Star Union MGM, Another light contender?

[Mabman]

MGM - Magnetic Gear Motor from Star Union | Evak Tian

Introducing the Magnetic Gear Motor (MGM), a groundbreaking innovation set to revolutionize the industry. Unlike traditional gear systems, the MGM leverages…

www.linkedin.com

Seems like alot of focus from the industry on getting to as compact as possible for light weight yet retaining at least a mid level of power this cycle at Eurobike? The Mag gear concept is unique to this effort and if it works as advertised should yield as they say a drag free/quiet motor.

 

[TCFlowClyde]

MGM - Magnetic Gear Motor from Star Union | Evak Tian

Introducing the Magnetic Gear Motor (MGM), a groundbreaking innovation set to revolutionize the industry. Unlike traditional gear systems, the MGM leverages…

www.linkedin.com

Seems like alot of focus from the industry on getting to as compact as possible for light weight yet retaining at least a mid level of power this cycle at Eurobike? The Mag gear concept is unique to this effort and if it works as advertised should yield as they say a drag free/quiet motor.

Dumb question. Why could one not just program 9 -12 power modes of 5-10 Nm increments to simulate/double as a magnetic drivetrain? I'm sure there is a good reason why this is unlikely, but I'm not an engineer.

Also, the latest: Star Union says they're 80Nm currently but shooting for 90Nm by end of the year.

 

[TCFlowClyde]

Dumb question. Why could one not just program 9 -12 power modes of 5-10 Nm increments to simulate/double as a magnetic drivetrain? I'm sure there is a good reason why this is unlikely, but I'm not an engineer.

Also, the latest: Star Union says they're 80Nm currently but shooting for 90Nm by end of the year.


View attachment 157266

I recently sent an email to the Star-Union sales rep (I think?). Here's my email.

I'll post any response he gives. Also, I did suggest to add a bigger battery option like a 700 Wh battery to complement the 480 Wh main battery and 160Wh extender, especially since the motor has been juiced up to 80 Nm currently, anticipating 90 Nm by next year. Kind of like DJI/Anivox DU. He actually responded positively saying they will consider it. So, I thought I would try to ask the big question below and see what happens.

Side note: Those that have ever watched Gilligan's Island TV reruns as a kid will understand Gilligan, a simpleton but curious like a child, asks the most poignant, yet simple-to-the-point-of-being-dumb questions, that the Professor was smart enough to validate and invent a viable solution for. Anyway, I can't imagine how engineers (several PhDs apparently) might miss this point of a potential magnetic gear transmission. Imagine both magnet drive unit and drive train: it would be the Holy Grail... right?

Here's a working example, I have a Bafang motor with 5 power modes. I have set my physical gear in the middle my 11-50T cassette and just worked the power modes down and up from easiest (85 Nm) to hardest (25 Nm). I actually works fairly well.... obviously it needs more intermittent steps, but the general principle stands...it's doable but why bother because the physical gears of the motor limit smaller increments? And the frictionless MGM wouldn't, it's all firmware input?

I guess I should also ask, why couldn't a standard motor just add 9-10 power modes too, and do the same?

Maybe like a double Gilligan, I am asking the wrong stupid question?

 

[Mabman]

Random YT blurb on the MGM:
The relevant info is near the beginning after the wild e thing that starts it off.......

 

[TCFlowClyde]

I guess I should also ask, why couldn't a standard motor just add 9-10 power modes too, and do the same?

Here's one answer from my buddy whose electrical/computer engineer. He suggests that both KV and cadence input is the most efficient way to simulate a true step up in the traditional gear ratio change...so a natural feel is based on mechanical kinesthetic and not as easy as creating a 1x12 drivetrain or even a more complex gearbox. At least that's how I interpret it.