This Breakthrough EV Motor Makes 1,000 Horsepower—And Fits Inside A Wheel

• UK-based Yasa has revealed a potentially game-changing in-wheel electric motor.
• Based on its record-breaking tiny axial flux motor, the new drive unit prototype can provide over 1,000 hp per wheel.
• Its regenerative braking capabilities are also off the charts, which could make physical brakes unnecessary in certain applications.

In-wheel motors for electric cars have never really caught on, despite several companies working hard to make them a reality. They have a lot of potential, though, as they promise serious weight and space savings, making room for bigger batteries or more spacious interiors.

At the moment, in-wheel motors are a little too heavy and not quite as powerful as their conventional counterparts, but that might change soon if UK startup Yasa has its way.

The company made news recently with its record-breaking tiny axial flux electric motor that’s capable of delivering a peak of over 1,000 horsepower while weighing just 28 pounds (12.7 kilograms). Well, now Yasa has put that tech in a prototype in-wheel powertrain, Yasa said on Tuesday. 

The first working prototype is undergoing testing at Yasa’s headquarters in Oxfordshire, and it promises to tick all the right boxes, bringing the technology one step closer to mass production. It retains the impressive power figures of the original, with a continuous rated output of up to 536 hp (400 kW) and a peak of 1,005 hp (750 kW), and throws in a lot of regenerative braking capability.

According to Yasa, the breakthrough in-wheel motor has the potential to downsize or even remove rear brakes due to the sheer stopping power during energy recuperation. It makes sense that an outrageously powerful motor can also deliver more regenerative braking, which is when a motor essentially operates in reverse, helping to capture energy and slow the car.

What’s more, because there is no need for drive shafts either, the startup reckons carmakers can shave about 440 lbs (200 kg) off current-generation EVs by adopting its in-wheel motor and removing components, or up to 1,100 pounds on ground-up designs.

The extremely light and powerful axial flux in-wheel motor works together with the world’s first dual inverter. Designed and developed in-house by Yasa, it tips the scales at just 33 lbs (15 kg) but is capable of handling 1,500 kW, leading to an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 100 kW/kg—a huge step from the current state-of-the-art power electronics that are around the 50-70 kW/kg mark.

Yasa, which became a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz in 2021, is known for the pancake-like axial flux motors used in the Ferrari SF90 Stradale and Lamborghini Temerario plug-in hybrid supercars. The flat drive units also power the Mercedes-AMG GT XX concept, which puts down over 1,360 hp (1,000 kW). 

We could see its tech in more cars soon. But for now Yasa says its in-wheel motor is very much in the R&D phase. 

“While not intended for immediate production, this prototype clearly demonstrates how in-wheel systems could enable lighter, more efficient and higher-performance electric vehicles in the years ahead,” the company said in a LinkedIn post.