A Birmingham-based metal processing company, HyProMag, has announced its involvement in the £11m PULSE project, which aims to develop the first In-Wheel Motors (IWM) using recycled magnets. The project seeks to establish a flexible assembly line for power electronics systems, targeting the reduction of carbon emissions.
The innovative IWM technology delivers power directly to a vehicle’s wheels, improving torque response, handling, acceleration, charging frequency, and driving range. A key feature of the project is HyProMag’s use of its patented Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap (HPMS) technology, developed at the University of Birmingham, to produce magnets from recycled materials.
Funded partly by the UK Government through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), the PULSE project involves a consortium of partners, including Protean Electric, Unipart Manufacturing, Viritech, Transense Technologies, Coventry University, and the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG). HyProMag is fully owned by Maginito, with Mkango and CoTec Holdings as stakeholders.
William Dawes, CEO of HyProMag, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the role of HPMS technology in advancing rare earth magnet recycling. Dr Rob Arnold, HyProMag’s technical manager, emphasized the project’s commitment to sustainability, marking a world-first by incorporating recycled magnets into Protean’s IWM technology, reducing embedded CO2 in the process.