A West Australian company is revolutionising electric motor technology, starting with a 4000kW drag racer.

Australian eMachine-builder HyperPower has commenced production of its "QFM-360-X" – an electric motor that the company claims to be the world's first MegaWatt "extreme-duty" unit.

Despite its diminutive 43-centimetre width, one single QFM-360-X can produce up to one MegaWatt – or 1000kW.

HyperPower says the QFM-360-X's design has been future-proofed to cater for other non-automotive scenarios, such as light rail and certain high speed rail applications where reliability and serviceability are critical.

Also factored into the QFM-360-X's suitability as a multi-use motor is an extra-low-voltage drive system, which makes the unit ‘non-lethal’ from a safety hazard perspective.