This concept model for a high-performance range extender unit combines the technology we have garnered to date for creating compact, lightweight, and powerful engines together with newly developed electric motor technologies. It will further expand the range of applicability (operating time, payload, etc.) for using electric power with mobility products.

This unit was designed anticipating use in passenger drones and other mobility applications, thus requiring compactness, light weight, and high power. It correspondingly delivers high performance with its approx. 88 kW^* in maximum output. By replacing some of energy supplied by the batteries in an electric vehicle with this unit, it can substantially extend the vehicle’s maximum cruising range.

Furthermore, while the range extender does rely on conventional gasoline engine technologies, it is also compatible with next-generation fuels like synthetic carbon-neutral fuels and actively incorporates technologies aimed at achieving a carbon-neutral society, thereby growing the possible scenarios for using electric mobility.

*All figures are based on present-day assumptions.

The αlive H₂E is an internal combustion engine employing existing engine technologies to combust hydrogen to produce energy while emitting no CO₂.

From a well-to-wheels^* standpoint, hydrogen is considered a leading candidate energy source for creating a more sustainable society, and many companies are moving forward with R&D as well as real-world testing in various regions and industries—not only for using hydrogen but also its production infrastructure and supply chain.

Outside of use in mobility powertrains, hydrogen engines house high potential for use with generators and other products using internal combustion engines, making such technology a viable means to provide more paths to achieving carbon neutrality.

As the development of related technologies and requisite infrastructure for using hydrogen makes progress globally, Yamaha Motor has set its sights on the potential within this space and is proceeding with its own R&D efforts.

* An indicator of total CO₂ emissions generated from extracting and refining fuel resources through to use on the road.

By employing segment conductors for the coils to successfully raise the fill factor, our electric motors developed for automotive applications not only feature both high output and high efficiency but are also lightweight. Further, by leveraging the casting technology and heat management expertise garnered from developing internal combustion engines, all our units achieve excellent cooling performance.

Our latest electric motor reaches the 450 kW class in maximum output and was engineered envisioning use in high-power mobility applications. Its compact construction treats the mechanical and electrical components as a single entity and integrates the gear and inverter into one unit.
The motor is operable at voltages up to 800V and was developed in anticipation of four units used together or other multi-unit variations. It employs oil cooling to consistently deliver such high power and the design was thoroughly refined with both simulations and bench testing. In a quad-motor configuration, a total output of up to 1.8 MW (approx. 2,400 hp) is possible.

Our lineup also includes a model developed for smaller mobility applications (50 kW class in maximum output) with many of the same features—use of segment conductors and high output as well as high efficiency—and tips the scales at just 13 kg.

This electric motor is currently under development in anticipation of use in hybrid aircraft and electric vessels, such as tugboats. A single unit achieves a rated output of 500 kW and the design also allows multiple units to be connected in series. Four of them connected in this way delivers an incredibly high output of 2 MW.

The oil-tight construction employs completely independent cooling circuits in a design entirely different from our e-Axle for automotive applications. As it generates the most heat, the stator coil employs oil-immersed cooling, and the high-speed rotor is cooled via the shaft center. This design also resolved issues such as oil churning power loss and mounting orientation constraints. Through persistent and meticulous design and engineering efforts incorporating simulation analyses and vehicle testbed evaluations, the motors achieve the high output and sustained operation capability required for adoption in the aviation and marine sectors.

This powertrain makes electrification possible across various industries by offering a wide range of power output levels by using a single unit, multiple units connected in series, or mounting several of these connected series.

The αlive AD (acoustic design) device uses a control unit with a built-in dedicated LSI audio processor to tweak and tune the electric motor’s sound, providing an exciting aural experience for the vehicle cabin via specialized speakers.

This Yamaha-proprietary dedicated sound source—created by leveraging our engine development know-how—can faithfully replicate the rumble of a gas-powered engine or the unique high-frequency whine of an EV. Together with the interior’s acoustic design technology, the αlive AD produces true-to-life sound to accompany the drive.

Yamaha Motor seeks to craft dynamic and inspiring Electric Engine sounds that convey a natural build-up and stir the emotions of the driver, not just by tuning out on the track, but across all kinds of driving scenes.

EV Sound Sample

The Yamaha Performance Damper was born from a eureka moment during track testing. Instead of simply stiffening the chassis, adding a viscous damping mechanism to the body improves handling stability and comfort at the same time.

When driving, a car’s chassis is constantly subjected to minute, sub-1 mm body deformations. As the chassis is an assembly of multiple spring and elastic parts and components, there is little damping force at work and these deforming forces accumulate mostly unchecked, causing a repeating cycle of deformations at its natural frequency. To counteract this, the Performance Damper introduces a damping element to the chassis, absorbing deformation forces and inhibiting the effect of excessive deformation speeds on the vehicle body.
This not only enhances handling stability and comfort at everyday speeds, but also delivers both excellent driving performance and stability at high speeds.