system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: What's the difference between an Electric Induction Motor (e.g. Tesla S) and a Synchronous Motor (Leaf & Volt)?
gpt
An induction motor uses coils on the outside connected to an AC power source. The changing Alternating Current _induces_ a current in the rotating armature, and that current interacts with the current in the coils to produce a force which makes the armature rotate. An induction motor produces good torque at all speeds with a fixed AC frequency.

A synchronous motor uses either permanent magnets or fixed electromagnets to make a field, and the AC current works against that field. Because of this, they can only run at a speed dictated by the frequency of the AC current. At any other speed, most of the electric power input is wasted, and the power output is low. For multiple speed operation, the frequency of the input must be changed.