Mercedes has created an electric motor with over 1,000 horsepower that weighs only 12.7 kilograms — less than a suitcase and with the highest power density ever recorded.

Written by Douglas Avila

Published on 16/04/2026 at 06:32

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YASA prototype, British subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, achieves 1,013 hp peak power with dimensions of a plate — axial flow technology promises to revolutionize electric sports cars

The Mercedes-Benz has just shown the world what could be the future of electric sports cars. An engine with over 1,000 horsepower that weighs only 12.7 kilograms.

To put it in perspective: 12.7 kg is less than a full suitcase. And this engine generates enough power for a hypercar.

The prototype was developed by YASA, a British company controlled by Mercedes-Benz since 2021. It is intended for the Mercedes-AMG division.

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How axial flow works

Traditional electric motors use radial flow. The magnetic field moves perpendicular to the axis. They are larger and heavier.

In axial flow, the magnetic field is parallel to the axis. This allows for a flattened disk shape — like a large plate.

The result is a much more compact and lighter motor. With the same power, it occupies a fraction of the space.

Energy efficiency is also superior. Less material means less losses due to heat and friction.

YASA was acquired by Mercedes in 2021. Since then, the focus has been on developing engines for the high-performance AMG line.

The impressive numbers

Peak power: 1,013 hp (over 1,000 horsepower)
Engine weight: 12.7 kg
Technology: axial flow (magnetic field parallel to the axis)
Shape: flattened disk, comparable to a plate
Developer: YASA (Mercedes-Benz subsidiary since 2021)
Destination: Mercedes-AMG division (sports cars)
Record: highest power density ever recorded

The power-to-weight ratio is surreal: almost 80 horsepower per kilogram. Conventional engines deliver 5-10 hp/kg.

It’s like having the power of a Formula 1 inside a shoebox.

Size comparison between YASA motor and conventional electric motor — The axial flow motor has a disc shape and is a fraction of the size of conventional motors — Illustrative image

What changes in electric sports cars

Current electric sports cars use motors that weigh 30 to 50 kg. The YASA motor weighs a quarter of that.

Less weight in the motor means better mass distribution. The car becomes more agile and responsive.

There is also room for larger batteries. More range without increasing the size of the vehicle.

Mercedes-AMG may use the technology in future fully electric hypercars. The expectation is for application in the next generation.

Those who follow the automotive market know that electric vehicles are in a full technological revolution.

Concept of Mercedes-AMG electric sports car with YASA motor — The YASA technology could equip the next generation of fully electric AMG hypercars — Illustrative image

Promising prototype, but still no production date

The motor is a prototype. There is no confirmed date for mass production or application in a commercial vehicle.

The transition from laboratory to assembly line involves cost and durability challenges in the long term.

Axial flow motors require extreme precision manufacturing. The production scale is still an open challenge.

Information based on analyses from AutoEvolution and technical data released by YASA. Motor in prototype phase with no commercialization forecast.

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Mercedes has created an electric motor with over 1,000 horsepower that weighs only 12.7 kilograms — less than a suitcase and with the highest power density ever recorded.

YASA prototype, British subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, achieves 1,013 hp peak power with dimensions of a plate — axial flow technology promises to revolutionize electric sports cars

How axial flow works

The impressive numbers

What changes in electric sports cars

Promising prototype, but still no production date

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Mercedes has created an electric motor with over 1,000 horsepower that weighs only 12.7 kilograms — less than a suitcase and with the highest power density ever recorded.

YASA prototype, British subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz, achieves 1,013 hp peak power with dimensions of a plate — axial flow technology promises to revolutionize electric sports cars

How axial flow works

The impressive numbers

What changes in electric sports cars

Promising prototype, but still no production date

Seen from space, an image taken by an astronaut shows an unlikely oasis in the Saudi Arabian desert, protected by a terrain that slows the advance of sand, surrounded by green circles, remnants of an extinct lake and nearly 10,000 years of preserved history.

While the U.S. still faces limitations in deep space, China is developing unprecedented technology with strategic satellites that maintain communication with the far side of the Moon and aims for dominance by 2030.

In Botswana, a salt flat of up to 16,000 km² that was once an African megalake spends months as an absolute white desert, but during the rainy season it transforms into a shallow sea that reappears from nowhere and can be seen from space in the middle of southern Africa.

The Blood Falls of Antarctica hide a living ecosystem trapped under the ice for over 2 million years, where microbes survive without light, without oxygen, and without ever having seen the Sun.

Bavarian archaeologists unearthed a medieval skeleton that had an articulated iron hand in place of its left arm, and the discovery reveals that doctors were already creating sophisticated prosthetics over 500 years ago.

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