Electric vehicles have long carried a weight problem, with heavy batteries and drivetrains eating into range and driving up costs. A new generation of compact, ultra‑dense motors now promises to strip roughly 1,000 pounds from future models while delivering supercar‑level power at each wheel. If these designs scale, the basic trade‑off between performance, efficiency, and mass that has defined EVs for a decade could start to disappear.
Instead of one or two bulky motors feeding power through axles and differentials, engineers are pushing toward tiny in‑wheel units that combine motor, inverter, and braking into a single package. By removing drive shafts, rear brake assemblies, and other hardware, these systems could unlock dramatic weight savings and longer range without asking drivers to sacrifice acceleration or top speed.
From heavy packs to featherweight powertrains
For most of the modern EV era, automakers have accepted that big battery packs and robust drivetrains were the price of acceptable range and performance. That logic produced vehicles like the GMC Hummer EV, which weighs well over 9,000 pounds, and even relatively efficient crossovers such as the Tesla Model Y still carry thousands of pounds of batteries, motors, and structural reinforcement. The emerging in‑wheel approach flips that script by shrinking the motor itself and relocating it to where the work is done, at the rim, which lets engineers delete large chunks of the traditional powertrain and supporting hardware.
Reporting on a New EV motor invention describes how this architecture could cut around 1,000 pounds from future vehicles by eliminating conventional axles and much of the braking system. That kind of reduction is not a minor tweak, it is the difference between a three‑row SUV and a compact hatchback, and it directly affects how much energy a car needs to move, how quickly it can stop, and how long its tires and suspension components last.
The 1,000 hp in‑wheel breakthrough
The headline‑grabbing figure attached to this technology is its power output. Engineers have demonstrated an in‑wheel unit that can deliver roughly 1,000 horsepower to each corner, a number that would have sounded like fantasy when early mass‑market EVs such as the Nissan Leaf arrived. The key is an axial‑flux design that packs more magnetic material into a smaller space, which lets the motor generate huge torque and power without the bulk of traditional radial‑flux units.
One detailed account of this compact drivetrain notes that the New EV motor can provide 1,000 horsepower per wheel while still fitting inside an ultra‑small housing. A related breakdown of the same system explains that the integrated powertrain pairs the motor with a 33-pound dual inverter, which handles power electronics right at the wheel instead of routing high‑voltage cables across the chassis. That combination sets an unofficial power‑density record and hints at how much conventional hardware can be stripped away when everything is packaged at the rim.
How you drop 1,000 pounds from an EV
Cutting roughly half a ton from a vehicle is not as simple as swapping one motor for another. The real savings come from what the new layout makes unnecessary. With powerful in‑wheel units at each corner, there is no need for a central motor, transmission, or long drive shafts running the length of the car. Rear brake assemblies can be downsized or removed entirely because the motors themselves can provide strong regenerative braking, converting kinetic energy back into electricity instead of wasting it as heat.
Coverage of the much lighter EVs that could result from this design stresses that the system can remove around 1,000 pounds of components by eliminating rear brakes and driveshafts and simplifying the structure that used to support them. A separate analysis notes that And for vehicles designed from the ground up around this architecture, the savings could reach 1,100 pounds, because engineers can also trim structural reinforcements and cooling hardware that were only necessary to support the old drivetrain layout.
Inside the axial‑flux revolution
The physics that make this leap possible have been known for decades, but only recently have manufacturing and materials caught up. Axial‑flux motors arrange their magnetic fields in a disc‑like stack instead of a cylinder, which shortens the path for magnetic flux and allows more torque per unit of weight. For years, the challenge was building these machines at scale with tight tolerances and reliable cooling, especially when they are buried inside a wheel where space and airflow are limited.
One technical discussion notes that Over the decades that followed the first axial‑flux experiments, engineers kept returning to the concept, but, as one summary puts it, But the potential for weight reduction and efficiency was held back by manufacturing complexity. That is now changing with a dedicated axial‑flux super factory in Oxfordshire, which is geared to produce these compact machines in volume and supply them to multiple automakers rather than just niche supercar brands.
YASA’s tiny motor and the road to mass production
One of the most prominent players in this shift is YASA, whose compact axial‑flux units have already powered halo cars from Lamborghini, McLaren, and Ferrari. A recent video segment highlights a YASA’s Dinky 28 Lb. 1000+ HP E-Motor; GM Adds $8 Billion in investment context, underscoring how seriously the industry is taking this technology. The clip describes how a motor weighing roughly 28 pounds can contribute to a combined system output above 1,000 horsepower when used in multi‑motor configurations, a ratio of weight to power that would have been unthinkable with older designs.
YASA’s move from exotic supercars into mainstream production is already under way through a partnership with Mercedes, which plans to build these motors at scale for its next generation of EVs. A detailed feature on this transition notes that They might reduce the weight of a typical EV by around 200 kilograms, or 440 pounds, with roughly half of that coming from the motors themselves and the rest from secondary components such as batteries and brakes that can be downsized as a result. That figure is lower than the 1,000‑pound headline attached to the in‑wheel concept, but it reflects a real, near‑term shift in vehicles that are already on the product roadmap.
Power density, efficiency, and the 536 hp benchmark
Beyond raw horsepower, the new motors are notable for how much continuous power they can deliver relative to their size. One detailed breakdown of the in‑wheel design explains that it retains the impressive power figures of an earlier prototype, with a continuous rated output of up to 536 hp, or 400 kW, while still fitting inside the wheel envelope. That kind of sustained output matters for towing, high‑speed cruising, and track use, where thermal limits often force conventional EVs to dial back performance after a short burst.
The same report notes that this breakthrough in‑wheel motor offers a lot of regenerative braking capability, which reduces reliance on friction brakes and helps recapture energy that would otherwise be lost. By removing the need for drive shafts and differentials, the system also cuts mechanical losses, pushing overall efficiency closer to the theoretical limits of electric propulsion and helping every kilowatt‑hour of stored energy go further on the road.
Real‑world weight cuts and range gains
While the 1,000‑pound figure grabs attention, the practical question for drivers is how that translates into range and everyday usability. Less mass means less energy required to accelerate and climb hills, and it also reduces rolling resistance and brake wear. For a mid‑size crossover that currently needs a 90 kWh pack to deliver 300 miles of range, a major weight cut could allow the same distance with a smaller battery, or a longer range with the same pack, depending on how automakers choose to balance cost and performance.
Enthusiast discussions around the new in‑wheel system highlight that The new in‑wheel powertrain could cut up to 1,102 pounds from future EVs by removing rear brakes and driveshafts and shortening the wheelbase. That kind of reduction would let automakers either shrink battery capacity to save money and materials or keep pack size constant and push range well beyond today’s norms, particularly in segments like compact SUVs and sedans where every pound matters for efficiency.
Handling, safety, and the unsolved challenges
Putting motors inside the wheels is not without trade‑offs. Adding unsprung mass, the weight that moves with the wheel rather than the body, can hurt ride quality and grip on rough surfaces, because the suspension has a harder time keeping the tire in contact with the road. Engineers working on these systems argue that the motors are light enough, and the suspension can be tuned precisely enough, to offset those effects, but the proof will come when full‑scale prototypes are tested on broken pavement and high‑speed tracks rather than in simulations.
There are also questions about durability and exposure. In‑wheel units must survive potholes, curb strikes, water, salt, and debris, all while managing heat from both the motor and the brakes. The integrated design described in the New EV motor packs report, which combines motor and inverter in a sealed 33‑pound module, is meant to address some of those concerns by simplifying cooling and reducing the number of exposed components. Still, regulators and safety engineers will want extensive data on crash behavior, fire risk, and long‑term reliability before they sign off on mass adoption.
What this means for the next decade of EVs
Even if the most radical in‑wheel designs take time to reach showrooms, the direction of travel is clear. Axial‑flux motors are moving from exotic supercars into mainstream platforms, and integrated powertrains are steadily chipping away at the weight and complexity of electric vehicles. Early adopters are likely to be premium brands that can absorb higher component costs and use the technology to differentiate on performance and efficiency, but the manufacturing investments in places like Oxfordshire suggest that volume applications are already in view.
As these systems mature, I expect the familiar EV spec sheet to change. Instead of ever‑larger battery capacities and incremental range gains, the focus will shift toward lighter, more efficient platforms that do more with less stored energy. The combination of a Integrated powertrain, compact axial‑flux motors, and aggressive weight reduction could make future EVs not just cleaner, but also sharper to drive and cheaper to build, finally breaking the link between electric propulsion and excess mass that has defined the first generation of battery‑powered cars.
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