Equipmake, developer and manufacturer in the United Kingdom of electrification products for battery-powered electric vehicles’ transmissions, has recently presented a compact, light and high-power drive system for the manufacturers of high-performance electric vehicles.
Ampere-220 e-axle brings a radical change in standard performances for electric sports cars and supercars. How? Combining one of the most advanced electric 3D-printed motors in the world with the whole power electronics, including the silicon carbide inverter and a transmission system integrated into a compact unit that directly powers the vehicle axis.
At the centre, the e-axle presents the Ampere electric motor with a spoked rotor design that has been recently used also in the Ariel Hiper under the form of APM motor of Equipmake.
Extremely light but efficient and cheap, Ampere has a peak power of 220 kW and a maximum motor speed of 30,000 rpm. With a weight slightly under 20 kg, if features a power density of 11 kW per kg, over the double compared to a conventional electric motor. The key of its performances is the combination of the spoke design of Equipmake with the additive manufacturing, which allows 3D-printing the metal structure of Ampere instead of milling it from a solid billet.
Ian Foley, Equipmake CEO, said: “Equipmake has always been at the forefront of innovation in electric motors, with our APM range offering class-leading power densities thanks to their compact, lightweight designs. Ampere showcases the next-gen of motor technology. Combined with our own power electronics, including our silicon carbide inverter, and transmission system, we have created the Ampere-220 e-axle. With such a huge amount of performance in a compact, light unit, one that is also ISO 26262-compliant and ASIL-D ready, it provides the total off-the-shelf solution for manufacturers of electric sports cars, further underlining Equipmake’s position as a leading provider of state-of-the-art electrification systems to the automotive industry.”
