In-Wheel Electric Drive

[NeilBlanchard]

This is an interesting approach to in-wheel electric drive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krgS3GpO5Og

50HP per wheel at ~20+kg - no differential, and the packaging is excellent.

[gone-ot]

Auto regeneration too?

Should make excellent "quadra-steer" control platform.

[NeilBlanchard]

I'm sure it can do regen, yes. The thing that is different here from the in-wheels we have seen before, is the gear reduction instead of direct drive.

[Cobb]

Ive been reading articles about in wheel, in hub motors since I could read.

I know for a while invacare used them in a wheelchair, but they were prone to over heating, bearing issues and the range due to the energy efficiently was not delivered.

Now in wheel fuel, water and other liquid storage was a success.

Maybe the batteries could be stored in the wheels and the motors could be inboard?

[mechman600]

It sure is a step in the right direction. Liquid cooling is a nice touch. However, unsprung weight is still the issue. As soon as unsprung weight goes up, huge suspension tuning issues arrive. It would be better to mount that small motor and reduction gear set to the chassis with a short drive shaft, but I guess that sort of defeats the purpose of a wheel motor, doesn't it?

[Ryland]

Originally Posted by mechman600

It would be better to mount that small motor and reduction gear set to the chassis with a short drive shaft, but I guess that sort of defeats the purpose of a wheel motor, doesn't it?

There are ways to make it fit in and around the suspension, look at those motors, as they are they stick in, flip them around and add a drive shaft and you are set.

What is amazing is how much they do to reduce the weight of everything else so that the weight of the motor is not "an issue" ok, so you have reduced unsprung weight, now make it better by moving the motors inboard.

Drive shafts with CV joints are not complected, they can be built to last 300,000 miles and they are a relatively cheap part.

[P-hack]

The active wheel is all that and a bag of chips

[mechman600]

Originally Posted by Phack

The active wheel is all that and a bag of chips

Woah. That looks expensive.
Salt and vinegar or barbecue?

[HydroJim]

can't be that expensive compared to all the things that this technology eliminates.

I wonder why it has taken them 12 years to get it to market. Must be something they can't figure out. I'm guessing too much unsprung weight or durability problems.

[Cobb]

Maybe something like they use in the hummer 4wd system where the gear reduction is done at the hub vs the transfer case or dff?

In wheelchair land they use either 2 pole motors with worm reduction, 4 pole and beveled cut gears, then the gearless brushless. 4 pole gave more speed, control and range,but 2 pole was cheaper and easier to use for clearance reasons as the shape was a right angle.

Originally Posted by mechman600

It sure is a step in the right direction. Liquid cooling is a nice touch. However, unsprung weight is still the issue. As soon as unsprung weight goes up, huge suspension tuning issues arrive. It would be better to mount that small motor and reduction gear set to the chassis with a short drive shaft, but I guess that sort of defeats the purpose of a wheel motor, doesn't it?