest.

Based on some findings, avoiding and minimising the use of rare-earth magnets in motor technologies can help mitigate supply instability and the effects of higher material costs. That being said, reports indicate that alternative motors still face technical issues related to efficiency, power density, and durability.

More than a science fair story
Guess why this story resonates? Because it merges both human familiarity and a genuine engineering hindrance. This isn’t the first time some teen’s invention has grabbed attention. However, Sansone’s invention stands out in the fact that it carries weight as the underlying challenge is real and unresolved. Even after years of governmental, scientific, and manufacturing effort, humanity has yet to devise a reliable method to make electric vehicles less reliant on strategically valuable materials, without compromising performance.

That does not imply that the Florida student has found a solution. The narrative illustrates why permanent magnet motors are chosen and how difficult it might be to develop an effective substitute.

The fact that innovation in electric vehicles can appear anywhere is more significant in this case. Sometimes it starts with a teenager trying to solve one of the most enduring bottlenecks in the industry while tinkering with a motor design in a workshop. Isn’t that really inspiring?