SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND

ENGINEERING

Introduction to Electronics and Electrical Power &

Machines (ENG60904)

Assignment Title : Research on Series DC Motor

Lecturer : Ts. Dr. Nohaidda Sariff
Submitted Date: : 4/12/2023

Member Name of Group Lab Report Item/total marks Marks

No.
ID Members Format/10
Abstract and
1 0354043 Edwin Sugiharto
Introduction/10
Figures and Diagrams/5
2
Main content /45
3 General Results and
Discussions/20
4 Conclusion and
References/Appendix /10

5 Total /100
Table of Contents

Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 1

1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 Operation Principles of DC and AC Machines ................................................................ 3

1.2 Type of DC and AC Machine .......................................................................................... 6

2.0 Details Construction of Series DC Motor ....................................................................... 8

3.0 Working Mechanism of Series DC Motor ...................................................................... 9

4.0 Real-Time Series DC Motor Application ..................................................................... 10

5.0 Calculating Performances Evaluation ........................................................................... 13

6.0 Results and Discussion ................................................................................................. 18

7.0 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 19

8.0 References .......................................................................................................................... 20

Abstract
Electric machines can be divided into DC and AC machines. DC machine is a machine that
works using direct current while AC machine is a machine that works using alternating current.
Both DC and AC machine can be used as motor or generator. The main components of electric
motors are the stator (static part) and rotor (rotating part). DC series-wound motor is a type of
motor that its field winding and armature winding is connected in series. Series DC motor
provides high torque at low speed and is widely used as traction motor. Fiat Panda Elettra that
was produced in 1990 in Italy is one of few electric vehicles that uses series DC motor. The
limited documentation of Fiat Panda Elettra makes some important information such as
specification and performance are unknown. Several calculations are performed to find torque,
efficiency, maximum angular speed, and coefficient (𝐾𝜙) of the motor. The results can be used
to complete existing information.

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1.0 Introduction
Electricity current is divided into two types, which are Direct Current (DC) and Alternating
Current (AC) (Hughes, 2008). Direct current characterized by unidirectional flow of electric
charge with stable voltage. Because if this reason DC current is commonly used to charge
batteries. On the other hand, AC is characterized by its voltage varying in sinusoidal form,
creating an oscillated waveform that moves between positive and negative value. The inductive
effect in alternating current that generating inductance and reactance phenomena makes it less
efficient to be transmitted in the long-distance transmission system. However, alternating
current was selected as the standard of power transmission system due to its simplicity to be
converted to DC (using rectifier system) (Farzaneh, Farokhi, & Chisholm, 2012). In current
technology, it is less efficient and more difficult to convert DC to AC than AC to DC. Figure
1 shows comparison of DC and AC waveform.

Figure 1: Comparison of DC and AC waveform.

Electromagnet is a kind of magnet that is generated by

flows of the current at a conductor (Alexander & Sadiku,
2013). The connection between direction of magnetic
field and direction of the current through a conductor can
be visualized using The Curl Right Hand Rule as can be
Figure 3: The Curl Right Hand Rule.
seen in Figure 2. The rules use thumb to show direction
of the current and other finger to show direction of the
magnetic field. There is a phenomenon that occurred on
current-carrying conductor at a magnetic field named
motor effect where a force is generated to the current-
carrying conductor. The Fleming’s Left Hand Rule uses
middle finger to show the direction of a current, index
finger to indicate the direction of the mechanic field, and
Figure 2: Fleming's Left Hand Rule. thumb represents the direction of the force (Figure 3).

2
Electric machines are devices that are used to convert electric current to mechanical energy
(motor) or mechanical energy to electric current (generator). Electric machines can be divided
into DC machines and AC machines. The main concept of these energy conversions utilizes
the action of magnetic field. Commonly, an electric machine (either AC or DC) can be used as
a motor or generator. For example, if electric current is supplied to a DC machine, the rotor
will be moving, therefore it will be called DC motor. However, if the rotor is rotated manually
by hand, the DC machine will generate electricity current in its input pins and act as DC
generator. This concept is explained in Faraday’s law that states if the current-carrying
conductor is placed in a magnetic field, the conductor will experience a force (Agamlo,
Jouanne, & Yokochi, 2020). Figure 4 shows brushless motor used in electric vehicles while
Figure 5 shows the use of generator inside a wind turbine to produce electricity.

Figure 4: Brushless motor used in EV. Figure 5: Brushless generator used in wind turbine.

1.1 Operation Principles of DC and AC Machines

Both DC and AC motors utilize electromagnet principles to produce a rotation movement. The
main difference between DC and AC motor is located at their input current. Direct current is
used in DC motor while alternating current is used in AC motor. For further understanding,
basic construction and working principles of both electric machines will be explained in further
paragraphs.

DC Machine
In general, DC machine components can be divided into stator and rotor as shown in Figure 6
and Figure 7. The stator consists of components of machine that remain static (not moving)
during the machine operation. The rotor consists of machine components that rotate during the
operation.

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 Figure 6: Stator and rotor in a dc machine. Figure 7: Basic DC machine component.

The working principle of DC machine includes a current-carrying coil (conductor) that

positioned between two different magnet poles as shown in Figure 8 (Hughes, 2008). When
a current flows through the coil, it becomes magnetized. Using the right-hand rule, the polarity
of a magnet can be known. Referring to Figure 8, when a current flows at the left side of the
coil, the left side of the coil becomes the north pole, and the right side becomes the south pole.
Therefore, the coil will rotate clockwise since the polarity of the coil is opposite of the magnet
polarity. After rotating around 180 degrees, the coil polarity will be switched caused by the
electric current that flows through the opposite direction from the initial condition. Hence, the
rotor will continue to rotate again continuously.

Figure 8: Basic working principles of DC machine. Figure 9: Example of brushed pmdc motor.

For example, a real brushed permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor will consist of a
commutator, armature winding, rotor (armature housing), permanent magnet, brushes (usually
carbon), shaft, and cooling fan (Figure 9). The permanent magnet is located below the outer
shield of the motor. The current from the power supply will be connected to the commutator
by some brushes. Commutator connected to armature winding inside the rotor. A motor uses
multiple winding to ensure stability. The number of turns of the wire in a winding determines
the strength of the magnetic field which will also determine the speed of the motor. The input
current will flow from commutator through the armature winding and back to commutator
again before it goes to negative side of the power supply. The armature winding will rotate
together with the motor shaft.

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AC Machine
In AC machine, the shaft rotates based on principles of
electromagnetic induction. Unlike in DC machines, the AC
input is flowing at the field winding to generate rotating
magnetic field (Figure 10). For the rotor part, it can be a loop of
wire, squirrel cage shaped metal, or another conductor that can
rotate freely. The stator will be powered using AC current, hence
Figure 10: Basic operation of AC there are positive-half and negative-half of the waveform that
motor.
will create continuously-changing magnetic pole. Alternating current will flow through each
pair of field winding (stator) in a sequence to make a rotating magnetic field. According to
Faraday’s law, the conductor or coil inside the rotor will be induced as the magnetic field keeps
moving around it. Furthermore, Lenz’s law states that this induced conductor will try to stop
this induction. Therefore, the rotor (conductor) will chase and follow the rotation of the
magnetic field to remove to eliminate the relative speed difference, which causes the induction,
between the two. Figure 11 displays the components of AC motor.

Figure 11: Components of AC motor.

Figure 12 and Figure 13 show the working principle of two-phase AC motor. In T0, the first
phase (blue) will be in its peak of positive half and attract the rotor to vertical position, pointing
upward. Next, in T2 the second phase will be in its peak while the first phase will be zero. This
will attract the rotor to be in horizontal position (left). After that, in T4, the first phase will be
in the peak of second half hence will attract the rotor to continue rotating again (pointing
downward). Next in the T6, the second phase will be in its second half (peak negative) and
attract the rotor to point to the right. This cycle will be repeated every 360 degrees.

5
 Figure 12: Example of 2-phase AC motor1 (EEQnA, 2016). Figure 13: 2-phase AC 2 (EEQnA, 2016).

1.2 Type of DC and AC Machine

DC motor can be divided into several types as shown in Figure 14. Generally, the classes of
DC motor can be divided into separately excited, self-excited, and permanent magnet DC
motor. Separately excited DC motor is a type of DC motor that has different power source for
its field and armature winding. In Self-excited DC motor, the field and armature are powered
by the same power supply. Permanent magnet DC (PMDC) motor uses permanent magnet for
its field; hence field winding is not required. Self-excited DC motor can be separated again to
shunt, series, and compound DC motor. Compound DC motor also has two options which is
cumulative compound and differential compound which both can uses long shunt or short shunt
architecture (BYJU'S, 2023).

Figure 14: Types of DC motor (BYJU'S, 2023).

Shunt motor is when the field winding and armature is connected

in parallel (same voltage). In shunt motor architecture, the
resistance of field winding in to be larger than the resistance of
armature to ensure more current flow to armature and create more
torque (Figure 15). To achieve this requirement, field winding will
Figure 15: Equivalent circuit
shunt. be made using thin wire with large number of turns.

6
 According to its name, series DC motor is a type of DC
motor where the connection of field and armature
winding is in series. Both armature and field winding
experienced the same current. Figure 16 shows the

Figure 16: Equivalent circuit of series motor.

equivalent circuit of series DC motor. In series motor
architecture, resistance of field winding needs to be minimalized to maximize the current go
through armature. To achieve this requirement, thick wire is used to make a lower number of
turns.

Compound DC motor is a type of DC motor that combines both series and shunt DC motor
architecture. In compound DC motor, a portion of field winding connected in series with
armature winding while the remaining portion is connected parallel to armature winding.
Therefore, compound DC motor combines both thick and thin wire to make small and large
number of turns. Figure 17 to Figure 19 displays the size of the wire used in shunt, series, and
compound model respectively (sourabh sharma, 2018).

Figure 17: Field winding in shunt. Figure 18: Field winding in series. Figure 19: Field winding in compound.

AC motor can be divided into synchronous and asynchronous (induction) AC motor as can be
seen in Figure 20. The synchronous AC motor has its rotor rotating at the same speed as the
rotation of the rotation of magnetic field. On the other hand, the induction motor is
asynchronous due to its inducting behavior. Induction motor commonly available in single
phase or three phase system (BYJU'S, 2023).

Figure 20: Types of AC motors.

7
2.0 Details Construction of Series DC Motor
Figure 21 displays the construction of series DC motor which consist of commutator, armature
windings, slots, core, field poles, shaft, bearing, end bell, ventilation opening, housing, cooling
fan, terminal box, and brushes.

Figure 21: Detailed construction of series dc motor.

The function of each component will be described as follows:

- Commutator: rotor part to connect brushes and armature windings.

- Armature windings: coil of wire around armature core that will rotate.
- Slots: a gap in armature core in which the armature winding will be placed
- Core: multiple laminated metal sheets as a place of armature windings.
- Field poles: a place to wind the field winding.
- Shaft: rotating component connected to the rotor that will carry the output of motor.
- Bearing: a component to support and allow smooth rotation of the shaft.
- End bell: a component to cover the front-end and back-end of the motor.
- Ventilation opening: holes to provide air circulation.
- Cooling fan: a fan connected to the shaft to cool the motor.
- Housing: a cover to protect the internal structure of the motor.
- Terminal box: provide a point to connect the motor with external power source.
- Brushes: conductive components to maintain electrical contact with commutator.

8
3.0 Working Mechanism of Series DC Motor
The differences between series and shunt DC motor only lay in its circuitry arangement. In the series-
wound DC motor, the field winding and armature winding is connected in series. Figure 22 shows the
diagram of the circuitry arangement of series DC motor. The main power supply is labeled as VT while
inductance and resistance of the field are represented by LF and RF respectively. RA is the resistance in
the armature while EA or also called as back EMF (Electromotive Force) is the average voltage induced
in the armature caused by rotation of armature relatively to the field winding. EA reduce the armature
voltage since it opposes the used external power source. Since the circuit is series, field winding and
armature winding share the same electric current. For more clearer explanation, Figure 23 visualizes
the connection of field winding (S1 and S2) and armature winding (A1 and A2).

Figure 22: Circuitry arrangement of dc series. Figure 23: Field and armature connection in series.

As the current going through the armature winding, the armature will be induced and start to rotate.
This rotation occurred because the polarity of armature and field winding is same. A spring will keep
the carbon brushes contacting the commutator to pass the current. Since a series DC motor commonly
has more than one armature winding, the commutator will start to induce the next winding when the
previous winding is leaving. This mechanism will allowed the shaft to rotate stably. The higher the
current flows through the armature, the higher the torque produced from the motor.

The DC series motor has unique speed-torque characteristics

(Barkas, Ioannidis, Psomopoulos, Kaminaris, & Vokas,
2020)as shown in Figure 24. DC series-wound motor
generate high torque at low speed and this torque will
decreased significantly as the increase of speed. DC series-
wound motor has a bad speed regulation. It means that the
DC series motor speed is very sensituve to load. Due to its
high sensitivity to the change of load, DC series motor must
Figure 24: Speed-torque characteristic of series.
not run without any load. If load is disconnected suddenly
while the motor still working, it can cause a DC series runaway. DC series runaway is an uncontrollable
condition where the motor keep accelerates to extremely high speeds until the failure point. When the

9
load is suddenly removed, the current flowing through the motor is still same with the current required
to drive that load. Hence, speed will increased. As the speed increases, EMF should be generated and
give some braking effect. In the case of DC series motor, the wire used in field winding is thick with
lower number of turn. This winding is more responsive in the change of current compared with winding
with thinner wire in armature. Therefore, afther the load suddenly removed and current is decreased,
the magnetic flux created by field winding is decreased faster than the decreasing rate of armature
current as shown in Figure 25. As the magnetic flux is smaller, the EMF generated to brake and stabilize
the motor also will be smaller than the current at armature. In this condition, EMF is not able to balance
the current in the armature. Therefore, the speed will continue to increase until the motor breaks apart
(Figure 26).

Figure 25: EMF unable to stabilize the speed. Figure 26: Series DC motor at its failure point.

4.0 Real-Time Series DC Motor Application

In current technology, DC series-wound motor is commonly used for applications that require
high starting torque such as traction motor. Traction motors are widely used in cranes, forklifts,
and electric trains (Figure 27 to Figure 29).

Figure 27: Series motor in crane. Figure 28: Series motor in forklift. Figure 29: Series motor in train.

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Application of DC Series in Fiat Panda Elettra.

In electric vehicles, DC series-wound motor is rarely found except in cheaper or older cars.
Fiat Panda Elettra is one of the the first mass produced electric vehicles in the world produced
in 1990 by the Italian automobile manufacturer (Fiat) and Austrian Steyr-Puch. The 750 Fire
petrol engine of Fiat Panda CL was replaced with a 9.2Kw DC series-wound motor that was
designed to generate high torque in low RPM. The power is supplied by twelve 6v lead-acid
batteries which 10 of them placed at the rear cabin while the remaining 2 inside the engine
compartment of the car (Purple Articles, 2022). Compared with Panda CL, Panda Elettra has a
regenerative braking system, different suspension setting, and larger tires. Figure 30 shows the
architecture of the car.

Figure 30: Architecture of Panda Electra 1990.

Fiat Panda Elettra Batteries:

The battery used by Panda Elettra is twelve 6v lead-acid batteries as can be seen in Figure 31.
The batteries are connected in series to produce 72V source. Lead-acid batteries are used since
lithium-ion battery technology had not matured enough in that year. The large size of battery
package requires the second-row seats to be removed. The lead-acid battery utilizes a chemical
reaction between lead dioxide (PbO2) and sponge lead (Pb) in an electrolyte solution of sulfuric
acid (H2SO4) (Figure 32).

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 Figure 31: 6v lead-acid battery by Yuasa. Figure 32: Component of lead-acid battery.

Fiat Panda Elettra Powertrain

The Panda Elettra is a Front Wheel Drive (FWD)

car which has a motor, a transmission and a
differential mounted at the front of the car. The
arrangement of motor, transmission, and
differential of a FWD vehicle can be seen in
Figure 33. However, the engine will be replaced
by a DC series-wound motor in this case. DC
Figure 33: FWD powertrain. series-wound motor is connected to a 4-speed
manual transmission. The transmission used is same as the one attached in Fiat Panda CL
(Heritage, 2023). The output shaft from the transmission is connected to the differential with
4.231 gear ratio. This gearbox arrangement can increase the torque up to 16x higher. Table 1
shows the gear ratio of transmission and differential.

Table 1: Panda Electtra gear ratio (Fiat, 1989).

Gearbox Specification
Number of gears Gear ratios (overall)
1 3.909 (16.54)
2 2.056 (8.7)
3 1.344 (5.69)
4 0.978 (4.14)
Differential gear ratio: 4.231

Since DC series-wound motor torque will decrease as the speed gets higher, there is a limitation
of speed in each gear. Table 2 shows the maximum speed allowed for each gear.

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 Table 2: Maximum speed in each gear.

Maximum Speed in Each Gear

Number of gears Maximum speed (Km/h)
1 15
2 25
3 40
4 70

Panda Elettra Performance

The car developed by Fiat has a weight of 1150Kg. Panda Elettra top speed is 70Km/h with
acceleration from 0 to 40Km/h in 10 seconds. DC series-wound output power allowed the car
to climb with maximum 25% slopes. The battery can be fully charged with common 220Vm
16A domestic socket (Heritage, 2023). Table 3 displays detailed specification of Fiat Panda
Elettra 1990 (Brusaglino, 1991).

Table 3: Fiat Panda Elettra 1990 detailed specification (Brusaglino, 1991).

Fiat Panda Elettra 1990 Specification

Weight 1150Kg
Drive train FWD
Design Giugiaro
Body type Hatchback
Top speed 70Km/h
Acceleration (0-40Km/h) 10 seconds
Battery type 12x6v lead-acid in series
Battery capacity Around 28Kwh
Motor type Single DC series-wound electric motors
Motor power (in max. RPM) 9.2Kw
Transmission Manual 4-speed
Maximum climb slopes 25%
Regenerative braking YES

5.0 Calculating Specification and Performances Evaluation

Since the documentation of Fiat Panda Elettra is not good enough, it is hard to compile and
find full specifications of the car. By performing some calculations based on known
specifications, further important information of the car’s performance can be extracted. Several
calculations will be performed in the following lines.

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Calculating Acceleration

Acceleration can be calculated as the time needed to accelerate the car from 0-40 Km/h is
known. The calculation is executed as below:

∆𝑣
𝑎=
∆𝑡
40 𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑎=
10 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
11.11 𝑚/𝑠
𝑎=
10 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠
𝑎 = 1.11 𝑚/𝑠^2

Calculating Average Motor Torque During Acceleration

The car accelerates from 0 to 40Km/h using 1st gear until 3rd gear. The calculation below
shows the average torque during acceleration in each gear.

1. Find the force applied to car

𝐹 =𝑚𝑥𝑎
𝐹 = 1150 𝐾𝑔 𝑥 1.11
𝐹 = 1276.5 𝑁𝑒𝑤𝑡𝑜𝑛
2. Find wheel torque to accelerate the car in 1.11m/s2
𝑇𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙
𝐹=
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠
𝑇𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 𝐹 𝑥 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠
𝑇𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 1276.5 𝑥 0.2665
𝑇𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 340.187 𝑁𝑀
3. Find motor torque
𝑇𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙
𝑇𝑚1 =
𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜1
340.187
𝑇𝑚1 = = 20.567 𝑁𝑀
16.54
340.187
𝑇𝑚2 = = 39.102 𝑁𝑀
8.7
340.187
𝑇𝑚3 = = 59.787 𝑁𝑀
5.69
𝑇𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 = 39.82 𝑁𝑚

14
Calculating Motor Efficiency

The input current of the DC series-wound motor is assumed at around 175A. Efficiency of the
motor can be calculated as follows:

1. Find input power

𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 𝐼𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑥 𝑉𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡
𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 175𝐴 𝑥 72𝑉
𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 = 12,600 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡
2. Calculate the efficiency
𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡
η = 𝑥 100%
𝑃𝑖𝑛
9,200
η = 𝑥 100%
12,600
η = 73.016%

Finding Maximum Angular Speed (ω) in Each Gear

The motor has a limit of angular speed. However, the maximum angular speed in each gear is
slightly different. The calculation is shown below:

1. Find wheel circumference

𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝜋 𝑥 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 22⁄7 𝑥 533𝑚𝑚
𝐶𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 1.67447 𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠
2. Find max. angular speed of 1st gear
𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒
15𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
1.67447
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 149.30 𝑅𝑃𝑀
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 149.30 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 149.30 𝑥 16.54 = 2469.42 𝑅𝑃𝑀
2𝜋
ω = 2469.42 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 = 258.60 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
60

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 3. Find max. angular speed of 2nd gear
25 𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
1.67447
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 248.83 𝑅𝑃𝑀
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 248.83 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 248.83 𝑥 8.70 = 2164.821 𝑅𝑃𝑀
2𝜋
ω = 2164.821𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 = 226.70 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
60
4. Find max. angular speed for 3rd gear
40 𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
1.67447
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 398.14 𝑅𝑃𝑀
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 398.14 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 398.14 𝑥 5.69 = 2261.417 𝑅𝑃𝑀
2𝜋
ω = 2261.417𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 = 236.82 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
60
5. Find max. angular speed for 4th gear
70 𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
1.67447
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 696.74 𝑅𝑃𝑀
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 696.74 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 696.74 𝑥 4.14 = 2884.50 𝑅𝑃𝑀
2𝜋
ω = 2884.50 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 = 302.06 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
60

Finding Maximum Torque in Each Gear

After finding the maximum angular speed in each gear, it is possible to calculate maximum
torque in each gear. The calculation is executed as follows:

1. Find max. torque of 1st gear

𝑃 9200
𝑇= =
ω 258.60
𝑇 = 35.58 𝑁𝑚
2. Find max. torque of 2nd gear
𝑃 9200
𝑇= = = 40.58 𝑁𝑚
ω 226.70

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 3. Find max. torque of 3rd gear
𝑃 9200
𝑇= =
ω 236.82
𝑇 = 38.85 𝑁𝑚
4. Find max. torque of 4th gear
𝑃 9200
𝑇= =
ω 302.06
𝑇 = 30.46 𝑁𝑚
5. Average max. torque is 36.37 Nm.

Calculating Regenerated Voltage

Fiat Panda Elettra is equipped with a regenerative braking system. This mechanism can
generate some value of voltage (EMF) and store it back to the battery during braking or
travelling downhill. We will try to calculate the regenerated voltage when the vehicle is
travelling downhill at 30 Km/h. The calculation is shown as follows:

1. Find the value of Ea

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑛 40 𝐾𝑚/ℎ = 9200𝐾𝑤ℎ
𝑃𝑑𝑒𝑣 = 𝐸𝑎 𝑥 𝐼𝑎
9200𝐾𝑤ℎ = 𝐸𝑎 𝑥 175𝐴
𝐸𝑎 = 52.57𝑉
2. Find the constant of Kϕ
𝐸𝑎 = 𝐾𝜙 𝑥 ω
52.57 = 𝐾𝜙 𝑥 237.23 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
𝐾𝜙 = 0.2216
3. Find the value of Ea in 30 Km/h
30 𝐾𝑚/ℎ
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 =
1.67447
𝑁𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙 = 298.60 𝑅𝑃𝑀
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 298.60 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 3𝑟𝑑 𝑔𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑁𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 298.60 𝑥 5.69 = 1699.05 𝑅𝑃𝑀
2𝜋
ω = 1699.05 𝑅𝑃𝑀 𝑥 = 117.92 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠
60
𝐸𝑎 = 𝐾𝜙 𝑥 ω
𝐸𝑎 = 0.2216 𝑥 117.92 = 26.131 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠

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6.0 Results and Discussion
After performing the calculation, the results will be discussed in this section. Table 4 shows
the results of calculations. It is important to note that input current was unknown. The
assumption that input current was 175A was made with some research on similar motor
specifications to find the most suitable value. Furthermore, all calculations were performed
with the assumption that the car was empty without any passengers and load (net weight of the
car was 1150Kg).

Table 4: Calculation results.

Calculation Result
Average acceleration (0-40Km/h) 1.11 m/s2
Average motor torque during acceleration 39.82 Nm
Motor efficiency 73.016%
258.60 (2469.420) (1st gear)
Max. angular speed in each gear 226.70 (2164.821) (2nd gear)
(Rad/s (RPM)) 236.82 (2261.417) (3rd gear)
302.06 (2884.500) (4th gear)
1. 35.58 Nm
2. 40.58 Nm
Max. torque in max. speed in each gear 3. 38.85 Nm
4. 30.46 Nm
Average max. speed torque = 36.37 Nm
rd
Regenerated voltage in 30Km/h (3 gear) 26.131V

By knowing that the car was able to reach 40Km/h from stop condition, it was possible to
calculate the average acceleration of the car. The average acceleration was 1.11 m/s 2. The
average motor torque during the acceleration can be calculated by firstly found the average
torque applied to the front wheel and overall gear ratio (sum of transmission and differential
gear ratio). The result of average motor torque during acceleration was 39.82 Nm. Assumed
that the input current from battery was 175A, the motor efficiency can be calculated. The motor
efficiency was 73.016% which was normal for DC series-wound motor.

The maximum angular speed of first gear until fourth gear were 258.60, 226.70, 236.82, and
302.06 rad/s respectively. The lowest maximum RPM was found in second gear with 2165
RPM while the highest one was found in fourth gear (2885 RPM). By knowing the maximum
rotation speed of the motor, it can be concluded that maximum RPM of the motor was around
2900 RPM.

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The maximum torque in max. speed, in first gear to fourth gear were 30.58, 40.58, 38.85, and
30.46 Nm respectively. The average maximum torque was 36.37 Nm. This value was slightly
lower compared with average torque during acceleration from 0-40 Km/h shown in second
calculation. However, this could be an indicator that the calculations done were correct and the
actual motor torque of Fiat Panda Elettra was around 35 Nm to 40 Nm.

In the condition where the car was driven downhill with the speed of 30Km/h using 3rd gear,
the regenerated voltage was 26.131V. This regenerated power would be used to recharge the
battery. The power recharged to battery can be used again to move the car.

Furthermore, it was proven that the car was able to use 3rd gear all the time for usage in the city
with flat roads even from stop conditions. Since the torque of DC series-wound motor was at
the highest at the lowest speed and decreased as the speed increased, it can be concluded that
the lowest torque generated when the car moving in maximum speed of each gear. Hence, it
can be said that in the 3rd gear, the motor will generate at least 38.85 Nm torque that will be
multiplied again at the front wheels by the gearbox.

Since DC series-wound motor performed higher torque in lower speed, the maximum motor
speed was limited to around 3000 RPM. This limitation was made to make sure that the motor
always has enough torque to move the car. The DC series-wound motor in Fiat Panda Elettra
could move the car faster than 70Km/h, however the torque will be sacrificed.

7.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, the research was done to analyze the structure and working principle of the DC
series-wound motor. The Fiat Panda Elettra was one of few electric cars in the world that used
series DC motor. However, it was difficult to find complete specification of the car. Hence,
several calculations were executed to complete the specification and to find the performance
of the 1990 Fiat Panda Elettra. With assuming the input current is 175A, further performance
calculation of the car can be done. The result shows that series DC motor guarantee high torque
in lower speed. The knowledge gain from this research includes the working principle of
electric motors (especially DC series-wound motor) and its application for traction motor in
electric vehicles (Fiat Panda Elettra). Additionally, this research also adds some important
information regarding the specifications and performance of the 1990 Fiat Panda Elettra that
was previously unknown. In the future, DC motor analysis can be used to find a required
specification when designing a system.

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8.0 References
Agamlo, E., Jouanne, A. v., & Yokochi, A. (2020). An Overview of Electric Machine Trends
in Modern Electric Vehicles. Machines.
Alexander, C. K., & Sadiku, M. N. (2013). Fundamentals of Electric Circuits. New York:
McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Barkas, D. A., Ioannidis, G. C., Psomopoulos, C. S., Kaminaris, S. D., & Vokas, G. A.
(2020). Brushed DC Motor Drives for Industrial and Automobile Applications with
Emphasis on Control Techniques: A Comprehensive Review. MDPI electronics, 887.
Brusaglino, G. (1991). Electric Vehicle Development in Fiat. SAE International Technical
Papers.
BYJU'S. (2023). byjus.com. Retrieved from Types of DC Motor:
https://byjus.com/physics/types-of-dc-motor/
BYJU'S. (2023). byjus.com. Retrieved from Types of AC Motors:
https://byjus.com/physics/types-of-ac-motors/
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https://youtu.be/qbNpONXRvj8?si=NZVACKzXE4Q4eRu8
Farzaneh, M., Farokhi, S., & Chisholm, W. (2012). Electrical Design of Overhead Power
Transmission Lines. McGraw-Hill Education.
Fiat. (1989). 1989 Panda CL Manual. Fiat.
Heritage. (2023). fcaheritage.com. Retrieved from FIAT PANDA ELETTRA: The first full-
electric car: https://www.fcaheritage.com/en-uk/heritage/stories/fiat-panda-elettra
Hughes, E. (2008). HUGHES ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY.
Edinburgh Gate: Pearson Education Limited.
Purple Articles. (2022, 5 Thursday). purplearticles.com. Retrieved from The Fiat Panda
Elettra was the first mass-produced electric car:
https://www.purplearticles.com/automotive/fiat-panda-elettra-was-first-mass-
produced-electric-car
sourabh sharma. (2018). youtube.com. Retrieved from Types of DC Motors:
https://youtu.be/TnZAHlyW1E8?si=rgGHVdnZh6XzhwJq

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