It may sound far-fetched, but the electric motor that Eddie Martin, a YASA research and development engineer, is holding in the photo above delivers 750 kW of peak power - the equivalent of 1020 cv - while weighing just 12.7 kg.
Those numbers look almost unbelievable at first glance, yet they are very real. They represent a new unofficial world record for electric-motor power density: 59 kW/kg (80 cv/kg). YASA has surpassed its own previous benchmark by a wide margin, after setting 42 kW/kg (57 cv/kg) in the summer.
YASA is not a new name here. The British company, owned by Mercedes-Benz, specialises in axial-flux electric motors. Unlike conventional radial-flux electric motors - where the magnetic field travels in a circular path - an axial-flux motor channels the flux parallel to the rotation axis.
YASA axial-flux electric motor: why it’s so compact
That layout makes for a much more compact and lighter architecture, capable of producing more torque and power per kilogram. In this case, the difference is dramatic: a Tesla Model S Plaid needs three electric motors to deliver the same peak output.
What these power-density figures enable
With three times the power density of conventional motors, YASA’s new axial motor has been developed for high-performance applications - exactly the kind of use case AMG is targeting.
Engineering with real-world impact
YASA is also keen to stress that this new motor generation is not merely a paper exercise. The prototype is fully operational, currently undergoing durability and power testing on a dynamometer, and it is built without exotic materials - which keeps the door open to series production.
“This isn’t a digital concept. It’s real hardware, running right now. At 59 kW/kg, this is the most power-dense electric motor ever tested, and it’s ready to be produced at industrial scale.”
Tim Woolmer, founder and chief technical officer at YASA
YASA estimates the continuous power output of this new motor at around 350 kW to 400 kW (476–544 cv). Even on their own, those figures exceed what two-motor systems can typically deliver in today’s road-going electric cars.
From Oxford to Affalterbach
Since being acquired by Mercedes-Benz in 2021, YASA has become a key technology pillar for future electric AMG models - including the upcoming GT XX super saloon and a super-SUV. It is not yet known whether those vehicles will use this specific motor, but it offers a clear glimpse of what could power future 100% electric AMGs - and potentially models from other brands as well.
YASA already supplies axial-flux electric motors to marques such as Koenigsegg, Ferrari and Lamborghini, which deploy them in hybrid powertrains. It is only a matter of time before this new generation of motors appears in more supercars.
The advantages are straightforward: it is compact, exceptionally light and modular. Put another way, it is a motor that weighs roughly the same as a tyre, takes up less space… and can deliver more than 1000 cv.
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