Advanced Design, Control, and Topologies for Motor Drive Systems in Electric Vehicles: Towards High-Density, High-Reliability, and Intelligent Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Transportation is fundamental to socio-economic growth. However, the prevailing reliance on internal combustion engine vehicles has led to significant challenges in energy consumption and environmental pollution. Electric vehicles (EVs) present a pivotal solution to this global issue. Within this context, the motor drive system, as the core of the EV powertrain, critically determines vehicle efficiency, performance, and reliability. The rapid evolution of the EV market imposes unprecedented demands on motor drive systems: they must achieve not only higher power density, compactness, and efficiency through advancements in materials and manufacturing but also require more intelligent, robust, and advanced control strategies to ensure reliable operation under complex driving conditions and stringent safety standards.

Therefore, this Topic focuses on cutting-edge innovations in motor drive systems for next-generation electric vehicle applications, addressing core challenges such as high-power-density design, system-level reliability enhancement, intelligent state perception, and fault-tolerant operation. We seek substantive contributions that propel the field towards more efficient, reliable, and intelligent solutions.

Topics of Interest:
This Topic invites original research and comprehensive review articles in the following areas, particularly encouraging submissions that demonstrate solutions specifically tailored for EV applications (considering constraints like battery supply characteristics, wide speed-torque range, vibration/thermal environments, cost, and reliability):

• Topic A: Multi-Objective Optimization and Integrated Design of Motors for EVs
• Focus: AI/machine learning-assisted design optimization, multi-physics (electromagnetic-thermal-mechanical) co-simulation and optimization, application of new materials (e.g., high-frequency soft magnetic composites), high-speed motor design, integrated design with transmission/power electronics for enhanced power density and efficiency.
• Topic B: High-Fidelity Modeling and State Awareness for Motors and Drive Systems
• Focus: Reduced-order / high-speed models for real-time control or digital twins, data-driven modeling approaches, online parameter identification techniques, high-performance sensorless control strategies, advanced condition monitoring and incipient fault diagnosis algorithms.
• Topic C: Advanced Control and Fault-Tolerant Strategies for Motor Drive Systems
• Focus: Advanced control algorithms for improving efficiency (e.g., minimum loss control), dynamic performance, or robustness (e.g., Model Predictive Control, Sliding Mode Control), fault-tolerant control strategies for sensor or inverter failures, multi-motor coordination control, optimized control synergistic with vehicle energy management.
• Topic D: High-Performance Power Converter Topologies for EV Applications
• Focus: High-frequency, high-efficiency topologies leveraging wide-bandgap semiconductors (SiC, GaN), multi-functional converters integrating charging and driving, high-reliability topologies (e.g., open-/short-circuit fault-tolerant), low-EMI topologies, integrated DC–DC converters for hybrid battery/supercapacitor storage systems.
• Other Related Topics:
• Comprehensive literature reviews on EV motor drive systems; advanced thermal management and vibration suppression methods; case studies for specific applications (e.g., commercial vehicles, high-performance cars); novel testing and validation methodologies.

Dr. Lefei Ge
Dr. Dianxun Xiao
Prof. Dr. Guoqiang Zhang
Topic Editors