Over the past decade, the rapid development of the electric vehicle (EV) industry has brought new opportunities for the application of axial-flux motor technology.
The compact size, lightweight design, and high efficiency of axial-flux motors have gradually attracted the attention of new energy vehicle manufacturers.
The renowned British company YASA, which has been focusing on the research and development of axial-flux motors since its establishment in 2009, has long seen its axial-flux motors mainly applied in experimental hybrid sports cars, without widespread adoption and mass production.
Throughout the last ten years, YASA's axial-flux motors have been featured in a variety of high-performance vehicles, including the Drive eO PP03—the first electric vehicle to claim an outright victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb—alongside the Jaguar C-X75, Koenigsegg Regera, and a Lola Le Mans Prototype that was converted to set a world electric land speed record in 2013.
In 2019, Ferrari integrated YASA's axial-flux motors into their models, starting with the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, followed by the 296GTB.
Click to watch the excellent performance of YASA axial flux motor on YASA’s youtube.
Mercedes Benz's Vision One-Eleven loaded with axial flux motor
In recent years, with continuous technological advancements and market recognition, axial-flux motors have begun to move towards mass production. In July 2021, after acquiring YASA, Mercedes-Benz announced that this technology would be the first to be mass-produced in Mercedes-AMG.EA electric platform models, marking a significant step in the application of axial-flux motors in mass-produced vehicles.
In November 2023, Mercedes-Benz showcased the Vision One-Eleven concept car equipped with an axial-flux motor at an exhibition in Guangzhou, China, drawing significant attention to the use of axial-flux motors in the automotive field.
In 2023 Mercedes-Benz presents a new sports car study. The Vision One-Eleven combines a highly dynamic design language with innovative all-electric powertrain technology.
The Vision One-Eleven features two exceptionally powerful and advanced axial-flux motors from YASA. Mercedes-Benz is developing this technology together with YASA to large scale production maturity for its next-generation electric drives.
As YASA wensite shows that its axial-flux motors bring up to 4 X more torque and double the power densities of current technologies used in nearly all Electric Vehicles, whilst being 50% lighter and 20% of the depth of a typical radial machine.
In addition to its superior power and torque density, a significant advantage of the axial-flux motor is its compact design, which significantly reduces both its weight and physical footprint. The axial-flux motor's weight is a mere one-third of that of conventional electric motors with comparable power output. Furthermore, it occupies only a third of the space required by a radial-flux motor. This compactness presents engineers with unprecedented design flexibility and offers new creative freedoms in the architecture of electric vehicles, as exemplified by the innovative design of the Vision One-Eleven.
Tim Woolmer, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of YASA said,
"Axial-flux motors are significantly lighter and more compact, yet more powerful than comparable radial-flux motors currently used in 99 percent of all electric cars. In an axial-flux motor, the electromagnetic flow runs parallel to the motor’s rotational axis, which is highly efficient. In a radial-flux motor, the flow runs perpendicular to the rotational axis. Compared to radial-flux motors, they have considerably higher and more enduring power reserves, which delivers a whole new level of performance."
Image source:YASA It shows YASA axial flux electric motor (left) compared to common radial flux motor (right).
How about the axial flux motor development in China?
In China, the field of axial-flux motors has also seen rapid development in recent years, with many companies entering this field and achieving remarkable results. This year, numerous manufacturers, such as Wolong Electric Drive, Jiangte Motor, Dayang Motor, and Xiaomi Auto, have increased their research and development efforts in the field of passenger car axial-flux motors.
Among them, Pangood, as the world's first enterprise to achieve large-scale mass production and application of axial-flux motors, has already been widely applied in various commercial vehicle fields.
It is reported that Pangood's axial-flux motor products have been applied on a large scale in commercial vehicle fields such as pure electric buses, mining trucks, and electric heavy trucks. Among them, the axial motor power system for pure electric buses has sold a total of 5,000 units and has been mass-operated in more than 50 cities in China, with a total safe driving mileage exceeding 250 million kilometers.
Another chinese company Zhonghao Electric, which focuses on axial motors, has also achieved significant results in the commercial vehicle field. Zhonghao Electric's axial motors mainly focus on the medium and small power range, such as the 60kW hybrid motor displayed on the official website, which can achieve an efficiency of over 95%. Currently, Zhonghao Electric's axial motors have been applied in fields such as diesel range extenders, hybrid systems, and construction machinery equipment motors, and have been widely recognized by the market.
Axial flux motors are now considered the most powerful and efficient motors. With the advancement of technology and the growing concern for environmental protection, we have reason to believe that axial flux motors will play a greater role in the future.
Brogen's aixal flux motor
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