Renault Group has acquired a 21% minority stake in Whylot, a company based in the Lot region of France that is developing axial flux motor technology.
In June, Renault signed a partnership with Whylot to develop and industrialize on a large scale an innovative axial flow automotive e-motor. According to the auto maker, axial flux motors are particularly well suited to hybrid powertrains and offer potential cost reductions while cutting CO2 emissions by 2.5g/km according to the WLTP standard (for passenger cars in segments B/C). Renault Group claims that in 2025 it will become the first mainstream automotive manufacturer to produce an axial flux electric motor on a large scale.
“We are delighted to take a further step in our relationship with Whylot, a promising startup specializing in the design and development of high-tech electric motors. This partnership, coupled with an equity investment in the company, is a further demonstration of our commitment to our French roots and to the Renault Group’s industrial anchorage in France, with the aim of producing popular, affordable and profitable electric and electrified cars,” said Philippe Brunet, director of powertrain and electric vehicles at Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
