Comparison of PMSM versus PMa-SynRM and IM from an Optimized Electric Vehicle Powertrain Perspective

This study focuses on comparing three electrical machine (EM) topologies to be used in an electric vehicle powertrain. The considered topologies are the permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM), permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance machine (PMa-SynRM), and induction machine (IM). For this assessment, complete powertrains are optimized for each EM topology. A powertrain optimization approach based on the use of extensive EM databases and scaling is utilized. The proposed comparison method is applied to the requirements of a passenger vehicle application. Energy consumption and EM cost are set as the optimization objectives. The findings of this study reveal that the PMSM exhibits the highest power density and efficiency, while PMa-SynRM offers the lowest EM cost for same vehicle performance requirements. These findings offer valuable insights into the characteristics and trade-offs associated with each machine type.