> Is anyone researching motors that use elerctric charge instead of magnetism? Couldnt those be cheaper to build and possibly more efficient and powerful? In g

> Is anyone researching motors that use elerctric charge instead of magnetism? Couldnt those be cheaper to build and possibly more efficient and powerful? In general the magnetic permeability of materials is 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than the electrical permittivity. Materials with high permeability are also 2-3 orders of magnitude cheaper than materials with high permittivity. It makes much more sense to make magnetic motors because of those two facts. However charge-based motors have existed since the mid 1700s[1]. They're exclusively novelties, but they are exceptional novelties indeed. You can even use a kite to power them from atmospheric electricity[2]! That's the same voltage difference that eventually creates lightning, but without a storm the electricity is quite weak and the motor quite inefficient. The voltage is high enough to be unpleasant though. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_motor https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_motor [2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhXxSAv6rMg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhXxSAv6rMg