A performance study of a high-torque induction motor designed for light electric vehicles applications

One of the biggest challenges for electric vehicle manufacturers is to properly choose the type of electric motor to be used. This choice impacts the performance of the other components in the electric propulsion system. This study analyzes the performance of the designed induction motor with application in a light vehicle electric propulsion system. Through simulations using Advanced Vehicle Simulator software, the torque performance of a designed induction motor was compared with the other two traction permanent magnet motors, also designed for light vehicle applications. The characteristics presented in the catalog for each machine were compared. Acceleration/deceleration test simulations were made for three different gradeabilities. The induction motor delivered higher torques than both permanent magnet machines for more than 80 % of the analyzed operation points. In the acceleration/deceleration tests, the designed induction motor presented higher instantaneous torques than those of the other permanent magnet machines. In the 4400 rpm to 6000 rpm overload region, the designed induction motor was more efficient than the permanent magnet machines. Therefore, this study shows that it is more advantageous to use this induction motor in light electric vehicle applications that require higher starting torques, such trajectories that contain ramps, and high slopes.