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The emergence of diverse and powerful simulation tools makes it possible to describe automotive components at several levels of abstraction. Engineers are often required to make difficult decisions about the appropriate level of model complexity to employ: whether the component needs to be described at a detailed electromagnetic level, at an intermediate circuit level, or at an abstract behavioral level. While such decisions depend on application needs, they can result in expensive design changes since incorrect simulation at any level results in prototype failure and necessary redesign. This paper describes a new multi-level modeling methodology with a detailed analysis of the tradeoffs between the accuracy of an abstraction level and the efficiency of the simulation. The procedure is illustrated using a claw-pole alternator as an example.