A Tiny 29-Pound Electric Motor Just Beat Everyone in Power Density

Here's what you'll learn reading this story.

Yasa's electric motors are already being used in Lamborghini and Ferrari hybrid supercars, reaching 737.5 horsepower despite weighing less than 30 pounds.
Koenigsegg--the previous class-leader, with its Dark Matter electric motor--is capable of outputting 800 horsepower, but is much heavier than Yasa's.
Yasa's motor doesn't use exotic materials or manufacturing processes, meaning its production is easily scalable.

No less than a week ago, a small British company called Yasa unofficially set the world record for the highest power density in an electric motor. Its prototype electric motor--weighing in at just 28.8 pounds--was able to output an eye-popping 737.5 horsepower. The brand's CTO, Tim Wooler, released more details in a follow-up LinkedIn post celebrating the record.

The biggest news here is that the motor is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily mass-produced, as Yasa claims it doesn't use any exotic materials like cobalt-iron laminations or litz wire.

The British company claimed that production could easily be scaled up to produce up to 50,000 units per year.

The Competition

Koenigsegg

While Yasa's prototype motor took the crown for most power density, it technically isn't the most powerful electric motor on the planet. The Swedish engineers at Koenigsegg have Yasa beat with their Dark Matter [1] electric motor, capable of producing 800 hp and 921 lb-ft of torque. But while the extra 70 horsepower is nice, the Dark Matter is roughly 60 lbs heavier than the British prototype.

If we compare the power density between the two, Yasa's unit is capable of 42 w/kg, while Koenigsegg's lags well behind at 15 w/kg.

Koenigsegg's Dark Matter disc is still incredibly impressive, as it's nearly two years. It was designed to be part of the performance hybrid system in Koenigsegg's Gemera (as the Swedish automaker isn't interested in fully electric vehicles), and is capable of producing up to 2,300 horsepower in its most powerful configuration.

What's In a Name?

Many high-profile Italian automakers have noticed the performance benefits of Yasa tech over the years. Mercedes-Benz acquired the company in 2021, but the Italians were first to deploy the technology into many hybrid supercars; the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, Ferrari 296 GTB, Lamborghini Temerario, and Lamborghini Revuelto. (Somewhat surprisingly, the Lamborghini Urus SE [2] we drove earlier this year featured an electric motor sourced from Volkswagen Group.)

Just Plain Cool

Mercedes is the only non-Italian automaker to use Yasa's electric motors in an EV, squeezing three of them into its latest 1,360 hp AMG GT XX Concept [3].

What's Next

Countless manufacturers have claimed to have an affordable EV on the way, and that makes us wonder: If Yasa's prototype motor cranks out 700 horsepower, how small could it make a motor that produces the mere 350 hp necessary to run a run-of-the-mill car?

And how much would it cost?

Many EV manufacturers are getting carried away with horsepower and torque figures, and the resulting horsepower arms race continues to worsen exponentially. The near-instant acceleration that electric powertrains deliver is a great party trick, but it's likely unnecessary overall. A J.D. Power study from 2022 [4] showed that the average horsepower for commuter vehicles sits around 180. Perhaps an even lighter, more modest electric motor from Yasa could be a catalyst for the next ultra-affordable, ultra-efficient EV.

Matt Crisara is a native Austinite who has an unbridled passion for cars and motorsports, both foreign and domestic.

He was previously a contributing writer for Motor1 following internships at Circuit Of The Americas F1 Track and Speed City, an Austin radio broadcaster focused on the world of motor racing. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona School of Journalism, where he raced mountain bikes with the University Club Team. When he isn't working, he enjoys sim-racing, FPV drones, and the great outdoors.

References

^ Dark Matter (www.koenigsegg.com)
^ Lamborghini Urus SE (www.popularmechanics.com)
^ 1,360 hp AMG GT XX Concept (www.mercedes-amg.com)
^ J.D.

Power study from 2022 (www.jdpower.com)