The electric motor market - France

1.1 Market definition and delimitation

An electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, as opposed to a heat engine that transforms thermal energy obtained during a combustion process. This electric motor is less polluting than the thermal engine during its operation by a reduced emission of polluting gases, but the process of its manufacture remains today very polluting in itself.

An electric motor can be powered in two different ways:

• Thanks to an alternating current: electric influx which circulates in a direction then in another. It requires an alternator whose turbine will create current to produce electricity
• Direct current: flows in one direction only, from the positive pole to the negative, and is produced by a generator such as a battery or a cell. To integrate this production into the distribution network, an inverter is used to transform the direct current into alternating current.

The main markets for electric motors are industry, transmission and distribution networks and power generation. The automotive sector is a particularly strong market, especially since the market for electric vehicles has been growing quickly in recent years. The global market for electric motors is worth more than 100 billion euros and its annual growth rate is estimated at 7% between 2021 and 2028.

French production has been fairly stable since the 2010s, with a few years marked by a negative growth rate. The French production market faces competition from foreign players, but the know-how and quality of the French industry gives the country a privileged position in the global market. In 2020, the sector was strongly affected by the coronavirus crisis, with sales falling by 10.4% that year. However, the recovery is estimated at 9.0% for 2021.