Motors and Drives for Transportation Electrification [President’s Message]

According to a 2020 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, transportation accounts for 27% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States (https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions). The development of higher efficiency vehicles with significantly lower fuel consumption and GHG emissions is essential for a sustainable transportation system. Compared with the internal combustion engine, electric vehicles (EVs) have better energy efficiency and produce no CO₂ emissions during operation. There is a strong drive for transportation electrification. For example, the U.S. government plans to stop purchasing gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in a move to lower emissions and promote EVs under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden in August 2021.