A high-power dense e-axle designed for performance electric cars has been unveiled, which combines one of the most advanced 3D-printed electric motors in the world.
Equipmake revealed its Ampere-220 e-axle, an electric drive system that includes all power electronics, a silicon carbide inverter, and an integrated transmission system in a compact unit that directly powers the vehicle’s axle.
The e-axle features the Ampere electric motor featuring a spoke rotor design in the form of Equipmake’s APM motor and additive manufacturing and thermal engineering from Bristol-based HiETA.
Ampere has peak power of 220kW and a maximum motor speed of 30,000rpm. Weighing just under 20kg, it offers power density of 11kW per kg – more than twice that of a conventional electric motor. The key to its performance is its combination of Equipmake’s spoke design with additive manufacturing, allowing Ampere’s metal structure to be 3D-printed, rather than milled from a solid billet.
The Ampere-220 e-axle is designed, engineered, and manufactured at Equipmake’s headquarters in Snetterton, Norfolk. On site, it designs and manufactures its fully integrated electric bus chassis for an increasingly international customer base.
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 leap, and 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, lightweight electric drive unit, one that is also ISO 26262-compliant and ASIL-D ready, Ampere-220 e-axle provides the total off-the-shelf high performance electric solution for manufacturers of electric sports cars and supercars.”
