UK Government Funds YASA to Advance EV Motors and Cut Rare Earth Dependence

On August 10, YASA, an Oxford University spin-out company owned by Mercedes-Benz, announced it has been awarded funding from the UK government’s DRIVE35 Zero Emission Vehicle Innovation Programme to lead “Project Resilience.” The project aims to reduce electric vehicle motors’ reliance on rare-earth magnetic materials, strengthen supply chain security, and ensure motors meet future vehicle requirements for mass, volume, and efficiency. Project Resilience encompasses two technical pathways: first, a heavy-rare-earth-free permanent magnet motor tailored for high-performance applications; and second, a fully rare-earth-free axial-flux motor designed to address a broad range of requirements. YASA stated that both pathways are built upon its stator technology and share engineering, design, development, and manufacturing expertise to support a modular motor architecture enabling diverse rotor technologies.