YASA axial motor
YASA has once again raised the bar for electric motor performance. Just months after claiming an unofficial world record with a 42kW/kg power density motor, the UK-based axial flux specialist has now outdone itself with an even lighter and more powerful prototype.
The company’s latest 12.7kg axial flux motor has achieved a staggering 750kW (>1000bhp) short-term peak rating, setting a new unofficial world record of 59kW/kg, a 40% jump over its previous benchmark.
YASA says the prototype’s continuous power output is estimated between 350kW and 400kW (469–536bhp).
Designed and built at its Oxford Innovation Centre, the motor marks a major step forward in high-performance electric propulsion.
The new prototype is not a digital concept or theoretical model, it’s a fully functional unit currently undergoing rigorous testing.
YASA achieved the breakthrough by combining advanced thermal management, precision engineering, and compact packaging, all without using exotic materials.
“On behalf of the entire YASA team, I’m proud and excited to so quickly follow up on the already remarkable results of our initial testing with this incredible result,” said Tim Woolmer, Founder and CTO, YASA.
“To achieve a 750kW short-term peak rating and a density of 59kW/kg is a major validation of our next-generation axial flux technology.”
Woolmer added that the prototype is running in real-world testing: “It’s proof of what focused engineering innovation can achieve. And this isn’t a concept on a screen — it’s running, right now, on the dynos. We’ve built an electric motor that’s significantly more power-dense than anything before it – all with scalable materials and processes.”
Outpacing the competition
This new figure places YASA far ahead of other high-performance motor developers.
In July, the company’s 42kW/kg record nearly doubled the previous mark believed to belong to Evolito’s 28kW/kg D250 motor. Evolito itself traces its roots to YASA’s early axial flux technology.
By comparison, the latest prototypes from Helix, Donut Labs, H3X, and Equipmake offer power densities between 13 and 25kW/kg, still less than half of YASA’s new record.
Even in continuous operation, YASA’s motor achieves around 27.6kW/kg, a number greater than many competitors’ peak outputs.
“The early results are extremely encouraging,” said Simon Odling, YASA’s Chief of New Technology. “The motor’s performance on the dyno has exceeded even our most optimistic simulations.”
He added that the continuous power “will be in the region of 350kW-400kW. This is real hardware, in real life, delivering real data – and it’s performing beautifully.”
Scalable design, performance focus
YASA’s breakthrough has been supported by the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre and designed with scalability in mind.
Compact, lightweight, and manufacturable without exotic materials, the platform aims to bridge cutting-edge performance with production viability.
“This record demonstrates what makes YASA unique,” said CEO Joerg Miska. “With three times the performance density of today’s leading radial flux motors, YASA continues to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible in electric motor design.”
While YASA hasn’t committed to a production timeline, it remains focused on refining its axial flux technology for high-performance automotive applications.
“This motor will bring game-changing technology to the high-performance automotive sector,” Woolmer said.
For now, YASA appears to be competing only with itself and winning.
The company plans to continue releasing updates as testing progresses, pushing its axial flux architecture toward the next benchmark in electric propulsion.
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