November 3, 2025
Small dog, big drama
Tiny electric motor outperforms record holder by 40%
Small dog-sized motor sparks big EV slapfight
TLDR: YASA unveiled a 28‑pound electric motor claiming 1,000+ horsepower and record power density, sparking hype vs. reality debates. Commenters argue whether lighter motors help everyday EVs, nitpick the “40%” claim to 36%, and joke it might be better for drones than family cars.
YASA just dropped a tiny, 28‑pound electric motor claiming over 1,000 horsepower, and the internet immediately split into camps clutching their coffee and calculators. Hype squad cheered the “four Tesla motors” vibe, while the skeptics rolled in asking if lighter motors actually matter when a whole car weighs thousands of pounds. One optimist declared it “could lead to significant efficiency gains,” but another shot back that the headline stat is really about power density — not guaranteed real-world efficiency.
Cue the drama: number nerds flagged that the “40% better” brag should be 36%, per a commenter correcting the math, and link‑droppers posted the official press release and a previous thread like receipts in a reality show. Fans loved that this isn’t vaporware and that YASA (owned by Mercedes) already powers fancy toys like Ferrari, but the practical crowd asked: will this shrink EV prices or just make supercars louder (figuratively)?
Humor flew fast: the motor “weighs as much as a small dog,” spawning memes of chihuahuas rated in horsepower and jokes about strapping it to a drone. The vibe? Excitement meets spreadsheet snark — with the community arguing whether this is a gamechanger for everyday drivers or just elite track-day flexing.
Key Points
- •YASA unveiled a 28 lb axial flux electric motor prototype delivering 750 kW (≈1,005 hp) peak power.
- •The new prototype improves peak power by about 40% over YASA’s previous 28.8 lb, 550 kW record model.
- •The motor can sustain 350–400 kW (469–536 hp) continuously, not only short peak bursts.
- •YASA says the design avoids exotic or expensive materials, indicating scalability potential.
- •YASA, owned by Mercedes-Benz, supplies motors for high-performance cars from Mercedes-AMG and Ferrari.