Mercedes-Benz's Yasa wins UK grant to build rare-earth-free EV motors
What's the deal? Yasa, the Mercedes-BenzDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →-owned maker of axial-flux electric motors, has won a UK government grant to develop motors for electric and hybrid vehicles that use no rare-earth materials. The project, called "Project Resilience," aims to cut the auto industry's reliance on volatile, geographically concentrated supply chains.
Who's backing it? The funding comes through the UK government's DRIVE35 programme, delivered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UKDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and Innovate UKDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. DRIVE35 will provide the equivalent of nearly €4.7 billion for automotive research, development, and scaling through 2035.
Why now? Rare-earth permanent magnets are widely used in high-performance motors because they withstand high temperatures and demanding conditions. But geopolitical tensions, export restrictions, and price swings have made that supply chain risky, even as global demand for electric motors keeps rising.
What's the endgame? Yasa plans to pursue two technology paths: high-performance magnet motors that avoid heavy rare earths without adding mass or size, and a fully rare-earth-free axial-flux design for broader use.
"Different applications require different trade-offs between performance, efficiency, size, cost, and production volume," said Tom Hillman, head of motor simulation at Yasa (translated from German). "That is why we are developing two complementary technology paths rather than pursuing a single universal solution."
The company: Yasa employs more than 300 people across Oxford, Bicester, and Welshpool, where the project will be run. It delivered its 50,000th motor in December and last year claimed a power-density record: 550kW from a motor weighing 13.1kg.
The signal: Rare-earth independence has become a strategic priority for carmakers, and the UK is backing domestic suppliers to build it. For Yasa, the grant positions its axial-flux technology at the centre of that shift.
Read more: elektroauto-news.net
Image credit: jurvetson
