Yahama shows off high performance electric drive
Yamaha Motor has developed an electric motor with a maximum output of 350 kW. According to the Japanese company, this drive module can be used in “hyper EVs” and other high-performance applications.
The electric drive system works with 800 volts operating voltage and is supposed to offer an enormously high power density. The electric motor is an “integrated permanent magnet synchronous motor” (IPMSM) that is oil-cooled. All mechanical (the gearbox, for example) and electrical (the inverter, for example) components are integrated into one unit, which should enable a particularly compact design.
350 kilowatts or 476 hp in the old world is already more than sufficient power for a car, but this level of performance is nowadays also achieved by the sporty top models of many a mid-range saloon. In order to be able to push into the performance regions of a hypercar, the drive unit was developed, according to Yamaha, in such a way that several units can be installed in one vehicle. With four electric motors ( one on each wheel) a corresponding hypercar would have an output of 1,400 kW or 1,904 hp.
Yamaha does not give any details about torque, weight or dimensions in the short press release. The prototype of the new 350 kW unit is to be exhibited at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2021 in Yokohama at the end of May. Possibly then there will be more details about the drive and the plans of the Japanese company, which actually builds motorbikes and outboard motors.
Regarding the 350 kW powertrain, Yamaha adds in a footnote that the model is still under development and the figures could change. The maximum power and also the cooling method could still be adjusted or changed according to customer requirements.
Yamaha does not want to build an electric hypercar or electric cars in general, but could develop them on customer order. Since 2020, Yamaha Motor has been developing electric motor prototypes for cars and other forms of mobility on behalf of customers. So far, these have been in the power range of 35 to 200 kW.
0 Comments