Motors

There always seems to be some confusion about this so here is what I know about Tesla motors. Tesla currently uses two types of motors, Induction and Permanent Magnet.

In an induction motor, alternating current is run through windings in the stator (the stationary portion of the motor) to produce a rotating magnetic field. This magnetic field induces electric currents in the windings of the rotor (the spinning part of the motor) that generates an opposing magnetic field, causing the rotor to turn in the same direction as the magnetic field. The rotor of course spinning the wheels. More on that here.

The other motor is an alternative motor technology that Tesla calls a PMSRM, a permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor. A synchronous reluctance motor has a series of electromagnets around the stator, but the rotor doesn't have any windings or permanent magnets. Instead, the rotor contains veins of a magnetic material interspersed with non-magnetic material, arranged so that it has a preferred orientation in the magnetic field created by the stator. To turn the rotor, the motor activates electromagnets in sequence, creating a rotating magnetic field that pulls the rotor along.

Here is an important thing to remember about power vs range. Induction motors provide high torque at low speeds but overall they are less energy efficient. PMSRMs are basically your high range energy efficient motors. Early on Model S And X used one or two induction motors…massive power but pretty poor range.

The Model 3 introduced a major redesign in the motors as the motors were also designed for the Semi (with 3 or 4 of them in a Semi). So, Tesla introduced the PMSRM motor in the rear on all model 3s with the induction motor in the front on LR and performance versions. This gives both single motor and dual motor model 3s a decent kick from the rear motor. The advantage the dual motor Teslas have is that they can send power to the induction motor when immediate, rapid acceleration is called for, then shift power to the PMSRM as the vehicle gets up to speed to conserve energy. The performance model basically has the same motors as the LR, but has a different silicon carbide inverter on the rear motor designed to dump more current into the PMSRM rear motor when needed, bumping the HP up.

HP ratings between the 3 basic model 3 models are 252 (RWD), 363(LR), and 460+(P). The LR can be bumped up to higher HP and 0.5 seconds shaved off the 0-60 via a software option purchase. 0-60 numbers in seconds are 5.5 (RWD), 4.4 (LR), 3.9 (LR w/software option), 3.1 (P), 3.0 (P- stealth option but basically just 18” tires on a P).

The new model S and X actually switch this around putting the PMSRM in front and the induction motor in back…with no loss of power or speed.

The Cybertruck has 3 models. The RWD (315 HP)  has one PM motor on the rear with 0-60 of 6.5 seconds, top speed of 112 mph, range of 250 miles. The AWD (600 HP) has an induction motor at the rear and a PM motor at the front with 0-60 of 4.1 seconds, top speed of 112 mph, range of 340 miles without range extender. The CyberBeast (845 HP) has two induction motors at the rear and a PM motor at the front with 0-60 of 2.6, top speed of 130 mph, range of 320  miles without range extender. The Cybertruck motors share parts with the Model 3 as does the Tesla Semi. According to the Tesla engineering team the Beast could actually do a faster 0-60...they had to limit the acceleration to what the tires could do without losing traction.

And then there is the Cybercab

The Cybercab went a totally different direction with its motor. Tesla achieved a rare-earth-free electric motor for the Cybercab by developing a next-generation permanent magnet drive unit that replaces standard rare earth magnets (like neodymium and dysprosium) with alternative magnet materials, combined with a highly advanced flat copper bar arrangement.

While traditional high-performance EV motors rely on heavy-duty rare earth metals predominantly sourced from China, Tesla’s new 5th-generation drive unit completely eliminates them without suffering any range penalty—a milestone Elon Musk noted was "extremely hard to achieve". For reference the Cybercab in city driving achieves 115 wh per mile with a range of 418 miles using this 219 HP motor.

The Core Engineering Breakthroughs

• Alternative Magnet Material: While Tesla has not officially made public the exact chemical composition, the design realizes a roadmap first teased at Tesla’s 2023 Investor Day. Industry analysts note this type of permanent-magnet breakthrough likely involves leveraging materials like high-grade iron ferrite.

• Flat Copper Bar Arrangement: To offset the weaker magnetic field of non-rare-earth magnets, Tesla re-engineered the motor’s internal structure. Using tightly packed flat copper bars instead of traditional round wire windings allows Tesla to cram more copper into the same space. This maximizes the electromagnetic field, reduces heat generation, and dramatically improves power density.

• Extreme Downsizing: Despite losing rare earth elements, this stator and rotor redesign allowed the drive unit to be 18% smaller, 25% lighter, and more efficient than leading conventional EV motors.

Designed for Ultra-Fast Manufacturing

Beyond the chemistry, the motor was built from the ground up for Tesla’s "unboxed" manufacturing strategy. Because of the flat copper bar geometry, construction requires fewer physical steps, allowing the motor to be fully automated and assembled in under 10 seconds per unit.