China announced a breakthrough in axial flux motor technology on Friday, a development expected to accelerate the adoption of next-generation electric drive systems in electric vehicles, humanoid robots and low-altitude aircraft.

The achievement was jointly unveiled by a high-tech enterprise and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The team has developed a specialized magnetic material that significantly improves compatibility with axial flux motors, enhancing magnetic energy product, high-temperature stability and mechanical strength while helping reduce production costs.

Often regarded as a key technology for future electric propulsion systems, axial flux motors offer advantages including higher efficiency, lighter weight and greater power density than conventional radial flux motors. Axial flux motors can reduce weight and axial dimensions by around 50% while delivering comparable performance.

A conventional radial flux motor looks like a drum washing machine, with the stator surrounding a rotating inner rotor. An axial flux motor, by contrast, looks more like a sandwich biscuit, with the stator positioned between rotor discs. This design allows magnetic forces to act farther from the rotational axis, enabling higher torque and power density in a more compact and lightweight package.

The newly developed motor, equipped with the specialized magnetic material, achieves an effective power density of 25.73 kilowatts per kilogram and a maximum rotational speed exceeding 18,000 revolutions per minute, marking a significant breakthrough for axial flux motor technology. The performance improvements enhance durability and operational stability, making the technology suitable for demanding applications such as high-performance electric vehicles.

The motor is also expected to support the rapidly growing humanoid robotics sector. In joint-drive modules for humanoid robots, the motor achieves a torque density of 293 newton-meters per kilogram, approximately 22% higher than comparable products, enabling greater mobility, load-carrying capacity and energy efficiency.

The new magnetic material addresses long-standing challenges associated with conventional magnets, including demagnetization and performance degradation under high-speed, high-temperature and heavy-load operating conditions.

The first commercial applications are expected to be in new energy vehicles, humanoid robots and low-altitude aviation platforms. The breakthrough could strengthen China's independent innovation capabilities across the axial flux motor supply chain and support the large-scale commercialization of advanced electric-drive technologies.