‘Virtual magnet’ claims reveal why EVs need their rare-earth magnets
A Bengaluru-based startup called Vimag Labs claims to replace rare-earth permanent magnets in electric motors with 'virtual' magnets generated by software-controlled copper coils. The article explains that this technology is essentially an application of traditional electromagnetism rather than a new invention, as it relies on established principles used in large-scale power generators.
Why it matters
Reducing reliance on rare-earth magnets could significantly lower the cost and environmental impact of electric vehicle production, though the technical novelty of such 'virtual' magnet claims remains a subject of industry debate.
There have been a number of news reports recently about a startup in Bengaluru called Vimag Labs that has reportedly replaced rare-earth magnets in motors with so-called “virtual” magnets.
One such report quoted Manish Seth, the start-up’s CEO, as saying: “We remove permanent magnets, replace them with copper coils, and then through software, we generate magnetic fields inside the motor.”
To understand this claim, it helps to first see how electric motors produce magnetic fields and why they use permanent magnets in the first place.
A motor needs a magnetic field to operate. One way to create it is using a permanent magnet. Another is to pass current through copper coils that have been wound around a ferromagnet, temporarily turning it into a magnet. This is called an electromagnet — and it is this approach that the startup has used, instead of permanent magnets.
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