Five years after being acquired by Mercedes-Benz in July 2021, electric motor pioneer YASA is hitting major production and performance milestones, paving the way for the next generation of high-performance Mercedes-AMG EVs.
Originally spun out of the University of Oxford, YASA has spent over 15 years rethinking electric motor architecture. Led by founder and CTO Dr. Tim Woolmer, the engineering team developed a proprietary yokeless and segmented armature design. Axial flux motors that deliver far superior power and torque density in a much smaller, lighter package compared to traditional radial flux motors.
Powering the Next Generation of AMG Performance
The partnership reached a defining moment earlier this year with the debut of the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, the first series-production model powered by YASA’s axial flux tech. Built on the Mercedes-AMG High Performance Electric Architecture, the vehicle utilizes three compact YASA motors (one up front, two at the rear) to deliver extreme, repeatable power and flexible drivetrain packaging.
This production car builds on the momentum of the CONCEPT AMG GT XX technology program, which famously proved the motor’s endurance by shattering 25 long-distance records at Italy’s Nardò track covering the equivalent of a trip around the globe in under eight days.
To support these vehicles, series production of the motors kicked off earlier this year at Mercedes-Benz’s historic Berlin-Marienfelde plant in Germany. Across 30,000 square meters, seven production lines, and 98 individual manufacturing steps, 65 of which are completely new to Mercedes-Benz and 35 world-firsts, the factory integrates advanced laser tech, AI-driven quality control, and automated assembly. The innovative manufacturing process alone has generated over 30 patent applications.
Breaking Records and Expanding UK Footprint
While scaling up in Germany, YASA has heavily expanded its operational footprint across Oxfordshire in the UK:
- Pushing Density Boundaries: In 2025, YASA’s Oxford Innovation Centre pushed motor performance to staggering new heights. A 13.1 kg prototype generated 550 kW (42 kW/kg), before a lighter 12.7 kg variant reached a short-term peak of 750 kW—setting an unofficial benchmark of 59 kW/kg.
- Yarnton Manufacturing Facility: In May 2025, YASA opened a £12 million upgraded 60,000 sq ft facility in Yarnton. Designed to centralize operations including CNC coil winding, laser welding, and stator quality control, the plant boosts production capacity past 25,000 units per year.
- New Bicester HQ: Construction is nearing completion on a custom 90,000 sq ft headquarters at Bicester Motion, which will house YASA’s core engineering, prototyping, operations, and business teams.
Leadership Comment
“YASA was founded on a simple but ambitious idea: that there was a better way to build an electric motor,” said Dr. Tim Woolmer. “Five years into Mercedes-Benz ownership, we are no longer only proving what axial flux technology can do; we are helping to industrialise it for some of the most demanding electric performance applications in the world.”
“The last five years have been transformational,” said Joerg Miska, CEO of YASA. “We have retained the spirit, agility and engineering curiosity that have always defined YASA, while gaining the scale, support and long-term industrial strength of Mercedes-Benz. That combination is incredibly powerful.”
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