Course
Electric Motor Academy
An engineering-level course on EV traction motors — the physics of torque, the anatomy of rotor and stator, every major motor topology, inverter control and field-oriented drive, and how it all plays out in real production vehicles. Built around an eight-view motor explorer, magnetic field and performance simulators, five engineering virtual labs and a dozen calculators.
By the end, you'll be able to
- Explain how the Lorentz force and electromagnetic induction produce torque
- Identify every major component of an electric traction motor
- Compare PMSM, induction, switched reluctance, BLDC and axial flux motors
- Describe how field-oriented control and field weakening govern motor behaviour
- Size a motor against real vehicle performance targets
- Diagnose common motor faults and understand real-world maintenance needs
Module 1
Motor basics
What a motor does and the fundamentals of stator, rotor and AC drive.
6 lessons
- 1What an electric motor doesTurning electrical energy into rotating mechanical work, and why EVs are built around this trick.10 min
- 2Stator and rotor at a glanceThe two halves of every rotating electric machine, and how they interact.9 min
- 3AC versus DC motors in EVsWhy almost every modern EV traction motor is fed with synthesised AC, even though the battery stores DC.10 min
- 4Poles and phases explainedTwo numbers that define how a motor's magnetic field rotates.9 min
- 5Motors and generators are the same machineHow regenerative braking works, using nothing more than the motor already in the car.8 min
- 6Reading a motor datasheetThe handful of numbers that tell you almost everything about a traction motor.10 min
Module 2
Physics of torque
Lorentz force, magnetism, back-EMF and torque equations.
6 lessons
- 1The Lorentz forceThe single equation underneath every electric motor.10 min
- 2Magnetic fields and flux densityHow coils, iron and air gaps combine to create the field a motor needs.10 min
- 3Back-EMF explainedWhy a spinning motor fights the voltage that is driving it — and why that matters for control.10 min
- 4Torque, speed and power curvesReading the single chart that defines everything about how a motor drives a car.11 min
- 5Electromagnetic induction and rotating fieldsFaraday's law and how a changing field, not a moving one, is what actually induces voltage.9 min
- 6Torque equations and motor constantsHow k_t, k_e and winding design combine into the torque a motor can actually deliver.10 min
Module 3
Motor components
Rotor, stator, windings, bearings and cooling in detail.
6 lessons
- 1The rotor in detailInterior magnets, surface magnets, squirrel cages — how rotors differ and why.10 min
- 2The stator and lamination stacksWhy stators are built from thin sheets of steel rather than a solid block.9 min
- 3Windings and copper lossesWhere I²R losses come from, and the winding tricks used to minimise them.10 min
- 4Bearings and mechanical tolerancesThe unglamorous parts that keep the rotor spinning true for hundreds of thousands of kilometres.9 min
- 5Cooling systems for motorsWater jackets, oil spray and how heat actually leaves a compact traction motor.10 min
- 6Housings, seals and drive-unit integrationHow the motor, inverter and gearbox come together as one sealed unit.8 min
Module 4
Motor types
PMSM, induction, SRM, BLDC and axial flux compared.
6 lessons
- 1Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM)The most common EV traction motor type, and why it dominates the market.10 min
- 2Induction motorsThe rugged, magnet-free alternative that Tesla popularised for rear axles.10 min
- 3Switched reluctance motors (SRM)A magnet-free, simple-rotor design gaining attention as rare-earth costs rise.9 min
- 4BLDC motors and hub motor applicationsTrapezoidal control, and where brushless DC motors still make sense in EVs.9 min
- 5Axial flux motorsA pancake-shaped alternative promising exceptional power density.9 min
- 6Comparing motor topologiesBringing PMSM, induction, SRM, BLDC and axial flux together on one scorecard.10 min
Module 5
Motor control
Inverters, PWM, field-oriented control, field weakening and efficiency maps.
6 lessons
- 1How inverters drive a motorTurning battery DC into synthesised three-phase AC, one switching decision at a time.10 min
- 2Pulse-width modulation (PWM)The technique that lets discrete switches synthesise a smooth voltage waveform.10 min
- 3Field-oriented control (FOC)The algorithm that treats a spinning AC motor almost like a simple DC motor to control.11 min
- 4Field weakeningHow motors exceed their natural base speed by deliberately fighting their own magnets.10 min
- 5Torque vectoring and multi-motor controlHow independently controlled motors at each axle or wheel reshape vehicle dynamics.9 min
- 6Efficiency maps and drive cyclesReading the torque-speed efficiency contour map that engineers use to tune a whole vehicle.10 min
Module 6
Real-world motors
Production vehicles, sizing, faults, maintenance and future tech.
6 lessons
- 1Motors in real production vehiclesA tour of the motor choices behind well-known EVs.10 min
- 2Sizing a motor for a vehicleWorking from vehicle targets — acceleration, top speed, range — back to motor specifications.11 min
- 3Common motor faults and diagnosisWorking through realistic fault scenarios a technician might encounter.11 min
- 4Maintenance and service lifeWhat actually needs attention on a component with almost no wearing parts.8 min
- 5Motors across the whole EV systemSeeing how the motor connects to battery, inverter, cooling and vehicle control systems.9 min
- 6The future of electric motorsRare-earth-free designs, higher-voltage architectures and where the next efficiency gains will come from.9 min