Nowadays, reducing car emissions is gaining a lot of attention when environmental issues are being prioritized. Electric motors are gradually taking the place of internal combustion engines in many regions of the world. Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) are a great option for manufacturers thanks to their great power and torque density, stability, high efficiency, and excellent dynamic performance. Based on the number of phases, the PMSM is classified into a three-phase motor and multi-phase motors. In addition, according to the position of rotor, the PMSM is also split into 2 types: inner and outer rotor configurations. Due to a few benefits in motor operating, increasing the motor's phase count is a major advancement. Nonetheless, a three-phase motor continues to have some advantages in terms of cost, structure and control. In this paper, a comparison of the three-phase and six-phase surface-mounted PMSM with outer rotor configuration is performed via the analytical technique and the finite element method. Based on the obtained results, this paper will show the advantages and disadvantages between these two types of motors.