Emerging Technologies in High-Torque-Density Electrical Machines for Next-Generation Distributed Electric Propulsion
A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "F: Electrical Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2026 | Viewed by 150
Special Issue Editor
Interests: high-torque and high-power density permanent magnet machines and drives; novel electrical machines; multi-physics analysis, especially for electric vehicles and electric aircrafts
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The rapid emergence of distributed electric propulsion (DEP) is reshaping the future of electric aircraft, eVTOL platforms, and advanced air mobility. Unlike conventional propulsion architectures that rely on a small number of large engines, DEP systems employ multiple electrically driven propulsors distributed across the airframe. This paradigm shift enables fundamentally new aircraft configurations with improved aerodynamic efficiency, enhanced redundancy, reduced noise footprint, and greater operational safety.
The transition toward DEP is tightly coupled with advances in electrification, lightweight materials, and high-performance power electronics. However, the feasibility and scalability of DEP aircraft critically depend on breakthroughs in high-torque-density electrical machines. Because DEP platforms typically integrate numerous propulsors within strict mass and volume constraints, propulsion motors must deliver exceptional power and torque density while maintaining high efficiency, thermal robustness, reliability, and fault tolerance. In multi-motor architectures, the electrical machine is no longer a standalone component but part of a tightly integrated propulsion–energy–control system, where performance, thermal limits, and failure modes directly affect overall aircraft safety and mission capability.
To address these challenges, this Special Issue aims to provide a focused forum for the latest advances in electrical machine topologies, materials, thermal management, and integrated drive solutions that push the limits of torque density and system-level performance in DEP applications. Emphasis is placed not only on machine-level innovation but also on system integration, manufacturability, and certification considerations that are essential for real-world deployment. We invite original research articles, review papers, and application-oriented studies covering, but not limited to, the following:
- Novel electrical machine topologies for high torque density.
- Flux-modulation and multi-air-gap machine concepts.
- Axial-flux and transverse-flux machines.
- Advanced magnetic and structural materials.
- High-efficiency thermal management and cooling strategies.
- Fault-tolerant machine and drive configurations for DEP.
- Modeling, design optimization, and multi-physics analysis.
- Control strategies for high-performance propulsion machines.
- Manufacturability and scalable production techniques.
- Power electronics integration and motor–drive co-design.
- Lightweight structural and integrated propulsion system design.
Dr. Yanlei Yu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 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.
Keywords
- distributed electric propulsion (DEP)
- high-torque-density motors
- high-power-density motors
- fault-tolerant electrical machines
- thermal management
- advanced cooling techniques
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