What Does an Electric Car Engine Look Like?

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Summary

A fully electric vehicle has no engine and uses an electric motor that appears as bulky copper windings or hairpin-like copper inserts.
The motor sits within a drive unit containing final drive and differential gears, and access typically requires raising the vehicle, locking the steering, disconnecting axles, unbolting mounts, and removing parts such as the intermediate shaft, electrical harness, and front drive unit inverter.
Electric motors generally cost less and last longer than internal combustion engines, with service life up to 30,000 hours, though rapid acceleration, high-speed runs, and frequent regenerative braking can overheat windings and cause premature failure.

tesla 3 drive motor — Tesla 3 drive motor diagram | Image Source: Richard McCuistian

A fully electric vehicle doesn’t have an engine under its hood. Instead, it has an electric motor, which looks like bulky coils of copper wire. In some electric vehicles, the electric motor can also look like hairpin-like copper inserts with cross-sections.

Electric motors generally cost less than internal combustion engines, mainly because they have fewer moving parts. This also makes them last longer than traditional engines. With proper maintenance, an electric motor can last up to 30,000 hours.

However, that doesn’t mean they can’t fail prematurely. Sometimes the windings on an EV electric traction motor will fail due to rapid acceleration, high-speed runs, and frequent regenerative braking, all of which increase current flow through the motor windings and inverters, generating significant heat.

Tips On How to Access the Electric Motor

The exact procedure on how to access the electric motor can vary from one vehicle to another. While this might be the case, it’s important to have sufficient knowledge in dealing with electrical components before you proceed with removing or tinkering with the electric motor.

Pro Tips are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.

Pro Tip: The motor is part of a “drive unit” that contains the final drive gearing and differential gears. The drive unit usually needs to be removed before the motor can be removed from the drive unit and that means disconnecting the axles from the drive unit and removing the bolts from its mounts.

Like most repair jobs, accessing the electric motor will require you to raise your vehicle and ensure that the steering wheel is locked in place.

You’ll need to remove a couple of parts before you get to the electric motor, including the intermediate shaft, electrical harness, front drive unit inverter, and more.

About The Authors

Written By

CarParts.com Research Team

Automotive and Tech Writers

The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.

Reviewed By

Richard McCuistian

Technical Reviewer at CarParts.com

Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.

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