British electric-motor pioneer YASA has unveiled a feather-light axial-flux prototype that has broken a new unofficial world record for peak output.
YASA, the U.K.-based innovator known for pushing axial-flux motor technology forward, has revealed an ultralight prototype that has set a new benchmark for electric-motor performance.
The new unit weighs just 12.7 kilograms (28 pounds) yet delivers a staggering 750 kW of peak power — over 1,000 horsepower — and a power density of 59 kW per kilogram. That’s a 40% jump compared to the company’s previous record-setting design.
Developed at the Oxford Innovation Hub, the prototype is a fully functional system already undergoing test-bench trials. According to YASA, its continuous output ranges from 350 to 400 kW (roughly 470–540 hp), making it the most efficient motor of its kind anywhere in the world.
The breakthrough, the company says, comes from advanced thermal management, tight engineering tolerances and a compact layout, all without relying on rare or exotic materials. YASA founder and CTO Tim Woolmer stressed that this unit is no mere concept:
“Reaching 750 kW peak and 59 kW per kilogram proves what our next-generation axial-flux platform can do. We’ve built a motor with unmatched specific power — and we’ve done it using scalable materials.”
For comparison, YASA’s prior record of 42 kW/kg, set in July, already nearly doubled the figures claimed by competing designs. Today’s leading motors from Helix, Donut Labs, H3X and Equipmake sit in the 13–25 kW/kg range — less than half of YASA’s newest milestone.
Even in sustained operation, the motor delivers around 27.6 kW/kg, outperforming the peak ratings of most rivals. Simon Oddling, who heads YASA’s new-tech division, said the testing results “surpassed even our most optimistic expectations.”
The development is backed by the U.K. Advanced Propulsion Centre, and YASA intends to scale the technology for next-generation high-performance EVs.
“Our motor offers triple the specific power of the best radial-flux systems on the market today,” CEO Jörg Miska said. “It shows just how far electric-drive engineering can go.”