Overview
Description
The EK-RA8M2 evaluation kit enables users to evaluate the features of the RA8M2 MCU Group and develop embedded systems applications using Renesas' Flexible Software Package (FSP) and e2 studio IDE. Users can utilize rich onboard features and their choice of popular ecosystem add-ons to realize many industrial, Internet of Things (IoT), and general-purpose applications. In addition, a bundle of example projects is provided to help users to quickly evaluate key peripherals and accelerate proof-of-concept development.
The kit features rich communication interfaces such as Ethernet, USB, RS485/MODBUS, and CAN FD that enable quick development of network applications. The kits comes pre-programmed with demonstrations to showcase the excellent performance of the RA8M2, so that users can evaluate the RA8M2's features immediately after unboxing.
Features
- MCU Native Pin Access Area
- R7KA8M2JFLCAC MCU
- 1GHz, Arm® Cortex®-M85 core
- 250MHz, Arm Cortex-M33 core
- 1MB MRAM, 2MB SRAM with ECC
- 289 pins, BGA package, 12mm x 12mm x 1.38mm, 0.65mm pitch
- Native pin access through 5 x 20-pin, and 3 x 40-pin headers (not populated)
- MCU and USB current measurement points
- R7KA8M2JFLCAC MCU
- Special Feature Access Area
- Ethernet (RGMII)
- USB High Speed Host and Device
- 64MB External Octo-SPI Flash
- RS485 / MODBUS (4-pin terminal block)
- CAN FD (3-pin header)
- Ecosystem & System Control Access Area
- USB Full Speed Host and Device
- Four 5V input sources
- USB (Debug, Full Speed, High Speed)
- External power supply
- Debug modes
- SEGGER J-Link™ Debug on-board (SWD and JTAG)
- Debug in (ETM, SWD, SWO, and JTAG)
- Debug out (SWD, SWO, and JTAG)
- User LEDs and buttons
- Three user LEDs (red, blue, green)
- Power LED indicating availability of regulated power (white)
- Debug LED indicating the debug connection (yellow)
- Two user buttons
- One reset button
- Five most popular ecosystem expansions
- MikroElektronika™ mikroBUS connector
- SparkFun® Qwiic® connector *not populated
- Two SeeedGrove® system (I2C and Analog) connectors *not populated
- Two Digilent Pmod™ (SPI/UART/I2C) connectors
- Arduino™ (Uno R3) connector
- MCU boot configuration jumper
- Kit Contents: EK-RA8M2 board
Applications
Documentation
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| Type | Title | Date |
| Manual - Development Tools |
PDF
4.11 MB
日本語
See an outline of the functionality of EK-RA8M2 and how to quickly evaluate RA8M2 features.
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| Quick Start Guide |
PDF
2.54 MB
日本語
Describes the out-of-box demonstration for the EK-RA8M2 and how to customize the demonstration for application development.
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| PCB Design Files | EK-RA8M2 v1 - Design Package
The design data for the RA8M2 evaluation kit EK-RA8M2 includes the schematic, BOM, PCB layout files, and Gerber artwork - essential tools for enabling complete evaluation of the RA8M2.
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| Application Note |
PDF
687 KB
The EK-RA8M2 example project bundle demonstrates how to write code for various Renesas Flexible Software Package (FSP) modules supported by the EK-RA8M2 kit. It includes multiple example projects that highlight peripheral usage and system functionality, while leveraging the optimized, scalable, and high‑quality FSP for embedded system design.
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| Quick Start Guide |
PDF
5.58 MB
日本語
The Modbus protocol stack operates on RA evaluation boards to enable efficient development of Modbus TCP applications. This quick start guide provides an overview of the protocol stack features and introduces a Modbus sample application to assist with the development and implementation of applications using the stack.
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| Application Note |
PDF
4.04 MB
日本語
The Modbus protocol stack operates on an RA evaluation board. This document provides an overview of its functions and presents a Modbus sample application to help developers develop and implement applications using the protocol stack.
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| Application Note |
PDF
2.83 MB
Learn multicore application project creation using the MCUboot module on the Renesas EK-RA8P1 kit using FSP v6.4.0, and recreate the bootloader and link the application projects to work with the bootloader using the FSP solution project. Understand the procedures for configuring an application to work with the bootloader, and for downloading and updating a new application image.
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| Manual - Development Tools |
PDF
2.93 MB
日本語
The e² studio integrated development environment demonstrates the process of generating, building, and debugging projects designed for multicore devices in the Renesas RA Family of microcontrollers. Read “Renesas RA Family e² studio 2023-10 or Higher Quick Start Guide” before reading this document.
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| Application Note |
PDF
4.24 MB
Learn how to effectively interface with the boot mode on Renesas RA Family MCUs through practical examples and guidance. This application note builds on the official boot mode interface specifications (such as those for RA8M1 and RA8P1) to provide hands-on insights from both hardware and software perspectives. It helps developers understand the process of accessing boot mode on these devices, making it easier to implement and troubleshoot boot mode features in their applications.
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| Manual - Development Tools |
PDF
395 KB
Describes the known issues and exceptions for the EK-RA8M2.
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| Report | PDF 187 KB 日本語 | |
11 items
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Design & Development
Software & Tools
Software & Tools
| Software title
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Software type
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Company
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| Renesas Flash Programmer (Programming GUI) Flash memory programming software [Support MCU/MPU and devices: RA, RE, RX, RL78, RH850, RISC-V MCU, Renesas Synergy, DA1453x, DA1459x, DA1469x, DA1470x, DA148xx, Power Management, Renesas USB Power Delivery Family, ICs for Motor Driver/Actuator Driver, V850, 78K0R, 78K0]
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Programmer (Unit/SW) | Renesas |
| RA Flexible Software Package (FSP) FSP is an enhanced software package designed to provide easy-to-use, scalable, high-quality software for embedded system designs using Renesas RA Family of Arm Microcontrollers.
Note: FSP with e² studio Installer (Platform Installer) will install the e² studio tool, FSP packs, GCC toolchain, and Segger J-Link drivers required to use this software. No additional installations are required.
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Software Package | Renesas |
| SEGGER™ J-Link™ Software and Documentation Package Software utilities, firmware updates, and supporting documentation for the J-Link on-board programmer and debugger on the RA MCU kits.
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Software Package | Segger Microcontroller GmbH |
| QuickConnect Platform QuickConnect platform enables fast prototyping by providing compatible hardware and software building blocks.
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Software and Hardware Development Tools | Renesas |
| e² studio - information for RA Family Eclipse-based Renesas integrated development environment (IDE).
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IDE and Coding Tool | Renesas |
5 items
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Sample Code
Sample Code
Filters
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| Type | Title | Date Date |
| Sample Code | EK-RA8M2 Example Project Bundle - Sample Code
The EK-RA8M2 example project bundle demonstrates how to write code for various Renesas Flexible Software Package (FSP) modules supported by the EK-RA8M2 kit. The sample code provides ready‑to‑build reference implementations that illustrate peripheral operation and system behavior, enabling developers to quickly evaluate FSP features and accelerate embedded application development.
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| Sample Code | Using MCUboot with Dual-core RA8 MCUs
Learn multicore application project creation using the MCUboot module on the Renesas EK-RA8P1 kit using FSP v6.4.0, and recreate the bootloader and link the application projects to work with the bootloader using the FSP solution project. Understand the procedures for configuring an application to work with the bootloader, and for downloading and updating a new application image.
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| Sample Code | Quick-Start Example Project for EK-RA8M2
The EK-RA8M2 Example Project demonstrates some of the capabilities of the EK and FSP by using multiple peripherals. The project initializes the OSPI, UART, various timers, and GPIO modules along with various supporting stacks to create an interactive user demo.
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| Sample Code | Implementing Production Programming Tools for RA Cortex-M85 with Device Lifecycle Management
The accompanying demo code, provided in Python, demonstrates how to access and interact with the boot mode on RA8M1 and RA8P1 MCUs. It serves as a practical example for developers to see the boot mode interface in action, showing step-by-step procedures for communication and control. Although targeted at RA8M1 and RA8P1, the code and methodology can be adapted to other RA8 MCU devices by following the guidelines laid out in the application note, thereby accelerating development and reducing errors when working with boot mode features.
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4 items
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Product Options
| Part Number | Status | Stock | Budgetary Price (USD) | Sampleable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTK7EKA8M2S00001BE | Active | In Stock | 1u | $83.28 | Available |
Videos & Training
Take the guesswork out of your innovation experience by following a systematic and methodical approach to start developing with Renesas Advanced microcontrollers kits. It allows for a structured and orderly exploration of resources that you can utilize to create smart IoT and embedded products.
Additional Videos
News & Blog Posts
Blog Post Jan 28, 2022 |
Blog Post Jan 28, 2022 |
Blog Post Nov 18, 2021 |
Blog Post Nov 11, 2021 |
Certifications
The EK-RA8M2 kit meets the following certifications/standards. Refer to the EK-RA8M2 user manual for the disclaimer, precautions and more details on the certifications.
EMC/EMI Standards
- FCC Notice (Class A) – Part 15
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada ICES-003 Compliance: CAN ICES-3 (A)/NMB-3(A)
- CE Class A (EMC Directive 2004/108/EEC)
- UKCA Class A (EMC)
- Taiwan Chinese National Standard 13438, C6357 compliance, Class A limits
- Australia/New Zealand AS/NZS CISPR 32:2015, Class A
Material Selection, Waste, Recycling, and Disposal Standards
- EU RoHS
- WEEE
- China SJ/T 113642014, 10-year environmental protection use period
Safety Standards
- UL 94V-0
Partners
Zephyr Project
The Zephyr Project is an open-source, scalable real‑time operating system (RTOS) designed for resource-constrained embedded systems and supports a wide range of hardware architectures and development boards. For the Renesas RA8M2 Evaluation Kit, Zephyr provides focused documentation covering board features, supported peripherals, and basic build, flashing, and debugging workflows to help developers quickly get started.
Support
Support Communities
- EK-RA8M2 - Is it possible to make Cortex-M33 as primary boot cpu?
Hi,On the EK-RA8M2, is it possible to make Cortex-M33 (CPU1) as primary boot cpu? By default, M85 CPU0 is set to boot now.Is this setting to configure the CPU1 as primary a one time programmable? Is it already set in EK-RA8M2 ??I want to configure ...
May 22, 2026 - RA8M1 I3C HDR-DDR MODE
... i3c_slave RA8M2 I3C Example https://github.com/renesas/ra-fsp-examples/tree/1be7d72c9e208c4fc8a47628f6d591d818e6227d/example_projects/ek_ra8m2/i3c_master https://github.com/renesas/ra-fsp-examples/tree/1be7d72c9e208c4fc8a47628f6d591d818e6227d/example_projects/ek_ra8m2 ...
Mar 10, 2026 - Ethernet TSN
Hello, I am looking for Ethernet TSN examples/source code for a Renesas MCU (e.g., RA8M2). Are there any reference projects related to TSN functions (e.g., TAS, gPTP) that can be used for evaluation/testing? Best regards, Roland This thread was automatically locked due to age.
Jan 20, 2026
Knowledge Base
- RA Family: Implementing Direct Ethernet MAC-to-MAC communication
... or stubbed out to prevent the driver from stalling or erroring during initialization. This article contains an attached project which implements MAC2MAC communication between two EK-RA8M2s, including modified drivers for the R_RMAC FSP module (applicable to RA8x2, RA8P1 devices). Hardware Considerations Depending on the type of Media Independent ...
May 21, 2026
Support Communities
