Permanent magnet motor


A permanent magnet motor is a type of electric motor that uses permanent magnets rather than windings on its field.

Use in electric vehicles

This type of motor is used in the Chevy Bolt, the Chevy Volt, and the Tesla Model 3 rear wheel drive. Recent dual motor Tesla models use a combination of a permanent magnet motor at the back and traditional induction motor at the front..
Permanent magnet motors are more efficient than induction motor or motors with field windings for certain high-efficiency applications such as electric vehicles. Tesla's chief motor designer was quoted discussing these advantages, saying:

Environmental and supply concerns

Permanent magnet motors rely on neodymium. “Rare earth production is as bad as you can get in terms of environmental damage,” according to a trader in rare earth metals. China, the top producer of neodymium, restricted shipments to Japan in 2010 during a controversy over disputed ownership of islands. China imposed strict export quotas on several rare earth metals, saying it wanted to control pollution and preserve resources. The quotas were lifted in 2015. Although neodymium is relatively abundant, global demand for neodymium outstripped production by about 10% in 2017.