Hub motors revisited

[graham]

I like the idea of hub motors on more "off-roady" type vehicles, where traction is key, and road handling is less important.

So this pickup, and the Jeep Wrangler seem like good candidates.

I hope someone does produce one of these vehicles so we can see how good or bad the idea is.

[vfx]

I'll be a lot happier when the makers of these mockups feel obligated to use the industry standard EV connector to give them credibility.

All the fancy graphics in the world don't make up for those hokey wall plug pins pointing at you.

[TEG]

As we have heard elsewhere, the maker of those hub motors is in financial trouble. Yet to be seen if anyone can get them in volume.

[dpeilow]

Super wheel motor from stealthy Australians soon to surface? - Autoblog Green

[doug]

http://www.electric-vehiclenews.com/...-in-wheel.html

...senior vice-president and chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura... said Nissan was “really seriously testing” in-wheel electric motors for the new-generation of electric-powered cars that will follow the Leaf, which he said was built on an existing internal combustion engine car platform.

“Not all cars can go in-wheel motor, but we are really seriously testing,” Mr Nakamura said. “The in-wheel motor feels much more direct. And also a very good point is that you can control torque right and left, which is almost like four-wheel steering. If you turn, it is totally different – no understeer and very, very precise handling.”

It interesting to see this quote. I was recently thinking about wheel motors and how a lot of companies had show them in concept but ultimately given up on them for whatever reason. The only company that came to mind that I thought might actually use them was Nissan for their Pivo. Then again that may not ever get made either.

Nissan PIVO

[neroden]

I suppose it's just a space issue. Per-wheel motors are already standard in trains. And versions mounted on the frame (so that they're sprung weight), with a universal joint on the connection to the wheels, are already in use. But they're probably too big for use in cars. I guess someone just has to shrink the motors. Getting them attached to the steering wheels would be hard, but on the non-steering wheels it would seem trivial.

[TEG]

Daimler/Mercedes has been showing off that inboard motor per wheel idea that I think makes a lot of sense.

[ElSupreme]

Daimler/Mercedes has been showing off that inboard motor per wheel idea that I think makes a lot of sense.

I happen to think this is the future, with a motor for each of the four wheels. Just think of the traction control you could get out of a car like that. Hopefully they get the uber-nice Tesla packaging on the inverters though.

[jerry33]

I'd like the brakes to be inboard as well. It would really reduce the unsprung weight. It worked really well in the DS-21. Inboard brakes also allow for centre-point steering.

[VolkerP]

I happen to think this is the future, with a motor for each of the four wheels. Just think of the traction control you could get out of a car like that. Hopefully they get the uber-nice Tesla packaging on the inverters though.

This über-Tesla is called the Concept_one by Rimac Automobili. See technical concept here: http://youtu.be/U021JCmxYNs. The motors are explained at 1:00. No mention of traction control but of torque vectoring. This is basically the same concept taken one step further. Dedicated thread: Rimac Automobili