Cascadia Motion iM-225DX-D Integrated Motor & Inverter

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The Cascadia Motion iM-225DX-D puts a 225 kW (302 hp), 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) electric motor and its CM200DX inverter in one compact, self-contained unit. Built on the BorgWarner HVH250 motor core, it has its own oil pump, oil cooler, oil sump and water pump, so there are no motor phase cables to route and no separate inverter to mount. That makes it one of the easiest ways to put serious power into an EV conversion.

It's compact enough for classic engine bays: just 300 mm (11.8 in) long and 405 mm (15.9 in) tall, with a shallow sump only 170 mm below the shaft centerline. The housing offers three transmission bolt patterns, Cascadia 6-bolt, Remy 16-bolt and Porsche G50 4-bolt, so it can mate to a reduction gearbox or a Porsche transaxle without a custom adapter plate.

The resolver comes calibrated from the factory, so there's no motor-position calibration to do on the bench. Control is over CAN through the CM200's two CAN ports, with Cascadia's free setup software and a custom .dbc file, and it works with common VCUs. Peak combined efficiency is about 95%.

Will it work with your battery? The iM-225DX-D runs on 50–480 V DC, so it suits 400 V-class packs, such as a 96S pack (about 403 V full) or a 108S pack (about 454 V full). Ratings are at 400 V; peak figures apply for 30 seconds.

Pair it with the Behemoth Helix IL inline gearbox, which Behemoth optimized for Cascadia motors. Its 2.72:1 reduction takes the iM-225's 500 Nm to about 1,360 Nm at the driveshaft, while keeping your car's rear axle. Or use our Flux Drive System builder on current-la.com to pick a complete drive package around this motor.

What you'll also need: DC battery cables (we sell the Cascadia HPK 50 mm² DC cable set), the CM200 low-voltage connector and pin kit, a VCU, a battery system with precharge, and coolant and oil plumbing.

Notes from the Current EV team

Everything we sell is a part we use in our own builds. Here's what we think of this one and what we've learned putting it in cars.

Why we like it: the iM-225 is super easy to control and it just works. Because the motor and inverter come as one unit, there are no phase cables to route, and the resolver is already calibrated from the factory, so you skip the resolver calibration you'd normally do on a separate motor and inverter.

Where we've used it: it's powered a lot of our builds, including a 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz (paired with a Behemoth Helix IL), our first Porsche 356, a 1965 (through a manual transmission), a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air, a 1932 Ford Deuce Coupe, a 1974 Triumph TR6 and a 1967 Alfa Romeo Spider Duetto.

Cooling: there are two circuits. The motor runs on Dexron VI through its own integrated oil pump and cooler, and the inverter needs a 50/50 glycol water loop with a radiator. Keep that coolant under 60 °C for full performance; output tapers from 60 to 80 °C. Fill the oil before first spin.

Precharge: the CM200 inside doesn't precharge its own DC link, so your battery system needs a precharge circuit. A "DC voltage below minimum" fault at startup usually means precharge isn't finished or the minimum-voltage setting is above your pack's low-charge voltage.

HVIL and CAN: complete the HVIL loop or the inverter won't enable, and send the command message at a steady rate so the watchdog doesn't drop out. Terminate the CAN bus correctly.

Mounting: choose the bolt pattern that matches your gearbox, and support the motor and gearbox as one assembly.

Tell us about your build and we'll help you spec the gearbox, cables and controls around it.