The Unsung Hero of the Electric Vehicle Revolution: The role of computational electromagnetics in electric machine design and analysis

The electrification of transportation hinges on a number of core technologies, such as power electronics and energy storage. In this article, the spotlight is on electric machines (EMs), a term that encompasses all electromechanical energy conversion devices, i.e., motors and generators. Computational electromagnetics, like the finite element method (FEM), play a vital role in a modern EM design workflow. Such methods have been under development for decades, however, with recent advances in computing, they are now mainstream. One of their key features is that they allow us to search a design space with unprecedented accuracy. But perhaps more importantly in today’s rapidly changing landscape, they are accelerating the pace of innovation, reducing prototyping costs and the time it takes to go from concept to product.