By ATN Editorial Team
Summary: YASA has set a new unofficial world record for electric motor power density, achieving 59 kW/kg from its latest axial flux prototype. The 12.7 kg motor delivered a peak output of 750 kW (>1,000 bhp), surpassing the company’s previous benchmark of 42 kW/kg. Designed at YASA’s Oxford Innovation Centre, the fully functional prototype combines advanced thermal management, compact packaging, and scalable materials to achieve exceptional performance. Continuous power output is estimated at 350–400 kW, underscoring the motor’s real-world capability. Supported by the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre, the breakthrough highlights the maturity and commercial readiness of axial flux technology for next-generation high-performance EVs.
Key engineering takeaway: The new axial flux prototype achieves an unprecedented 59 kW/kg power density and up to 750 kW peak power, enabled by advanced thermal management and precision mechanical optimisation.
Why it matters: This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of axial flux motors to dramatically reduce weight and size while increasing performance, paving the way for lighter, more efficient, and higher-output EV powertrains in both road and motorsport applications.
YASA, the global leader in the design and production of axial flux motors, has smashed its own unofficial power density world record with a staggering new benchmark for ultra-high-performance electric motors.
Earlier in the summer, YASA achieved 550kW (738bhp) from a 13.1kg version of its new axial flux prototype motor, equating to an unofficial power density world record of 42kW/kg, but latest testing of an even lighter 12.7kg version has significantly exceeded this.
Hitting a staggering 750kW (>1000bhp) short-term peak rating, YASA has set a new unofficial electric motor power density world record of 59kW/kg – a 40% increase on initial testing. But the motor is not just focused on setting new standards for peak power, YASA also estimates that its all-important continuous power will be in the region of 350kW-400kW (469bhp-536bhp).
Designed and developed at YASA’s high-tech Oxford Innovation Centre, the breakthrough represents another major validation of the company’s axial flux technology. And crucially, this isn’t a theoretical model or digital concept: it is a fully functional prototype, undergoing a rigorous development program. Compact, scalable and with no exotic materials used, it achieves exceptional performance through precision engineering, advanced thermal management and optimised packaging. This extraordinary motor design has been developed and realised with support from the Advanced Propulsion Centre, UK.
“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. 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. This motor will bring game-changing technology to the high-performance automotive sector.”
YASA’s engineering team is already validating the prototype through extended testing cycles.
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