Electric Motor Redesign: Engineering Around Rare Earth Constraints

As global demand for rare earth elements tightens and geopolitical pressures reshape supply chains, the electric motor industry faces a defining moment.

This panel explores how engineers, OEMs, and material scientists are rethinking motor architecture to reduce or eliminate reliance on critical rare earth magnets.

Experts will examine new design pathways—from ferrite-based motors and switch reluctance architectures to advanced winding topologies, compact geometries, and AI-driven optimization techniques.

The discussion will highlight performance trade-offs, manufacturability, cost targets, and real-world deployment timelines. Attendees will walk away with a clear picture of how the next generation of electric machines is being built not around what we have, but around what we can no longer assume we will have.

Key themes include:

• Magnet-light and magnet-free motor designs at scale

• Alternative material systems & thermal performance challenges

• Design optimization using simulation, digital twins & generative engineering

• Cost, efficiency, torque density, and sustainability trade-offs

• OEM perspectives on transitioning away from rare earth dependency