Who says the future belongs only to the grown-ups? At just 17, Robert Sansone has set the scientific community abuzz, tinkering away in his Florida home and crafting an electric motor with the potential to turn the entire electric vehicle industry on its head—no rare earths required. Hold onto your lab coats, because this isn’t your average science fair volcano.
A Young Innovator with a Game-Changing Vision
Robert Sansone’s journey with innovation didn’t begin yesterday. Already the proud creator of over 60 personal projects—including a robotic hand and a kart that can hit 110 km/h—Robert’s hands-on spirit runs deep. His latest venture, however, raises the stakes. Motivated by questions he had as a child regarding the actual impact of magnet use in electric motors, he set his sights on solving a global challenge: our dependence on rare earth materials.
Engineering an Electric Motor Without the Rare (and Pricey) Stuff
What’s all the fuss about rare earths, anyway? These materials are key components in most electric motors, but they’re expensive, environmentally taxing to mine, and their supply is tightly controlled—mainly by China. Reducing the reliance on them isn’t just an accounting trick; it’s a big leap toward environmental sustainability and a less fragile industrial supply chain.
Sansone’s project? A synchronous reluctance motor design that forgoes permanent magnets entirely. While these types of motors have been around for a while, typically found in systems like pumps or fans, they’ve never been successfully adapted to electric vehicles. Enter Robert Sansone’s prototype: by putting this forgotten technology to the test and tweaking it for vehicle use, he managed to boost torque by an impressive 39% compared to conventional models. And the kicker—it does this while banishing those costly, hard-to-find materials from the equation.
- No permanent magnets = no rare earth materials
- Reduced production costs
- Lower overall environmental impact
- A fresh shot at independence from global material bottlenecks
Recognition—and a $75,000 Nod from Science Luminaries
Robert’s breakthrough didn’t go unnoticed. In 2022, he claimed first prize at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair, the planet’s leading contest for budding scientific minds. The prestige of this recognition says it all—and if not, the $75,000 award certainly underscores how serious the scientific community is about his work.
All this, and he’s not exactly working in a sprawling corporate lab. With the help of 3D printing, copper, and a steel rotor, he spent a full year refining his invention—proof that real ingenuity doesn’t require a million-dollar grant or Silicon Valley address.
A Real-World Impact: The Road Ahead for Electric Mobility
Why does this matter? For the automotive sector, trading rare earths for scalable, sustainable innovations like Sansone’s means:
- More affordable electric vehicles for everyone
- Resilient supply chains less vulnerable to geopolitical risks
- Cleaner manufacturing with a smaller environmental footprint
But this isn’t just about the companies that build cars—it signals a shift with concrete benefits for society and the environment.
The story of Robert Sansone isn’t just a celebration of youthful genius; it’s a shining example that major breakthroughs don’t belong exclusively to big labs and their intimidating budgets. Should his motor make the leap from prototype to mass production, it could be a true inflection point for electric mobility. Until then, it stands as a motivational anthem: innovation is open to all, and sometimes it starts in your own garage—with a curious mind, a little copper, and a lot of determination.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
