Evaluation and Characterization of Magnets and Capacitors

Advanced vehicle, fuel cell, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), and plug in hybrid research and development is conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies (FCVT) program. The mission of this program is to develop more energy efficient and environmentally safe highway transportation technologies. Program activities include research, development, testing, technology validation, and technology transfer. These activities are done at the system and component levels. This report will discuss component level testing of prototype capacitors and magnets. As capacitor and magnet technologies mature, it is important to ascertain the limitations of these new technologies by subjecting the components to standardized tests to evaluate their capabilities. Test results will assist in the determination of their ability to provide improvements in power electronics and motor designs to meet the FCVT goals