Linear Labs' Electric Motor Now Available to Entrepreneurs, Makers, and Small Businesses

Linear Labs, the Fort Worth-based smart electric motor maker, is making its technology available to anyone—regardless of order size—for the first time.

The HET MM17555 motor, which Linear Labs refers to as The Honey Badger, will provide a competitive advantage to anyone who owns it. According to Linear Labs, its patented HET (Hunstable Electric Turbine) produces twice the torque when compared to an equivalently sized motor.

The name is fitting, too: “The Honey Badger is the perfect balance of attitude, strength, tenacity, and good looks,” Linear Labs says. Just like honey badgers are small, strong, and robust.

“This torque advantage means the HET motor can propel an e-scooter up challenging inclines or power a drone for extended periods of time with incomparable efficiencies,” the company said of its product. “Additionally, it is the first unsealed motor that can work underwater for marine applications.”

The HET offers high-performance power for a variety of sectors, from automotive and generators to HVAC and robotics. Last month, Linear Labs announced that the raw materials and components needed for HET manufacturing are accessible locally and are available around the globe, creating a regionally agnostic supply chain.

This increased power gives small businesses, academic institutions, or entrepreneurs an edge—especially if they’re looking to experiment while at home right now. It could be used to develop e-bikes, drones, or any other electric design.

Until now, large-scale manufacturing has made the HET motors available only to large companies ordering significant quantities, according to Brad Hunstable, co-founder and CEO of Linear Labs. But, Hunstable and his team got hundreds of requests from smaller companies interested in getting their hands on one.

“Seeing demand from entrepreneurs as well as ‘maker’ hobbyists looking to experiment with home projects, we’ve decided to support these communities and encourage their innovation by offering a version of our HET motor to anyone who wants one, whether they order a single motor for a hobby project or twenty motors for a new startup working on e-scooter prototypes,” he said. “At Linear Labs we’ve always been passionate about rewarding those who push the limits of ingenuity, and we see this as a way to pay back the next generation of inventors.”

A Kickstarter has been set up to accommodate the small business community, which has more information and ordering details.

Single motors are available for $695, with reduced unit pricing available based on quantity.

Linear Labs benefits from supply chain independence

Linear Labs’ use of accessible materials created supply-chain freedom for its products against turbulence in global manufacturing. The capability for motors (and the electronics, copper, and magnets used) to be manufactured within a regional supply chain anywhere in the world has benefits for the diverse industries Linear Labs is integrated with, including EVs, robotics, HVAC and micro-mobility.

“Our motors can be made right here in the USA, in Europe, in South America, in Asia, or in any locality. The raw materials can be sourced, the components can be built, and the product can be assembled, literally anywhere,” Hunstable said in an announcement last month. “We have a clear manufacturing advantage against our competitors who rely on resources from a singular region.”

Linear Labs is also pushing toward zero-waste with the production of its HET motor. The current design allows for 95 percent utilization of materials, with the HET able to use resources much more efficiently than competitors, who are often at only 40 percent.