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For work that must last—hauling, climbing, or generating—continuous torque is usually more useful than a motor’s headline peak torque. It tells you what the motor can sustain under specified thermal, electrical, speed, ambient, and coolant conditions. Axial-flux designs can package substantial torque compactly, but their real sustained performance depends heavily on how effectively they remove heat.

What continuous torque tells you that peak torque does not

Peak torque describes a short-duration operating point; continuous torque describes sustained capability within stated operating limits. A high peak figure can help with acceleration or brief load changes, but it does not establish what a motor can deliver for a long climb, continuous hauling, or extended power generation.

Continuous ratings are meaningful only with their conditions. Speed, voltage, ambient temperature, coolant inlet temperature, coolant flow, and the motor’s thermal limits all affect the operating point. A rating without those details is difficult to compare with another motor’s rating.

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For example, Turntide specifies the AF400S at 45°C ambient, 55°C coolant inlet, and 8 litres per minute of coolant flow, and says it may need derating above those conditions. Those are product-specific conditions, not a general standard for axial-flux motors.

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Why axial-flux motors need effective cooling

Axial-flux geometry can produce high torque and power density in a short axial package. But in many designs the stator sits between two rotors, constraining access for heat removal. SAE International’s 2026 paper identifies that thermal challenge alongside losses associated with concentrated-winding harmonics and the manufacturing difficulty of segmented stators.

Heat matters because it limits how much current the windings can sustain. A more effective thermal path can allow higher winding current density, which can raise the motor’s sustained torque capability. Cooling does not create a universal torque multiplier: its effect depends on the motor design, cooling arrangement, and operating conditions.

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In-core coolant channels

An IEEE YASA cooling study published in 2024 and appearing in a 2025 journal issue examined a continuous coolant path through stator segments. In its 36-kW case, the design reached an allowable winding current density of 15.5 Arms/mm² and increased torque capability by 60% compared with conventional stator-jacket cooling. Those figures describe that study’s case, not every axial-flux motor or cooling system.

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Direct air-gap oil cooling

A 2026 SAE International study of direct air-gap oil cooling reported a 15°C reduction in stator-core temperature, 96.5% peak efficiency, and 0.3 N·m drag torque above 500 rpm. These are results for the studied design and method; they should not be read as guaranteed outcomes for other motors.

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What published motor figures can—and cannot—show

Published examples illustrate why a single “best” axial-flux motor cannot be identified from headline figures alone. Some figures come from commercial product pages and others from particular research comparisons; their test conditions and comparison methods are not interchangeable.

Motor or study Reported continuous torque Reported continuous power Other reported result
Turntide AF400S (Turntide product page) 290 N·m 106 kW 96% peak efficiency at continuous load. Ratings specified at 45°C ambient, 55°C coolant inlet, and 8 lpm coolant flow; derating may apply above those conditions.
Turntide AF430S (Turntide product page) 443.8 N·m 101 kW Other operating conditions for these figures are not stated in the cited product information.
EMRAX348 (Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering review, 2026) 500 N·m not stated (Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering review, 2026) The review reports EMRAX motors at 92–98% efficiency and says air, liquid, or combined cooling is available; it does not assign that efficiency range to a specific operating point here.
Turntide AF125–AF440 range (Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering review, 2026) 100–1,040 N·m 59–376 kW Range figures cover multiple models; they are not one motor’s operating point.

A separate IEEE study, published in 2024 and appearing in a 2025 journal issue, compared a 5-kW Halbach-array axial-flux PMSM with surface-mounted and radial-flux references. It reported 30% higher torque density than the radial-flux comparison, a coil temperature 40°C lower than the surface-mounted design, 25% lower losses, and 5–10% better efficiency across the speed range. These are comparison-specific findings, not proof that every Halbach-array motor outperforms every alternative.

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Sumitomo Electric Industries’ 2025 published axial-flux operating points show efficiencies from 93.2% to 94.8%. The spread is a reminder that efficiency depends on the operating point; a peak-efficiency figure alone does not describe energy use across a real duty cycle.

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How to compare axial-flux motors for your application

  1. Start with continuous torque at the operating point you need. Record the expected speed, voltage, ambient temperature, coolant inlet temperature, and coolant flow, then check the manufacturer’s rating and any derating guidance.
  2. Compare torque density on a like-for-like basis. Use N·m/kg and N·m/L at the same duty point, and check whether the stated mass or volume includes the housing and cooling hardware. A peak torque-density number may describe only a short burst.
  3. Identify the heat-removal path. Find out whether the motor uses stator jackets, in-core channels, fins, direct air-gap oil, or another arrangement. Ask for the relevant thermal limits and operating conditions rather than assuming one cooling approach is automatically superior.
  4. Use an efficiency map for the duty cycle. Compare efficiency across the speeds and torque levels the application actually uses, not just at the motor’s single best point.
  5. Check peak duration and derating behavior. Ask how long peak torque is available, what conditions permit it, and how output changes as the motor warms. A brief peak rating cannot stand in for sustained performance.
  6. Verify integration requirements. Check inverter voltage compatibility, shaft interface, cooling plumbing, noise and vibration, service access, and ingress-protection rating. Segmented-stator manufacturing and assembly are also relevant design considerations.
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Is there one axial-flux motor with the best torque density?

The published figures here do not establish a market-wide winner. A research prototype’s torque-density advantage against a particular radial-flux reference is not a direct ranking of commercial motors, and continuous torque alone does not reveal torque per unit mass or volume. To choose between candidates, compare their continuous torque density at the same speed and thermal conditions, then account for the cooling system and integration hardware that the application requires.

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