At just 17 years old, American student Robert Sansone developed a groundbreaking electric motor that could transform the future of clean transportation. His invention, which operates without the use of rare-earth magnets, has been praised as both environmentally friendly and highly efficient.
Traditional electric motors often rely on magnets made with rare-earth metals, which are expensive to source, environmentally damaging to mine, and vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. Sansone’s prototype, however, eliminates this dependency. Instead, his motor uses a completely different design that not only avoids magnets but also outperforms conventional systems. Early testing showed that the device delivers up to 39% more torque and achieves 37% greater efficiency than standard motors.
This remarkable achievement earned Sansone the first-place award and a $75,000 prize at the prestigious 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), where he triumphed over thousands of young innovators from around the world.
The implications of his invention are significant. Automakers and energy companies are investing billions into greener technologies, yet a teenager working from his garage may have unlocked a key step toward more affordable, sustainable electric vehicles. If scaled successfully, Sansone’s magnet-free design could reduce costs, cut environmental impact, and ease global reliance on scarce resources.
Sansone has already stated he intends to refine his motor further, improving its scalability and performance with hopes of future commercialization. For now, his achievement stands as a striking reminder that transformative ideas don’t always emerge from corporate R&D labs—they can come from the curiosity and determination of a single student.
The next revolution in electric vehicles may not have come from a major automaker. Instead, it might have been born in the garage of a teenager who dared to think differently.
Teenager Reinvents the Electric Motor Without Magnets
