Electric performance is about to be rewritten by a motor that does two jobs at once. Instead of relying on heavy rear brake hardware, a new generation of in-wheel units delivers supercar thrust while using the same hardware to slow the car with extreme precision. The result is a compact 1,000 hp package that promises lighter, more efficient EVs with radically different chassis layouts.
From niche curiosity to 1,000 hp in a single wheel
In-wheel motors have hovered at the edge of mainstream car design for years, usually dismissed as too heavy, too complex, or too fragile for real-world roads. That perception is now under direct pressure from a compact axial flux design that delivers a quoted 1,000 horsepower per wheel in a package small enough to sit entirely inside the rim. Instead of treating the wheel hub as dead weight, this layout turns it into the most power-dense part of the car, concentrating propulsion exactly where the tire meets the road.
Engineers behind this New EV hardware describe a system that packs 1,000 hp into each corner while still targeting long-duration driving, not just short, headline-grabbing dyno pulls. That level of output, multiplied across two or four wheels, pushes well beyond the power figures of today’s quickest production EVs, yet it arrives in an ultra-small form that frees up space elsewhere in the vehicle. The shift from bulky central drive units to compact wheel-integrated motors is what opens the door to rethinking braking, suspension, and even cabin packaging.
Why axial flux is the secret weapon
The leap in performance is not just about cramming more copper and magnets into a smaller space, it comes from a different motor topology. Axial flux machines arrange their magnetic fields in a disc-like stack rather than the traditional radial layout, which allows a much higher torque output for a given diameter. That geometry is tailor-made for a wheel, where engineers can exploit the full rim size to generate torque without adding much length or mass.
UK-based YASA has already reported an axial flux motor with a peak power density of 59 kW/kg, explicitly targeting high-performance automotive applications and premium electric vehicles. That figure helps explain how a motor that fits inside a wheel can credibly claim four-figure horsepower without ballooning in weight. The same core technology underpins the in-wheel powertrain that is now being positioned as both a propulsion unit and a braking system, giving carmakers a single compact module that can handle acceleration and deceleration with minimal energy loss.
The Brit-built prototype that proves the packaging
The most eye-catching proof of concept so far is a compact British unit that shows just how little hardware is needed to deliver outrageous power. This Brit-built in-wheel electric motor is reported to make over 1,000bhp while weighing only 12.7 kg, a figure that would have sounded like science fiction even a few years ago. By shrinking the motor to that scale, engineers can tuck it entirely within the wheel barrel, leaving suspension geometry and body structure largely untouched.
That combination of output and mass is central to the promise of in-wheel designs, and it is why This Brit prototype has drawn so much attention. Here, the motor’s tiny footprint does more than save weight, it also slashes drivetrain losses by eliminating long half-shafts and complex gearsets. The result is a cleaner mechanical layout that channels energy directly into the tire contact patch, a prerequisite for any system that aims to replace traditional rear brakes with motor-based deceleration.
How a 1,000 hp motor becomes a rear brake
The same electromagnetic forces that hurl an EV forward can be reversed to slow it down, and that is the core idea behind using these motors as rear brakes. When the control electronics flip the current flow, the in-wheel unit becomes a generator, resisting rotation and feeding energy back into the battery. With 1,000-HP available in each rear corner, the system can generate enormous braking torque without ever touching a friction disc, especially at higher speeds where regenerative braking is most effective.
In practice, that means the rear axle can rely almost entirely on motor-based deceleration in many scenarios, with friction hardware reserved for emergency stops or low-speed maneuvers where regen is less efficient. Reporting on these 1,000-HP units describes them as effectively doubling as rear brakes, a description that reflects both their raw torque capability and the fine-grained control offered by modern power electronics. Instead of a binary clamp of pads on a disc, the car can modulate braking at each wheel in milliseconds, blending regen and any remaining friction braking to keep the car stable.
Inside YASA’s in-wheel powertrain strategy
Behind the scenes, YASA has been methodically turning its axial flux know-how into a complete in-wheel powertrain, not just a standalone motor. The company has integrated its record-breaking engineering into a full wheel-mounted module that combines the motor, inverter, and associated hardware into a single package. That integration is what allows the unit to be dropped into different vehicle platforms with minimal rework, turning the wheel assembly into a plug-in performance and braking solution.
In a recent overview of the project, YASA’s first working prototype is described as a breakthrough in-wheel EV motor with 1000 horsepower that is now part of a complete powertrain, a development highlighted in a detailed Dec presentation. The company’s broader roadmap has also been outlined in a separate analysis that notes how YASA is targeting high-performance automotive sectors with compact, efficient electric propulsion systems for premium vehicles. That context helps explain why the firm is willing to push into the complex territory of wheel-integrated modules: the payoff is a cleaner, more flexible architecture for sports cars, super sedans, and even track-focused EVs that can exploit both the power and braking potential of axial flux hardware.
Record-breaking density and the legal groundwork
Delivering 1,000 hp in a wheel is not just an engineering stunt, it is also a race to secure intellectual property around the underlying technology. YASA has already announced a record-breaking axial flux motor with 59 kW/kg peak power density, and it has moved quickly to file applications that cover how this hardware is deployed in real vehicles. Those filings describe an in-wheel power train that leverages the high power density to shrink the motor while still leaving room for suspension components and steering hardware.
One detailed briefing on the company’s legal strategy notes that, hot on the heels of its earlier announcement, Hot patent activity has focused on protecting this in-wheel application. That matters because the same design choices that enable extreme power density also underpin the braking function. By locking down how the motor, inverter, and wheel hub are packaged, YASA is effectively staking a claim on a future where rear brake calipers may be optional on certain high-end EVs, replaced by software-controlled axial flux units that handle both acceleration and deceleration.
When physical brakes become optional
The most provocative claim around these motors is that they could make traditional rear brakes unnecessary in some applications. With 1,000 horsepower available in each wheel and sophisticated control software, the system can generate enough negative torque to handle everyday stops, highway deceleration, and even spirited driving without leaning on friction hardware. That does not mean discs and pads vanish overnight, but it does suggest a future where rear calipers are downsized or reserved purely as a safety backup.
Coverage of this breakthrough notes that the compact in-wheel unit makes 1,000 horsepower and fits inside a wheel, and that in certain use cases it could make physical brakes unnecessary, a point underscored in a detailed Yasa report. A companion analysis titled This Breakthrough EV Motor Makes 1,000 Horsepower, And Fits Inside a Wheel, reinforces that the same hardware that delivers supercar-level thrust can also shoulder much of the braking workload. For automakers, that opens the door to cost and weight savings, as well as new design freedoms around wheel size and brake cooling, since the most demanding deceleration events would be handled electrically.
Game-changing tech for chassis and control
Using motors as brakes is not just about stopping power, it is about how the car behaves at the limit. With independent control of each in-wheel unit, engineers can fine-tune torque delivery and recovery in ways that traditional brake systems cannot match. Torque vectoring becomes more precise, stability control can react faster, and regenerative braking can be tailored to each tire’s grip level in real time, improving both safety and efficiency.
An in-depth feature on these 1000-HP EV motors describes them as Motors That Double as Rear Brakes, highlighting YASA’s Game Changing Tech that blends propulsion and deceleration into a single control layer. By treating the rear axle as a pair of intelligent, bi-directional torque devices rather than a simple drive unit and separate brake set, chassis engineers can rethink everything from launch control to trail braking. The result is a car that not only accelerates harder but also feels more planted and predictable when shedding speed, because the same system that adds power is constantly managing how it is taken away.
Efficiency, range, and the premium EV market
Beyond the performance headlines, the dual-role motor has clear implications for efficiency and range. Every time the car slows using regenerative braking instead of friction pads, it recovers energy that would otherwise be lost as heat. With such powerful in-wheel units, the share of braking that can be handled regeneratively increases, especially at the rear, where stability concerns are easier to manage than at the front axle. That means more energy recaptured in daily driving and on long highway descents, directly translating into extra kilometers between charges.
YASA has been explicit that it is targeting the high-performance and premium segments with this technology, positioning its axial flux hardware as a compact, efficient solution for electric propulsion systems in top-tier vehicles. That focus is reflected in the way YASA is testing in-wheel motors that effectively double as rear brakes, and in how its record-breaking power density figures are being framed as enablers for lighter, more efficient drivetrains. For buyers of high-end EVs, the pitch is straightforward: more power, more control, and more range, all wrapped into a cleaner mechanical package that hints at a future where the rear brake caliper is no longer the star of the stopping show.
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