PLECS
PLECS models and simulates power electronic systems such as converters, motor drives, and control algorithms.
What PLECS is
PLECS models and simulates power electronic systems such as converters, motor drives, and control algorithms. Its component library covers electrical circuits, mechanics, magnetic circuits, thermal models, controls, and signal processing. Ideal on/off semiconductor switches and a two-step switching-event method support switched-system simulation. Lookup tables can calculate switching and conduction losses and junction temperature with ideal switch models. Control blocks include continuous and discrete functions, PWM generators, state machines, and custom C code; the optional PLECS Coder generates real-time C code. Steady-state and small-signal tools provide transfer functions, closed-loop gains, and state-space matrices. PLECS Standalone is an independent time-domain simulator with variable-step and fixed-step solvers, while PLECS Blockset runs inside Simulink and requires MATLAB and Simulink. Scripts can automate simulations through Octave, Python, or MATLAB. It supports Windows, macOS, and Linux. A fully functional trial lasts 30 days; paid licenses are listed separately.
Good
- Models converters, motor drives, and control algorithms
- Includes electrical, mechanical, magnetic, and thermal models
- Provides steady-state and small-signal analyses
- Supports Octave, Python, and MATLAB scripts
- Offers a fully functional 30-day trial
Watch out
- No free plan is available
- PLECS Blockset requires MATLAB and Simulink
- Commercial licenses are costly
Who it suits
PLECS suits industrial companies, research labs, and technical universities developing systems such as electric cars, rail vehicles, wind turbines, solar inverters, and power supplies. It fits users needing power-electronics simulation with control, thermal, and analysis tools.
Verdict
PLECS provides a broad modeling and analysis environment for power-electronics work, with Standalone and Simulink-based editions. The 30-day trial enables evaluation, but commercial licensing and Blockset dependencies matter when planning deployment.
Plans and prices
From PLECS's own pricing page, checked 5 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| PLECS trial license | Free | Fully functional · 30 days · Free fully functional trial for 30 days from the date the license is issued |
| PLECS Blockset Individual License (commercial) | $8,000, paid once | Individual license · commercial, government or personal use · $8,000.00 for a permanent license, including 1 year of software maintenance service |
| PLECS Standalone Individual License (commercial) | $8,000, paid once | Individual license · commercial, government or personal use · $8,000.00 for a permanent license, including 1 year of software maintenance service |
| PLECS Blockset Dongle License (commercial) | $11,200, paid once | Dongle license · commercial, government or personal use · $11,200.00 for a permanent license, including 1 year of software maintenance service |
| PLECS Blockset Concurrent License (commercial) | $16,000, paid once | Concurrent license · commercial, government or personal use · $16,000.00 for a permanent license, including 1 year of software maintenance service |
The facts
Each one read from PLECS's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Analysis tools
- PLECS provides steady-state and small-signal analyses, including open-loop transfer functions, closed-loop gains and state-space matrices.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Blockset dependency
- PLECS Blockset requires MATLAB and Simulink, and the maker lists support for Windows, Mac and Linux.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Controls and code generation
- Control blocks include continuous and discrete functions, PWM generators, state machines and custom C code; the optional PLECS Coder generates real-time C code.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- PLECS Blockset runs inside Simulink, and PLECS simulation scripts can automate simulations and process results using Octave, Python or MATLAB.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- Plexim identifies industrial companies, research labs and technical universities as customers, including teams developing electric cars, rail vehicles, wind turbines, solar inverters and power supplies.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Modeling domains
- Its component library covers electrical circuits, mechanics, magnetic circuits, thermal models, controls and signal processing.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Notable licensing limit
- PLECS Blockset commercial pricing lists individual, dongle and concurrent licenses; its annual lease costs 50% of the corresponding permanent license.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- Plexim's privacy policy says it does not sell or rent personal information and describes limited sharing with infrastructure, service and business providers.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- PLECS models and simulates power electronic systems, including converters, motor drives and control algorithms.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Standalone edition
- PLECS Standalone is an independent time-domain simulator with its own variable-step and fixed-step solvers.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Support
- PLECS support includes tutorials, application examples, technical solutions, installation help, a user forum and a contact-support channel.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Switched system simulation
- PLECS uses ideal on/off semiconductor switches and a two-step switching event approach to simulate switched systems efficiently.checked 5 Oct 2026
- Thermal analysis
- Lookup tables can be used with ideal switch models to calculate semiconductor switching and conduction losses and junction temperature.checked 5 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Platform support
- PLECS Standalone packages are listed for 64-bit Windows, Intel and ARM Mac, and Intel Linux.checked 5 Oct 2026
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