Advantages of electric drive

An electric drive is a system that uses an electric motor, with its control, to drive a machine. Compared with conventional drives (steam engines, diesel/IC engines, hydraulic and pneumatic drives, water wheels), electric drives have these advantages:

1. Wide range of power and speed: from milliwatts to tens of MW and from very low to very high speeds.
2. Easy control: starting, stopping, reversing, speed control and braking are simple and can be automated or done remotely.
3. Available in many torque-speed characteristics (series, shunt, induction, synchronous) to match almost any load; electronic control can shape the characteristic further.
4. High efficiency and no standby losses; no fuel consumed when idle.
5. Instant starting and full-load operation without warm-up.
6. Electric braking, including regenerative braking that returns energy to the supply.
7. Operation in all four quadrants (forward/reverse motoring and braking).
8. Clean and quiet: no exhaust, smoke or fuel storage; suits mines, hospitals, cities.
9. Low maintenance and long life; compact, reliable.
10. Short-time overload capacity.
11. Power from the grid: no fuel transport; can use renewable electricity.

Main limitation: needs a continuous electric supply; failure of supply stops the drive, and mobile use needs batteries or overhead lines.