Axial flux motor

An axial flux motor, also called an axial gap motor or pancake motor, is an electric motor construction in which the gap between rotor and stator, and so the direction of magnetic flux between them, runs parallel to the axis of rotation rather than radially as in the more common radial flux motor. With this geometry torque increases with the cube of the rotor diameter, whereas in a radial flux motor it rises only quadratically, and the larger magnetic and surface area helps cooling for a given volume. A motor can be built on a flat structure such as a printed circuit board by adding coils and a bearing, and the rotor can often be made much lighter. Although the geometry has been used since the first electromagnetic motors, it was rare until strong permanent magnets and brushless DC motors became available. In 2026 Mercedes-Benz started large-scale production of axial flux motors at its Berlin-Marienfelde factory.