Equipmake showcases Ampere-220 e-axle featuring Additively Manufactured electric motor
Equipmake, a developer and manufacturer of electrification products for battery-electric vehicle (BEV) drivetrains, headquartered in Snetterton, Norfolk, UK, showcased its Ampere-220 e-axle system, featuring a metal additively manufactured structure, at Battery Show Europe in Stuttgart, Germany, which took place from May 23-25, 2023.
The Ampere-220 e-axle features the Ampere electric motor, which contains a spoke rotor design which has recently also appeared in the Ariel HIPERCAR in the form of Equipmake’s APM motor. The e-axle’s electric motor is combined with all necessary power electronics as well as an integrated transmission system, resulting in a compact and lightweight electric drive system, ready to be integrated into a high-performance electric vehicle.
The Ampere reportedly has a peak power of 220 kW and a maximum motor speed of 30,000 rpm; the axle weighs just under 20 kg and offers a power density of 11 kW per kg. The key to its performance is said to be a combination of Equipmake’s spoke design with the use of Additive Manufacturing rather than traditional manufacturing, whereby the part would be made by milling from a solid billet.
The additively manufactured, thermally efficient thin-walled structure features optimised fine surface details and a multi-part assembly is replaced with a single, complex design that has inbuilt cooling, is lightweight, has low inertia and reputedly allows for greatly increased rotational speed.
