Environmental impact of traction electric motors for electric vehicles applications

Purpose The expansion of the electric vehicle (EV) market will bring changes in the type of environmental impact generated by the transport sector. This will be partially associated to the introduction of new technologies for energy storage and powertrains, including electric motors technology, which can play a critical role for the EV. To assure its optimal performance, key components and innovative materials are integrated in current motor designs. Such is the case of permanent magnets (PM), commonly made of rare-earth elements, which have a history of ecological concerns related to its mining. The goal of the paper is to study novel traction e-motors and to assess the influence of its components, in the environmental performance of the motor and the electric vehicle.