Advanced Electric Motor Technologies for Next-Generation Electric Vehicles and Future Air Mobility Propulsion Systems

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid electrification of transportation is accelerating the demand for high-performance, lightweight, and highly efficient electric propulsion systems. Electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid-electric and fully electric aircraft, urban air mobility (UAM), and emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) platforms all require electric motors that deliver unprecedented levels of power density, thermal robustness, reliability, and energy efficiency. As propulsion systems become more compact and integrated, new challenges arise in electromagnetic design, materials engineering, thermal management, fault-tolerant control, and system-level optimization.

Recent advances in permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs), axial-flux machines, switched reluctance motors, and high-speed motors have opened up new pathways for next-generation propulsion systems. Moreover, multidisciplinary approaches—combining electromagnetic design, power electronics integration, digital twins, and AI-driven optimization—are reshaping how electric machines are conceived, designed, and validated for both ground and airborne mobility.

This Special Issue focuses on recent innovations in actuators and electric machines dedicated to electric vehicle propulsion and future air mobility systems. We welcome high-quality research articles, case studies, technological evaluations, and review papers that address cutting-edge solutions, novel concepts, and scientific challenges in electric propulsion.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• High-power-density motor topologies for EVs and future air mobility applications;
• Lightweight and high-efficiency axial-flux and radial-flux motor technologies;
• Fault-tolerant and safety-critical motor design for aviation propulsion;
• Advanced cooling and thermal management strategies for electric propulsion systems;
• High-speed motor design, electromagnetic optimization, and rotor dynamics;
• Novel magnetic materials, soft-magnetic composites, and high-temperature permanent magnets;
• Integrated motor–inverter systems and power electronics co-design;
• AI-assisted optimal design, digital twin modeling, and system-level simulation;
• Noise–vibration–harshness (NVH) reduction and technologies with enhanced reliability;
• Motor diagnostics, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance for propulsion systems;
• Energy harvesting, regenerative systems, and efficiency enhancement strategies;
• Application case studies in EVs, UAVs, eVTOL, UAM, and hybrid-electric aircraft.

Original research that presents breakthrough concepts, experimental validations, or performance comparisons among emerging propulsion technologies is strongly encouraged. Review papers providing comprehensive insights into trends and challenges in electric propulsion systems are also welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions and advancing this rapidly evolving field together.

Prof. Dr. Yong-Min You
Dr. Youngkeun Yoon
Dr. Kyu-yun Hwang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• electric propulsion systems
• axial-flux motors
• permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM)
• advanced air mobility (AAM)
• high-power-density electric machines
• thermal management of electric motors
• fault-tolerant motor design
• high-speed motor technology
• AI-driven motor optimization
• motor–inverter integration