Electric Motor Innovation Drives EV Performance, Ushering in a New Era of Smart Mobility

In the modern global automotive industry, there has been a fleet-footed evolution to electrification and smart mobility. At the heart of this evolution is the electric drive motor system. After the battery, the electric drive motor system is arguably the most important component in the electric vehicle (EV), being directly influential in vehicle performance, efficiency, and driving experience.

In an EV, electric motors convert electric energy from the battery store into mechanical energy, which propels the vehicle. Electric motors provide various specific practical advantages over the internal combustion engine including a compact system architecture, on-demand torque, efficient energy conversion, and low maintenance. These characteristics make the electric motor system adaptable for use in a wide range of driving behaviours (city driving to highway driving).

Presently, the two most common types of motors in EVs are called Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs), and the induction motor (IM). PMSMs possess high power density and extremely high efficient power characteristics that make them suitable for passenger sedan and premium vehicle EV manufacturers. IMs will continue to serve an important role in commercial EVs such as buses and delivery vehicles where ruggedness and cost effectiveness with instantaneous real time regulations are critical.

Modern EVs are showing greater number of dual or multiple motors drive arrangements which facilitates the manufacturer's ability to independently control the front and rear axles to produce a must-improved driving experience like handling, acceleration and offroad skills. In addition to the autor and motor controllers there are onboard computing and sensor networks which provide a multifaceted range of intelligent features like adaptive thermal management, regenerative braking control, and driving style identification and optimisation resulting in energy efficiency, safety and comfort for the user.

Innovative development in SiC based inverter solutions, rare earth magnet materials, liquid cooling technologies, and high speed bearing designs will further the potential performance limits of drive motors. These next generation technologies represent basic enablers to increase EV driving range, increasing accelerating performance capabilities and enabling lighter weight vehicles.

Only looking ahead, EVs will not just be an environmentally friendly vehicle suffering the loss of gasoline cars, but integrated intelligent vehicle attributes with connected mobility. The role of electric motors in the powertrain continues to be integral in achieving this successful transition of vehicle ownership experience, benefitting from advances in efficiency, integration, smart control and shaping the future of sustainable mobility.