A linear drive apparatus including: a housing. Located inside the housing are an electric motor, a transmission gear, which meshes with an output gear on an output shaft of the electric motor, a gear shaft, and a linear motion assembly. The transmission gear is mounted on the gear shaft, the linear motion assembly is mounted to cooperate with the transmission gear, and converts rotational motion of the transmission gear to linear motion. An axis of the linear motion assembly is arranged in the same plane as an axis of the electric motor output shaft and an axis of the gear shaft. The linear drive apparatus has the advantages of a compact structure, small volume, light weight, and good heat dissipation.