World-first practical cryogen-free superconducting motor unveiled

US startup Hinetics, part of the POETS center and funded by the US Department of Energy’s ARPA-E, unveiled the world’s first fully integrated, cryogen-free superconducting motor at CES 2026. This motor is a practical proof-of-concept demonstrator developed over three years, designed for aerospace and AI data center applications. Unlike traditional superconducting machines that require bulky external cryogenic systems, Hinetics’ motor features a self-contained design using an onboard cryocooler to maintain low temperatures without external liquid cryogen cooling. The current unit is a scaled-down version of a larger six-megawatt motor under construction, aiming to make superconducting technology commercially viable by reducing costs, particularly of superconducting tape, which has halved in price over the past three years. The motor offers significant advantages for AI data centers and aerospace, including rapid response to transient power demands due to its very low inductance and high efficiency of approximately 99.5 percent. This efficiency