Summary
- Donut Lab has developed a donut-shaped electric motor with the highest power density in the world
- The motors are designed to be integrated with a vehicle’s wheels and tires, adding unsprung mass but balanced by light weight
- The company offers a family of five motors for different designs, ranging from automotive to drone applications
- Donut Lab aims to lower the cost of manufacturing electric vehicles by using less material in the motors
- Commercialization of in-wheel motors has had mixed success, with some startups stalling before getting them into production vehicles
Article
Donut Lab, a subsidiary of Verge Motorcycles based in Finland, has developed a motor with the highest power density in the world, which was announced at CES 2025. These motors are donut-shaped and are meant to be integrated into a vehicle’s wheels and tires, adding unsprung mass that can impact ride and handling. However, Donut Lab claims that the light weight of its motors helps minimize this issue.
The company plans to offer a range of five motors for various designs, including a 21-inch diameter automotive motor that produces an impressive 844 horsepower and 3,171 pound-feet of torque. Despite its power, this motor still weighs 88 pounds, resulting in a significant amount of unsprung mass. Another 21-inch motor designed for semi trucks produces 268 horsepower and 2,212 pound-feet while maintaining the same weight.
Moving down in size, Donut Lab offers a 17-inch motorcycle motor that weighs 46 pounds and produces 201 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque. Additionally, there is a 12-inch motor designed for scooters that weighs 17 pounds and generates 20 horsepower and 221 pound-feet. The company even has a 4.7-inch motor for drones that produces 4 horsepower and 14 pound-feet of torque.
By extracting more power from a smaller package, Donut Lab hopes to reduce the manufacturing costs of electric vehicles by requiring less material. To facilitate this, the company offers these motors as part of a complete platform that includes battery packs, control units, and software. However, it has not confirmed how these motors compare in terms of efficiency.
While in-wheel motors are not a new concept, commercialization efforts have had mixed results. Porsche has been working on in-wheel motors for over a century, and Ferrari has also explored this technology. However, attempts by startups like Lightyear and Lordstown Motors to bring in-wheel motors to U.S.-market production vehicles have stalled. Aptera, on the other hand, sees in-wheel motors as an efficiency play for its electric 3-wheeler.
In the realm of conventional motors, Lucid currently has the lightest in a production electric vehicle at approximately 68 pounds each. The automaker’s core propulsion technology is expected to be used in future electric vehicles from Aston Martin. Despite the challenges and competition in the electric motor market, Donut Lab’s innovative approach to developing high-power-density motors could have a significant impact on the future of electric vehicle manufacturing and performance.
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