A UK foresight study of materials in decarbonisation technologies : the case of traction motors

Traction motors, also referred to as electric motors, serve as the powertrain for electrically driven vehicles and machinery, producing power through the conversion of electrical energy into mechanical energy. These motors find application in electric vehicles (EV), electric trains and in industrial applications such as conveyor belts and pumps (Slemon, 2024). Given their pivotal role in the electrification of transportation, the increasing adoption of traction motors in EVs is anticipated to fuel demand for a variety of raw materials in increasing quantities. Traditionally, traction motors are categorised into direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) motors. While DC motors are predominantly used in industry and heavy applications such as trains, AC motors are the most popular type for the EV market, although older and smaller models initially used DC motors. This study focuses on EV traction motors leading up to 2050, thereby concentrating on the predominant AC-motor technologies.