Design and Analysis of an In-Wheel Motor With Hybrid Pole–Slot Combinations

In-wheel motors provide propulsion power for a vehicle on a wide-speed-range basis. Day-to-day driving patterns indicate a particular need for high torque, such as when accelerating from a very low speed or when climbing a hill. Therefore, an in-wheel motor needs to provide not only sufficient power but also high torque, depending on different driving situations. However, high torque and high power frequently represent two separate goals in the motor design that may not be coherent. This paper proposes an innovative motor with a hybrid pole-slot combination that can provide the decoupling of torque and power characteristics at different speed ranges and, therefore, extend the motor's capability. A feasibility study of the motor was conducted using the finite-element analysis.