New Trends and Challenges in Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Powertrain Configurations, Traction Motors and Drive Control Techniques

The requirement of sustainable mobility and a clean environment has accelerated the development and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) as an alternative, practical and promising solution against conventional vehicles globally. Such alternative energy vehicles not only provide a critical solution to mitigate fossil fuel dependency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also contribute to producing an energy-efficient transportation system. However, the operational performance, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of EVs and HEVs are hugely dependent on their powertrain architectures, selection of traction motors and associated control techniques. This paper systematically compares major hybrid architectures: series, parallel, and series–parallel, plug-in, as well as battery and fuel cell electric vehicle platforms, highlighting trade-offs in component sizing, cost, and system integration complexity. The paper critically analyses traction motor technologies with respect to torque–speed characteristics, efficiency behavior, material constraints, and power density. A detailed comparative assessment of traction motor technologies is presented. Furthermore, classical and advanced motor control strategies, including field-oriented control (FOC), direct torque control (DTC), model predictive control (MPC) and AI-enhanced control frameworks, are evaluated with respect to transient performance, robustness, computational requirements, and scalability. The review identifies key technological milestones, emerging next-generation drive technologies, existing limitations, and unresolved research challenges. Finally, critical research gaps and future development pathways are articulated to support the advancement of high-efficiency, reliable, and cost-effective EV/HEV powertrain systems.