In his new role as chair professor of electrical machines and control systems, Zhu will continue his long-standing work on high-efficiency permanent magnet motors, according to his faculty page on the PolyU website.
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These motors, which use built-in magnets to generate motion, are a core technology behind electric cars, high-speed trains, wind turbines, robots and the latest household appliances.
Zhu’s research has been widely adopted by industry, with collaborations spanning international companies like Siemens, Toyota, Rolls-Royce and Midea.
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Zhu, who at the time was director of Midea’s motor research centre in Shanghai, said that while China dominated the global supply of rare earth metals used in permanent-magnet motors, its electric vehicle makers were lagging in core motor innovation.
