Indian EV tech firm Vimag starts magnet-free motor production

Vimag Labs has begun manufacturing magnet-free motor systems for electric vehicles. Its first production facility is in Jhajjar, Haryana. This is significant because India still depends on imported rare-earth magnets for many EV motors.

The company describes its products as software-defined magnet-free motors. It is initially concentrating on mid-power systems, while planning higher-rated systems as customer programs develop. Vimag has already exported its first batch from the new manufacturing operation.

Vimag plans to invest about 500 million rupees in phased Indian manufacturing. Spending will depend on customer demand and product requirements. Its manufacturing network is designed to expand as volumes grow, potentially reaching 10,000 motor and control systems each month.

A magnet-free electric motor creates rotation without permanent magnets fixed to its rotor. Common permanent-magnet EV motors use magnetic materials, often including rare-earth elements, to help generate the forces that turn the rotor. Magnet-free designs instead create the needed magnetic fields electrically or through the motor’s iron structure.

Examples include induction motors and switched-reluctance motors. In an induction motor, electrical currents are induced in the rotor. In a switched-reluctance motor, the controller energises stator coils so the rotor moves toward the strongest magnetic path. The article does not specify which architecture Vimag uses.

The distinction matters because India depends on imported rare-earth magnets for EV motor production. A magnet-free system could reduce that dependence. However, performance, noise, efficiency, cost, and control requirements vary by design, so the article does not establish how Vimag’s system compares on those measures.

Vimag is building a manufacturing network that can expand with demand. Its planned capacity is up to 10,000 motor and control systems each month. That figure describes the network’s intended scale, not necessarily its current output.

The company is initially focusing on mid-power systems. As customer programs mature, it plans systems rated at 570 kW and above. This suggests a product path from current mid-power applications toward much higher power levels, although the article gives no launch date or confirmed customer schedule.

Vimag plans to invest about 500 million rupees in phased Indian manufacturing. The timing and level of spending will depend on customer demand and product needs. The network’s ability to scale could support larger orders, but actual production will depend on market uptake, eligibility requirements, and successful customer programs.

Rare-earth magnets are important inputs for many electric-vehicle motors. India remains dependent on importing them, according to the article. That dependence can make local EV manufacturing more exposed to international supply conditions and imported components.

Vimag’s approach is to develop magnet-free motor and control systems. If these systems can meet customer requirements, they could reduce the need for imported rare-earth magnets in some applications. The company has started production in Haryana and has exported its first batch, providing an early example of domestic manufacturing.

The broader effect is not yet established. Vimag’s eligibility for India’s auto production-linked incentive scheme has not been confirmed. Its systems may qualify if they meet rules for localisation, investment, and sales. Future impact will therefore depend on customer demand, product performance, production scale, and policy eligibility.

In general, a software-defined motor is a motor whose behaviour can be managed or adjusted through software and electronic controls. Software can determine how the system responds to speed, torque, temperature, and driver commands. Vimag uses this description for its magnet-free motor systems, but the article gives no detailed feature list.

The controller is the system’s electronic coordinator. It converts the vehicle’s electrical supply into carefully timed currents for the motor’s windings. By changing those currents, it controls the motor’s magnetic fields, torque, speed, and direction. In a magnet-free design, precise control is especially important because the rotor does not provide a permanent magnetic field.

This architecture can make one hardware system adaptable through control updates. However, the article does not state whether Vimag offers remote updates, particular control algorithms, or specific efficiency gains. Those details would need confirmation from the company or technical documentation.

Permanent-magnet motors are not the only option for electric vehicles. Induction motors create rotor currents through electromagnetic induction. Switched-reluctance motors use a shaped iron rotor and energised stator coils. Synchronous reluctance motors use rotor geometry to guide magnetic flux without permanent magnets.

The trade-offs differ. Induction motors avoid permanent magnets but can lose efficiency in some operating conditions. Switched-reluctance motors can be robust and magnet-free, yet may produce more noise and vibration and require precise control. Reluctance designs can also need careful engineering to balance torque, efficiency, size, and cost.

The best choice depends on the vehicle, duty cycle, performance target, and supply priorities. The article establishes that Vimag is pursuing magnet-free systems because India imports rare-earth magnets. It does not provide comparative test results, costs, efficiency figures, or confirm which alternative motor architecture Vimag uses.

An electric motor converts electrical energy into rotation through electromagnetism. Electricity enters coils in the stationary part, called the stator. The current creates magnetic fields. Those fields interact with magnetic fields or magnetisable sections of the rotating part, called the rotor, producing torque.

The controller switches and adjusts the current in the stator coils at the right moments. This keeps the magnetic force slightly ahead of the rotor, pulling or pushing it around continuously. The rotor’s shaft transfers that rotation through the vehicle’s drivetrain to the wheels. Changing current changes torque and speed.

Different motor designs create the rotating force in different ways. Permanent-magnet motors use rotor magnets, while induction and reluctance designs generate or guide magnetic fields differently. Vimag’s systems are described as magnet-free and software-defined, but the article does not specify their detailed electromagnetic architecture or drivetrain arrangement.