- UK electric motor manufacturer YASA, who has supplied electric motors to performance OEMs such as Lamborghini and Koenigsegg, has this week opened the UK’s first axial-flux electric motor facility.
- Based in Yarnton near Oxford, its opening has followed £12 million worth of investment, and at full capacity, will be able to produce 25,000 electric motor units annually.
- The development is another major win for the UK’s ever-growing EV industry.
YASA opens upgraded EV motor facility in the UK
UK-founded YASA, which was acquired by Mercedes-Benz back in 2021, has already owned a factory near Oxford since 2017, but with demand and accuracy growing from automotive OEMs, the need for this upgraded facility came about. The opening of this new significant facility marks the culmination of two years of work and around £12 million worth of investment, which YASA hopes will allow it to cement its position as a Tier 1 supplier to OEMs across the world, as more make the pivot towards electrification.
This upgraded facility will be the first within the UK capable of series production of axial-flux electric motors. Such motors are set to play a significant part in the future of high-performance EV platforms, with the motors in question capable of delivering up to four times the level of performance seen in conventional electric motors. This efficiency also means weight can be kept down, giving these motors another benefit in performance car applications.
YASA will provide these motors to Lamborghini’s upcoming plug-in hybrid supercar, the Temerario, whilst the brands first fully-electric models later down the line will also use motors provided by YASA. Under YASA’s Mercedes-Benz ownership, some future performance EVs from the OEM are also likely to use axial-flux motors produced by YASA.
YASA’s achievement is yet another boost to the UK’s emobility industry, and follows several other wins from other firms within the country recently – such as the ongoing construction of a new AESC EV battery gigafactory in Sunderland, which will help to provide enough batteries for 100,000 EVs annually.
Tim Woolmer, YASA’s CTO and founder, commented:
“With a multi-million-pound investment into our Yarnton facility, we have transformed our manufacturing capability and significantly accelerated our production capacity. This latest initiative will enable us to apply our technology with even greater accuracy, pace and scale. Combined with YASA’s position as part of the Mercedes-Benz Group, the factory transformation consolidates YASA’s role as a global leader in developing high-performance, high-efficiency axial-flux e-motors.
As a company, we have come a long way since our humble origin as an Oxford University start-up. However, we are still driven by the same passion, spirit and determination to create the world’s most advanced electric mobility technology solutions.”
Andy North, YASA’s Commercial Director, added:
“Each of the numerous technical manufacturing advances we have implemented during the factory transformation consolidates YASA’s ability to outpace and outperform all existing radial flux technology by delivering more compact, lightweight electric propulsion systems. YASA is now better placed to meet the needs of our OEM customers, such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, and new customers on a global scale than ever before.”
