Can electric motors deliver high performance without rare-earth magnets? A software-defined architecture aims to replace permanent magnets with intelligent control.
Vimag Labs has introduced a software-defined electric motor architecture that eliminates the need for permanent rare-earth magnets by generating the rotor’s magnetic field electronically. The Bengaluru-based start-up recently secured an Indian patent for the core design of its Virtual Magnet Synchronous Motor (VMSM), marking a milestone in the development of the technology.
The approach addresses one of the key challenges in electric motor design-dependence on rare-earth magnets, most of which are processed through concentrated global supply chains. By replacing fixed magnets with a software-controlled magnetic field, the architecture aims to reduce material dependency while offering a synchronous motor platform for electric mobility, industrial equipment, robotics, defence and clean-energy applications. The company is also targeting high-power systems ranging from 200kW to 600kW.
Unlike conventional Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSMs), which use embedded rare-earth magnets to generate torque, VMSM produces and regulates the magnetic field in real time using power electronics and proprietary control algorithms. The software-defined approach enables dynamic control of the rotor’s magnetic field instead of relying on a fixed magnetic source, providing greater flexibility in motor operation while eliminating permanent magnets altogether. This also distinguishes the platform from alternative approaches that replace rare-earth magnets with other magnetic materials.
The brushless, slip-ring-free architecture is designed to maintain synchronous motor operation without permanent magnets. According to the company, the patented technology is currently being evaluated through pilot programmes with automotive manufacturers. While Vimag states that the platform can match or exceed the performance of conventional permanent magnet motors, these claims are yet to be independently validated at commercial production scale.
“This patent is the outcome of over 87,600 engineering hours. Our long-term vision is to build scalable, software-driven, magnet-free motor systems for global electrification,” says Manish Seth, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vimag Labs.
