Air-Cooled vs Liquid-Cooled Motor Controllers: When You Need Liquid Cooling

A controller's peak power is limited by milliseconds of current; its continuous power is limited by heat. Cooling is what turns a peak rating into usable power.

Air-cooled (natural convection) controllers dump heat through an aluminium heat sink into the surrounding air. They need no pump or radiator, and are ideal for scooters, light motorcycles and three-wheelers with moderate duty cycles. Mount them flat against a surface with good airflow, ideally in ram air, and never block the breather valve.

Liquid-cooled controllers route coolant through the heat sink. They hold rated power much longer in hot climates, on long climbs, under heavy payloads and in tightly packaged frames. If the vehicle already has a coolant loop for the motor, adding the controller costs little.

Rules of thumb

• Frequent full-load climbs, cargo or off-road use: consider liquid cooling.
• Controller buried inside a closed frame or battery box: consider liquid cooling.
• Urban commuting with free airflow: air cooling is usually enough.

T-Series options

• T-150 to T-400: air-cooled.
• T-500 to T-2200: available as air-cooled or liquid-cooled versions, same electrical ratings.
• All models: IP67, −40 to +85 °C ambient.

Tell us your duty cycle and we will recommend the right version.