Sustainable Innovation Pathways for Electric Traction Motors: Technology Assessment and Simulation-Based Validation

This thesis, carried out during an internship at Toyota Motor Europe, investigates sustainable innovation pathways for electric traction motors through a combined technology assessment and simulation-based validation. The work aims to identify practical solutions that enhance sustainability and reduce cost while maintaining competitive performance. A comprehensive literature review and a patent landscape were conducted to contextualize industrial trends and support the selection of promising technologies aligned with circular economy principles. Three technologies were examined: aluminium windings, magnet segmentation, and recycled permanent magnets. Their impact was quantitatively assessed through electromagnetic and thermal simulations in Motor-CAD, using an IPM traction motor as reference. The results show that aluminium windings can reduce winding mass by around 60% and winding material cost by over 70%, achieving close efficiency when properly optimized. Magnet segmentation effectively suppresses eddy current losses and lowers magnet temperature, improving thermal robustness without altering electromagnetic behaviour. Recycled NdFeB magnets maintain reliable drive-cycle efficiency and enhance resistance to demagnetisation, while reducing dependence on critical rare-earth materials. The findings demonstrate that targeted material and design substitutions can deliver tangible sustainability and cost benefits without compromising functional performance. Rather than requiring disruptive redesigns, these incremental and simulation-validated innovations represent realistic, near-term strategies for advancing the sustainability of electric powertrains. Collectively, they illustrate how simulation-based design can guide the automotive industry toward more circular, resource-efficient, and resilient traction motor technologies.