What DeepDrive does

DeepDrive GmbH is a Munich-based electric motor technology company founded in 2021 that develops and supplies electric drive units for automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, built around a patented Dual Rotor radial-flux motor architecture with an integrated SiC inverter and a distributed bar winding achieving above 80% slot fill factor. Its product portfolio comprises three families: In-Wheel drives (IW 2000 and IW 2500, up to 2,000 Nm peak torque at 34 kg), Central Drives (CD 450 with peak efficiency over 97%, and CD 600), and the MG 250 Generator for range extender and hybrid applications. The company claims structural cost and sustainability advantages versus incumbent motors, specifically 50% less magnet material, 80% less iron, heavy rare earth free magnets, and less than 30% cost per Nm compared to state-of-the-art designs.

The business model is B2B hardware sales to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, supplemented by technology licensing and co-development arrangements; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and go-to-market is enterprise field sales with direct technical and commercial engagement into OEM engineering and procurement teams. DeepDrive's strategic investor base is unusually concentrated in major European OEMs: BMW i Ventures and Continental's corporate venture unit co-pace co-led the €15M Series A in March 2023, and Leitmotif (affiliated with the Volkswagen Group) led a €30M Series B in September 2024 with both prior investors participating. A 2023 strategic partnership with Continental produced a combined Drive-Brake Unit that won Vehicle Dynamics International's 'Innovation of the Year 2023', and the company is targeting large-scale series production in 2026.

As of the latest available data, DeepDrive is operating in sample production and validation rather than commercial series supply, with no revenue disclosed, 51-100 employees, and a headquarters and engineering facility in Garching bei München. Revenue mechanics going forward will depend on converting the existing BMW, Continental and Volkswagen engagements into series production design wins across the in-wheel, central drive, and range-extender product families.

Name

DeepDrive

Legal name

DeepDrive GmbH

Website

https://deepdrive.tech

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DeepDrive is a Munich-based automotive supplier founded in 2021 that develops patented Dual Rotor radial-flux electric drive units, selling in-wheel motors, central drives, and range-extender generators to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Vehicle Powertrain Components

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (336350), Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635)

SIC

Motors & Generators (3621)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Drive Unit / E-Axle Manufacturing (Motors/Inverters/Gearboxes) (IMACACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Power Electronics Manufacturing (Inverters/DC-DC/Onboard Chargers) (IMACACAD), Automotive Power Electronics & Inverters/Converters Manufacturing (IMACAJAE), Wide-Bandgap Power Devices (SiC/GaN Discretes) (HDAHAHAG)

Keywords

• Electric drive units
• In-wheel motors
• Central drive systems
• EV powertrain technology
• Range extender generators

Headquarters

HQ city

München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Electric Motor Sales: DeepDrive manufactures and sells electric drive units (In-Wheel, Central Drive, Generator) to automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Products are designed for high-volume series production with cost advantages of less than 30% cost per Nm compared to state-of-the-art.
2. Technology Licensing: DeepDrive licenses its patented Dual Rotor technology to automotive manufacturers for integration into their vehicle platforms, including white-label arrangements and co-development partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DeepDrive designs and manufactures electric drive units for electric vehicles based on its patented Dual Rotor radial-flux motor architecture. Its product portfolio covers in-wheel drives (IW 2000, IW 2500), central drive units (CD 450, CD 600), and a generator (MG 250) for range extender applications, all featuring an integrated SiC inverter and designed for high-volume series production by automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.

Product overview

DeepDrive is an electric motor technology company offering a portfolio of electric drive solutions based on its patented Dual Rotor Radial-Flux technology. The product lineup includes: In-Wheel Drives (IW 2000 and IW 2500) for direct wheel mounting with integrated inverters and up to 2,000 Nm peak torque; Central Drives (CD 450 and CD 600) featuring integrated inverters and planetary gearboxes for conventional vehicle architectures; and the MG 250 Generator for range extender applications with 96.9% peak efficiency. The company also offers the Drive-Brake Unit developed in partnership with Continental, combining drive and brake components in a single wheel-mounted unit. All products leverage DeepDrive's core Dual Rotor technology platform which provides 50% less magnet material use, 80% less iron use, and up to 20% efficiency improvement compared to conventional motors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IW 2000 (19") In-Wheel Drive In-wheel electric motor delivering up to 2,000 Nm peak torque at 34 kg weight, featuring direct drive without gearbox, integrated SiC inverter, and plug-and-play wheel mounting for OEM electric vehicle integration.
• IW 2500 (19") In-Wheel Drive High-performance in-wheel drive unit suitable for mid-sized vehicles, designed with integrated inverter and water cooling, available as main drive or on-demand AWD configuration.
• CD 450 Central Drive Compact central drive unit featuring Dual Rotor Radial-Flux technology with peak efficiency over 97%, up to 300 kW peak power, planetary gearbox with co-axial output, and integrated SiC inverter, designed for cost and packaging optimization in compact and mid-sized vehicles.
• CD 600 Central Drive Central drive unit with integrated inverter, direct conductor oil cooling, and planetary gearbox with gear ratios from 4 to 8, suitable for co-axial and axes-parallel alignment in OEM electric vehicle platforms.
• MG 250 Generator Compact generator for range extender and hybrid applications delivering 120 kW continuous power at 5000 rpm with 96.9% peak efficiency, integrated SiC inverter, and electronic vibration cancellation; water or oil cooling options and direct coupling to combustion engine crankshaft without gearbox.
• Drive-Brake Unit Combined drive and brake unit co-developed with Continental for direct wheel mounting in electric vehicles, integrating DeepDrive's Dual Rotor motor with Continental's brake technology; awarded 'Innovation of the Year 2023' by Vehicle Dynamics International Magazine.
• Dual Rotor Technology Platform Patented Dual Rotor radial-flux motor architecture with distributed bar winding (above 80% slot filling factor) and integrated SiC inverter, licensed or supplied as the foundational technology platform underpinning DeepDrive's in-wheel, central drive, and generator products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% range extension for electric vehicles
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• ContinentalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2023Strategic partnership to develop wheel hub drive with integrated brake technology. Continental contributes brake system expertise and industrialization capabilities while DeepDrive provides the electric motor technology. The partnership focuses on developing a combined drive-brake unit for mounting directly on vehicle wheels. Awarded 'Innovation of the Year 2023'.
• Fraunhofer IFAMsupportingTechnology or IntegrationResearch partner with expertise in wheel hub motors, fault-tolerant electric machines, and manufacturing technologies. DeepDrive co-founder Dr. Alexander Rosen has prior experience at Fraunhofer Institute.
• InfineonsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing semiconductor components for electric motor and inverter development. Several DeepDrive team members have backgrounds at Infineon.
• AnsyssupportingTechnology or IntegrationSimulation and engineering software partner for motor design and analysis.
• Sonic EquipmentsupportingTechnology or IntegrationEquipment partner supporting manufacturing and production capabilities.
• EIT Urban MobilitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-funded innovation community supporting urban mobility solutions. DeepDrive is a supported partner in developing electric mobility technology.
• UnternehmerTUMsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunich-based innovation and startup center providing support and ecosystem connections for DeepDrive.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Elaphe Propulsion Technologies: Slovenia-based in-wheel motor specialist focused on direct-drive EV wheel hub motors. Most direct competitor to DeepDrive's IW 2000/2500 product line, serving similar EV OEMs and Tier 1s with comparable radial-flux architectures.
• Protean Electric: UK/US in-wheel motor developer with patented direct-drive wheel motor technology for passenger and commercial EVs. Directly comparable to DeepDrive's in-wheel product family, addressing similar OEM design-in opportunities.

Broad incumbents

• ZF Friedrichshafen: Global Tier 1 automotive supplier with a broad EV drivetrain portfolio including e-motors, power electronics, and integrated 800V drive units. Competes with DeepDrive on central-drive and e-axle designs at major European OEMs.
• BorgWarner: Major US Tier 1 with extensive EV motor, inverter, and integrated drive module portfolio (including Hairpin stator technology). Comparable customer set (global OEMs) and direct overlap with DeepDrive's central drive and e-motor offerings.
• Mahle: German automotive supplier with a focused e-motor business (SCT and MCT motors) and integrated inverter products. Targets the same European OEMs as DeepDrive with comparable efficiency and rare-earth-free claims.
• Schaeffler: German Tier 1 with a dedicated e-mobility business unit producing EV motors, 800V power electronics, and integrated drive systems. Overlaps with DeepDrive on central-drive architectures and serves many of the same European OEMs.
• Robert Bosch (Bosch Mobility): Global Tier 1 with a comprehensive EV drivetrain portfolio including e-machines, inverters, and integrated electric axle drives. Competes directly with DeepDrive across in-wheel, central drive, and generator concepts at OEMs globally.
• Nidec: Japanese manufacturer and one of the world's largest producers of EV traction motors (E-Axle 'Ni100Ex'). Competes on integrated e-axle systems and has deep relationships with global OEMs, comparable to DeepDrive's CD product family.

Emerging players

• Equipmake: UK-based EV motor and powertrain specialist targeting commercial vehicles and niche passenger applications. Comparable as a smaller EV-motor specialist with proprietary technology, similar stage to DeepDrive though focused on different end markets.
• Rimac Technology: Croatian EV powertrain specialist supplying e-motors, inverters, and battery systems to OEMs (including BMW). Comparable as a European EV-component specialist with OEM licensing/partnership business model adjacent to DeepDrive's positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/deepdrivetech
• Instagraminstagram.com/deepdrive.tech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DeepDrive