By Jin Lu

The Yongjiang Laboratory in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, has unveiled a next-generation motor controller that sets new global benchmarks for power density and efficiency.

Weighing under 5 kilograms, the compact unit delivers a peak output of 340 kilowatts, achieving 70 kW/kg in weight power density, 57.6 kW/L in volumetric density, and a peak efficiency of 99 percent.

That performance eclipses the industry's usual ceiling of about 40 kW/kg, representing a major advance in electric propulsion technology.

Experts say the breakthrough could accelerate progress in low-altitude aviation, electric mobility, and marine transport—while enabling lighter, more powerful, and more efficient controllers for applications ranging from electric vehicles to industrial equipment.

Dubbed the "electric heart" of powered devices, motor controllers regulate the current flow and magnetic fields to maximize motor performance - whether in smartphones, home appliances, electric cars, or factory machinery.

The Yongjiang team's progress stems from three key innovations. One is the adoption of third-generation wide-bandgap semiconductors, which increase current transfer efficiency by more than 50 percent while reducing heat. Another is the use of a patented SPVCS-Z liquid cooling system that channels coolant directly to heat sources, cutting radiator volume to just one-fifth of conventional designs. The third is a set of weight-reduction measures, including capacitors that are 70 percent smaller and magnetic-core-free current sensors that are 80 percent lighter.

On the software side, adaptive algorithms continuously fine-tune current and magnetic field trajectories, selecting the most energy-efficient strategy in real time.

Since debuting a prototype in June 2024, the lab's second-generation model has nearly tripled power density in just over a year.

"70 kW/kg is only the beginning," said project lead Gu Chunyang. "By combining three proprietary technologies, we've put this controller at the forefront of the global industry."