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Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

media.mercedes-benz.com

11–20 of 362 posts

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#11

Ah, another fantastic British innovator (YASA) having to realize its potential (and ultimately the downstream economic benefits of commercialisation) abroad. Brought to you by the only country to have a space programme and abandon it.

Did they have to? My impression is British companies sell out as soon as they can these days. Is this something that could be changed with policy? Does Germany incentivise running companies more? Or is this cultural, e.g. British people are more risk averse?

I suspect it has more to do with Germany’s industrial scale in the automotive space (as opposed to incentives or culture).

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#12

It would have been awesome if that article had, at any point, explained what an electric axial flux motor was, and why anyone might want one.

It's a bit buried, but it does:

> In contrast to conventional radial flux motors, the electromagnetic flux in an axial flux motor runs parallel to the axis of rotation. The key components are arranged in a disc‑shaped layout: two rotors sandwich the stator from the left and right. This design enables an especially compact motor architecture, high power and torque density, and new freedoms in drivetrain packaging. In the new Mercedes‑AMG GT 4‑Door Coupe, the motor at the front axle is just under nine centimetres wide; the two motors at the rear axle each measure around eight centimetres in width. The three axial flux motors are integrated per axle into so‑called High Performance Electric Drive Units (HP.EDU), where they are combined with a compact input planetary gearbox in a single housing.

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#13

It would have been awesome if that article had, at any point, explained what an electric axial flux motor was, and why anyone might want one.

Click "More" and scroll down:

"In contrast to conventional radial flux motors, the electromagnetic flux in an axial flux motor runs parallel to the axis of rotation. The key components are arranged in a disc‑shaped layout: two rotors sandwich the stator from the left and right. This design enables an especially compact motor architecture, high power and torque density, and new freedoms in drivetrain packaging. In the new Mercedes‑AMG GT 4‑Door Coupe, the motor at the front axle is just under nine centimetres wide; the two motors at the rear axle each measure around eight centimetres in width. The three axial flux motors are integrated per axle into so‑called High Performance Electric Drive Units (HP.EDU), where they are combined with a compact input planetary gearbox in a single housing."

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#14

Ah, another fantastic British innovator (YASA) having to realize its potential (and ultimately the downstream economic benefits of commercialisation) abroad. Brought to you by the only country to have a space programme and abandon it.

Did they have to? My impression is British companies sell out as soon as they can these days. Is this something that could be changed with policy? Does Germany incentivise running companies more? Or is this cultural, e.g. British people are more risk averse?

I think Germany has tax rules that make exits harder, whereas it's very easy in the UK to sell. If you have a more free market next to protective ones it makes sense that your IP is going to flow in that direction.

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#15

It would have been awesome if that article had, at any point, explained what an electric axial flux motor was, and why anyone might want one.

It's basically the V8 of electric motors. Different topology results in better power to weight ratio. From the outside they look pancake shaped.

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#16
post #10

Never become dependent on doing hideously complicated things. You will eventually struggle to choose to do something more efficient, as the european auto industry is currently displaying. The car where thid motor will be used will, given current market sentiment, be a massive flop. Here they are showing off how complex the manufacturing process is. Surely we’d all be better off with simpler and cheaper processes.

China is working on the same type of engine: https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/chinese-axial...

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#18
post #12

It would have been awesome if that article had, at any point, explained what an electric axial flux motor was, and why anyone might want one.

It's a bit buried, but it does: > In contrast to conventional radial flux motors, the electromagnetic flux in an axial flux motor runs parallel to the axis of rotation. The key components are arranged in a disc‑shaped layout: two rotors sandwich the stator from the left and right. This design enables an especially compact motor architecture, high power and torque density, and new freedoms in drivetrain packaging. In…

> The three axial flux motors are integrated per axle

I wonder why they need tree motors per axle.

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#19
post #16
post #10

Never become dependent on doing hideously complicated things. You will eventually struggle to choose to do something more efficient, as the european auto industry is currently displaying. The car where thid motor will be used will, given current market sentiment, be a massive flop. Here they are showing off how complex the manufacturing process is. Surely we’d all be better off with simpler and cheaper processes.

China is working on the same type of engine: https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/chinese-axial...

Ye, and I’d wager China will put that motor into affordable vehicles first, not some BS AMG GT 4 door/4 seat hyper car.

Re: Mercedes‑Benz starts large‑scale production of electric axial flux motor

#20
post #10

Never become dependent on doing hideously complicated things. You will eventually struggle to choose to do something more efficient, as the european auto industry is currently displaying. The car where thid motor will be used will, given current market sentiment, be a massive flop. Here they are showing off how complex the manufacturing process is. Surely we’d all be better off with simpler and cheaper processes.

> Never become dependent on doing hideously complicated things

Is Mercedes stupid?

How did Carl Benz dare to do something as hideously complicated as building the first gasoline-powered car in history?

And why did they kept inventing complicated stuff that ended in all modern cars like ABS, adaptive cruise control, direct fuel injection, emergency brake assist, etc, etc?

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