-Recently, the interior permanent magnet (IPM) motors for electric vehicle (EV) traction motor are being extensively researched because of its high energy density and high efficiency. The traction motor for EV requires high power and high efficiency at the wide driving region. Therefore, it is essential to fully consider the characteristics of the motor from low speed to high-speed driving regions. Especially, when the motor is driven at high speed, a significant centrifugal force is applied to the rotor. Thus, the rotor must be stably structured and be fully endured at the critical speed. In this paper, aims to examine the characteristics of the IPM motor by adjusting the width of air-barrier according to the permanent magnet position which is critical in designing an IPM motor for EV traction motors and to conduct a centrifugal force analysis for grasping mechanical safety.