Mercedes unveils 10 kg, 1,000 hp axial motor: a new electric benchmark

Mercedes' axial motor: 10 kilos, 1,000 hp, and already in the AMG GT

A 10-kilo motor that delivers 1,000 hp and is already fitted in a production AMG GT? Yes, it exists. YASA, the British subsidiary acquired by Mercedes, has unveiled an axial-flux motor that weighs about as much as a carry-on suitcase and delivers power that, until recently, we only saw in combustion supercars or in engineers' wildest dreams. But, as always, the awkward questions come quickly: what about the batteries, the price, and durability?

What an axial-flux motor is and why it's different

Unlike conventional radial motors —the ones in most electric cars and also in modern washing machines— axial motors arrange the magnets and coils in a plane perpendicular to the shaft, like a disc. This allows the magnetic field to be concentrated in the rotor with hardly any losses, thanks to the Halbach array configuration. The result: a brutal power-to-weight ratio. According to the figures released, the motor weighs just 10 kg and can generate 1,000 hp, with an estimated efficiency of between 85 and 90%. The new Mercedes-AMG GT already carries three of these motors, totaling 800 hp, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in about two seconds. Numbers that, on paper, look like they came out of a simulator.

YASA: an Oxford start-up that Mercedes snapped up

This technology didn't come out of nowhere. YASA was founded by a PhD from the University of Oxford and had spent years developing these motors for high-performance applications. Mercedes bought it in 2021 and, five years later, is now commercializing it. Meanwhile, in Spain, STEM PhDs devote their efforts to setting up subsidized beach-bar-style startups in regional technology parks. But that's another story.

The problems nobody solves: batteries, price, and potholes

Here comes the interesting part. The motor is a marvel, but the current has to come from somewhere. Batteries remain the bottleneck: limited range, high weight, degradation, and a charging infrastructure that moves at a snail's pace. Moreover, the price of the whole package will be prohibitive at first; these configurations are expected to reach dealerships as a super-luxury option, perhaps above €200,000. And then there's reliability: will a motor this light and powerful withstand everyday driving on pothole-riddled roads? Some suspect durability will be the first casualty.

Revolution or toy for the rich?

Technically, it's a leap forward. But skepticism runs through the industry: the Chinese will copy the technology within a few years, sodium batteries promise decent range without rare earths, and meanwhile the debate over whether oil regenerates or not still fills hundreds of forum posts. The best part is that, with this much power, all you'll do in Spain is reach the next traffic light sooner. Or the next estimulante ilegal bump.

The available data suggest that, at the very least, the competition isn't asleep. A motor weighing 10 kg and delivering 1,000 hp is a antiestéticat. Let's hope the batteries slim down at the same pace.