-
Published 29 August 2026
Mercedes-Benz has started large-scale production of its new axial-flux electric motor, turning a technology once considered too difficult for mass manufacture into the centrepiece of its latest AMG performance car.
The first recipient is the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupé, an electric four-door using three of these new axial-flux motors. In total, they give the GT 63 up to 860kW with launch control initiated. And that can send the new AMG rocket to 100km/h in a claimed 2.1 seconds while 200km/h is registered in 6.4 seconds en route to a 300km/h top speed.
Behind those figures is a compact motor design developed by British specialist YASA, which became a wholly owned Mercedes-Benz subsidiary in 2021.
What is an axial-flux motor?
Most electric vehicles use radial-flux motors. In these, the magnetic flux travels outwards from the motor’s central shaft, while the rotor turns around or within the stator. The components are consequently arranged in a cylindrical form.
An axial-flux motor works differently. Its electromagnetic flux runs parallel to the axis of rotation, with the main components arranged like a stack of discs. Mercedes’ design places a stator between two rotor discs carrying permanent magnets.
That flat shape explains why axial-flux motors are sometimes described as “pancake” motors. It also delivers their biggest advantage: plenty of performance from a much smaller package.
Mercedes says an axial-flux motor can weigh around one-third as much as a conventional electric motor producing equivalent power, while occupying approximately one-third of the space. This creates more freedom when positioning the powertrain, battery and passenger compartment, and helps offset the considerable mass of a high-performance battery.
The broader diameter also allows the motor to apply its electromagnetic forces farther from the shaft. In simple terms, that gives it greater leverage and helps produce high torque without requiring a long, heavy motor.
For a performance car, the benefits are obvious. A smaller motor reduces weight and leaves more room for cooling hardware, suspension components or energy storage. It can also be mounted closer to the wheels, shortening the driveline and improving packaging.
Radial versus axial flux
The familiar radial-flux motor remains popular for good reason. It is well understood, comparatively straightforward to manufacture and suitable for everything from compact EVs to heavy commercial vehicles. Decades of development have also made it reliable and cost-effective.
Axial flux motors offer greater power and torque density, but manufacturing them consistently and at high volume is more difficult. The flat internal structure requires tight control of the ‘air gap’ between the stator and rotors. Heat also has to be removed from a compact assembly operating under extreme loads.
Those challenges become more serious in an AMG, where the motors must deliver repeated acceleration rather than one impressive launch followed by a substantial reduction in output.
YASA developed the underlying motor concept, while Mercedes-Benz refined both the product and its manufacturing processes to meet mass-production, continuous-load and durability requirements. The front motor in the new GT spins at more than 15,000rpm, illustrating the precision required.
Making the difficult repeatable
One of the manufacturing challenges involves forming the rectangular copper wire used in the stator. Rectangular wire allows more copper to fit into a given space than conventional round wire, helping increase the motor’s power density.
The difficulty lies in bending it quickly through tight radii without creasing the wire, damaging its insulation or reducing its cross-sectional area. Mercedes and its manufacturing partners developed a dedicated process that can deliver the required accuracy at an industrial production rate.
Final assembly is even more demanding. During what Mercedes calls the ‘wedding’, the stator is positioned between the two magnet-equipped rotor discs and permanently joined.
Magnetic forces of up to 9kN, equivalent to roughly 900kg, act on the components during this operation. Despite that pull, the stator must remain within 0.1mm of the magnetic centre plane. An automated control system monitors the assembly and makes high-frequency positional corrections during the final half-second of the process.
Axial-flux motors have previously appeared in low-volume supercars, but Mercedes intends to build them at a scale suitable for an expanding AMG range.
Three motors for the AMG GT
In the GT 4-Door Coupé, each motor is incorporated into what Mercedes calls a High Performance Electric Drive Unit, or HP.EDU. This combines the motor and a compact input planetary gearbox within one housing.
The single front-axle motor measures just under 90mm wide, while each of the rear motors is approximately 80mm wide. Their slim dimensions allow two motors to sit together at the back of the car without creating an excessively bulky drive unit.
Using two independently controlled rear motors gives AMG considerable freedom to manage torque across the axle. The front unit adds traction and contributes to the car’s AWD capability, while control software coordinates the three motors with the suspension and handling systems.
The initial line-up demonstrates how widely the system can be tuned. The GT 55’s 600kW is already substantial, helping it reach 200km/h in 8.7 seconds. It also has a claimed WLTP range of 700km.
The GT 63 lifts peak output to 860kW when launch control is active and the battery has at least 80 per cent charge. Its claimed WLTP range is slightly lower at 696km, although it retains the same ultra-fast charging capability. Mercedes says suitable 600kW infrastructure can add around 460km of range in 10 minutes, while a 10–80 per cent charge takes 11 minutes.
The axial-flux motor is therefore more than a novel way to produce a huge launch-control figure. Its compact dimensions, reduced mass and high continuous-output potential are fundamental to the GT’s combination of performance, range and packaging.
Merc’s Berlin-Marienfelde factory, where the new motors are manufactured, has spent more than 120 years building conventional automotive hardware. Its latest product could now help determine whether electric AMGs develop a character as distinctive as the V8-powered cars that came before them.
