Permanent Magnet Motor Design for E-Bikes Application

In recent years, electric bikes are becoming one of the fastest-growing technologies in the bicycle industry. Millions of riders around the world are realizing the attractive features of the battery-assisted bike as it is green, fast, comfortable, and a viable alternative to private car ownership for medium distances. For the first time learning to ride, many of us may have received a gentle push to jump-start our momentum. In many cases, that is what the motor on an electric bike can do for you. Later as you pedal, the motor will monitor your pedaling and deliver power based on the rider's input. In this context, special interest is paid to permanent magnet motors as they provide high torque, adding to their mechanical robustness, compactness, and ability to achieve high-speed operation. Therefore, electric bikes are suitable not only for flat and simple terrains but also for challenging areas with smooth and safe rides.

In this webinar, we will show you step-by-step how to use our virtual prototyping EMWorks2D software, to study and perform a permanent magnet motor designed for electric bikes. The electromagnetic simulation results such as the torque in no-load and on-load conditions as well as the back EMF, coil flux linkage, etc. will be evaluated and enhanced by investigating the number of poles, the winding configuration, and the magnet shape. Next, the back EMF harmonic content will be analyzed to evaluate the waveform quality based on the FFT method. In addition, a comparison between the initial and the final motor topologies will be carried out based on the finite element results.