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Motor Types in Electric Vehicles
Most EVs use one of two motor types. Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) use rare-earth magnets in the rotor to create a magnetic field, with the stator windings creating a rotating field to spin the rotor. PMSMs offer high efficiency and power density—used in Tesla Model 3 rear motor, Nissan Leaf, and most compact EVs. AC induction motors use electromagnetic induction to create the rotor field—no magnets needed—providing robustness and lower cost but slightly less efficiency. Tesla uses an induction motor on the Model S/X front axle for its resilience at sustained high speeds.