Electric motors in electric vehicles are increasingly being integrated with the inverter and transmission, while new technology concepts, such as axial flux and switched reluctance are being explored to raise efficiency and performance. These are some of the developments covered in the Strategy Analytics’ Electric Vehicle Service (EVS) report: Electric Vehicle Motors: Auto Makers Deploy Integrated E-Axles While Exploring New Technologies.
“As auto makers adjust their businesses to become “all-electric,” they are increasingly looking into integrating their electric motors with other components to from ‘e-axles’ to raise production efficiency and lower production cost, which enables them to use new flexible and modular vehicle platforms,” says Kevin Mak, principal analyst in the Global Automotive Practice (GAP). “But the increase in competition among auto makers will also see further exploration of motor concepts, such as axial flux motors by the likes of Mercedes and Renault, 800 Volt motors and denser coil windings in the stator. Some are also limiting the use of costly rare earth materials used in electric motor magnets through induction motors and externally-excited synchronous motors. Production of electric motors has also swung in-house and back out to Tier 1 suppliers again, as the market becomes more commoditized.”
Source: Strategy Analytics, Inc.
