Michelin's e-wheel eliminates gearboxes, drive shaft, and really boss rims
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Feb 16th 2009 9:03PM
posted Feb 16th 2009 9:03PM
Electric car development is prompting a rethink in virtually every aspect of the automobile, from the size of the vehicle to the number of wheels and beyond. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the newest collab between Valeo and Michelin. The companies have agreed to collaborate on "electric and rechargeable hybrid vehicle systems such as the drive train, engine and battery cooling management, climate control, lighting, energy management and tires," beginning with the e-wheel. Using Michelin's Active Wheel Technology, this new device puts two electric wheels inside the hub -- one for motive power, one for active suspension -- a design that negates the need for gearboxes, drive shafts, and conventional suspension assemblies. The design has previously been tested in the Venturi Volage concept car, and the companies are currently looking to get involved with a mass-market auto maker to take this project to the next level. So if you're a large auto maker, give these guys a call -- and tell 'em Engadget sent you. Another image after the break.
GUESS WHAT.
This is exactly what we'll need to build a WARTHOG.
You mean a Puma.
Ahh glad I wasn't the only one to think that.
@zumpa it was for the Halo live action commercials, not the movie.
Check out the vids on You Tube
Volvos new Hybrid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T40ZqLZiZyg
And another vid here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tLQ2-yKT4Y
ahh yes you mean the Chupathingy.
No more spinnerz?
I'm sure they could add a third motor to power a set of rims ;)
that's what i was thinkin! what about my 22's?!
like i drive a car with 22's....lol
Can you say unsprung weight
Two more: active suspension
Yes, unsprung weight is a drawback, albeit a minor one when you consider the benefits (other than just the standard "full torque at 0 rpm argument). Think about it, each wheel's speed an be controlled completely independent of the others...
Traction control is no longer an odd combination of active center diffs and minute braking corrections. Now it's merely "reduce power to wheel # 3 by 4.2 volts".
A car with this type of powertrain will RULE and form of motorsport it takes part in. The car's computer can actively keep the tires right at their limit of adhesion through the turns. You could easily go as fast as possible without having to worry about understeer or the tail kicking out.
Not to mention that any braking will put power back into the system as will any bump on the road due to the active suspension. Running low on fuel? Take the dirt road home!
This also clears out the front and rear axles as well so it would be simple to integrate powered 4-wheel steering giving the car the ability to quite literally tun on a dime. Think about those old "Cyclone" R/C cars from years back.
No doubt there will always be a place for the internal combustion engine and a classic drivetrain - especially in motorsports, but for a daily driven car just pair these in an all wheel drive system with a hydrogen fuel cell and a supercapacitor (rather than a battery - no harmful chemicals) and you have the perfect car of the future.
Yes, but eliminating driveshafts, transmissions, and other drive line parts will lead to a vehicle that is simpler, lighter, more efficient, and faster.
I'm sure they can engineer around the unsprung weight problem, but that's the point when it's easy to avoid the problem in the first place! You could still have independently controlled wheels with their own motors, while avoiding unsprung weight and reducing the car's moment of inertia by mounting the motors inboard and using a short drive shaft between each wheel and each motor.
I'm not saying this is an optimal solution, but certain cars these days can already divert torque to each wheel with varying degrees of independence. Check out Acura's SH-AWD system. Audi, BMW, and Mitsubishi also have torque vectoring AWD systems which use electronic differentials to allocate power.
Of couse, if each wheel had its own motor... that would be better (I think). No bulky and heavy differentials and driveshafts. But unsprung weight is definitely an issue with this design.
@raize221 - You pretty much nailed the benefits, but I've got to call you out on the take the dirt road home comment. You won't increase your efficiency by taking a bumpy road, just simply reduce the loss. FYI, the most efficient way to get from point A to point B will be a flat (frictionless) surface.
Now all the bulk of a drive train can be eliminated and replaced with big squishy explosive batteries!!
Congratulations! As soon as I saw that image, I thought "I bet someone has posted something about unsprung weight with no understanding that in the real world, car design is all about compromises". Unsprung weight is just one of many, many things to consider when designing a car. Perhaps if we were talking about current, high-end performance cars, you might have had more of a point (although, not much more). Just because you've learnt a few technical terms to show off, doesn't mean you know what you're talking about. Sorry for being harsh, I've simply seen this too many times.
So now if some shmuck steals your rims, he gets to take your entire engine with him, sweet.
Don't you mean he gets to take one of your engines with him?
Will it blend?, that is the question.
No.
2007 called. It wants its internet meme back.
2007 just called back, it wanted to let you know that it really didn't WANT it back, but would just rather it be left unsaid.
@GMFlash
1992 called. Saved By The Bell wants its meme back.
Eff Michelin. After the PAX system fiasco I wouldn't trust Michelin to design anything.
Now that is cool, remove all engines, transmissions, all that heavy and complex mechanical parts on the bottom of the car and reduce the car to: 4 e-wheels, batteries, computer and the passenger compartment (with all the controls, climate control stuff and safety stuff). No moving parts except for the wheels (and, maybe, the steering mechanism). That will significantly simplify automotive design in a way that non-electric cars simply can not compete with.
Too much Banjo Kazooie?
How will this simplify Automotive design?
Seems to me that it would actually make a vehicle more complicated and more difficult to maintain.
Not to mention the different driving characteristics associate with taking the main mass away from the center of the vehicle. When you add all this weight to the edges, you increase moment of inertia as well as unsprung weight.
and what would a vehicle like this be driving on snow and pavement?
I've like to imagine that more weight on the wheels would increase traction in snow - but, its possible snow could quickly damage the metal components - and can you saw UNDERSTEER?
I can't saw under-steer, forgot the saw at work...
Think of all the BS systems that you wouldn't need on a vehicle driven by these. ever had a head gasket crack? well not on an electric. how about needing a new set of rings? again not a problem on an electric. lose that seal on the intake or exhaust manifold? not on an electric.
I'm not crazy; i do realize that electrics will have their own issues, especially early on. But anyway you slice it, an electric is not going to piss out a quart of oil on my driveway once a month. if the powertrain is located in each wheel, the bulk of the repairs can be executed by removing the troubled wheel and replacing/rebuilding the necessary components.
For handling, I too was concerned by the idea of having the bulk of the weight moved to the outer fringes of the vehicle. (i live in Cleveland, Ohio a land where no one can drive worth a damn) There are two things to consider: The weight of the battery system will likely be the heaviest single system of the vehicle and this can be designed and placed flexibly where ever best suits the vehicle. This will offset the gained weight on the outer edges which i would speculate to be much less than the overall weight of a standard engine. anyone who has ever taken a V6 or larger apart knows what i'm talking about here. Furthermore, having drive delivered to each of the 4 wheels directly inherently makes intelligent traction control a much simpler system than any current AWD traction control system where you would have electronic systems activating and interacting with mechanical systems. A system like this would be electronic all the way to the wheel and thus much simpler to control and likely allowing for finer tuned traction control and safety.
I am beginning to get the image of a Kart with massive wheel power.....
sorry to burst everyone's bubble on this one, but I had the same thought about unsprung weight as well, but then I looked at the design. It appears all of that weight is indeed attached to the wheel assembly before the car, I know, I know it looks like the motor is attached after the spring, but I don't think it is. IMHO most of the weight is actually attached to the frame and not after the spring. It's tough to tell without an exploded view, but it perhaps could be done that way in either case.
By the way, Hydro-Québec ( Québec, Canada) has made a electric motor that fit in a wheel 10 years ago and has a patent on that.
Nothing new here!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxvPtKKAOtI
They are presently starting new car prototype that will use those motor ( I think ) Maybe not those wheel motors but something electric.
Can't wait to see.
So rather than having one centralized engine and transmission, and have driveshafts going to each driven wheel, create all of this and place them on the corners of the vehicle.
This is a horrible idea and it will never ever catch on. Think about all the vibration that occur within the wheels a vehicle. So much vibration occurs that we have suspension to help dampen and absorb the frequent shock. Not sure about you guys, but prolonged vibration to gearboxes don't seem like a very good idea. It also drastically increases unsprung weight.
But what do I know, I'm just an sophomore mechanical engineering student.
Typical engadget morons downrank me when I mention moment of inertia, unsprung weight...or if I want to mention how understeer or as the last poster mentioned, vibration would effect driving.
I should have just said...IPHONE IS #1 and this wheel CAN RUN CRYSIS.
You guys are dumb.
But what do I know, I'm just a science professional holding two masters degrees which allows me to be an AP for science and technology.
@Aigarius
I totally agree. Can you imagine the dawn of the real modular car? Pick out a chassis, then a power source (Li-ion, hydrogen fuel cell, gasoline-hybrid, natural gas hybrid, whatever), then bolt on the 4 motor/wheels of your choice (or you really only need two with motors). If a newer, more efficient power source comes along, you don't have to scrap the whole vehicle. Same thing goes for when your motors begin to wear, simply replace them and it's as good as new, unlike todays cars where nothing seems to work the same after you replace the engine. I think GM had a similar concept with their "skateboard," but this goes way beyond that.
@ Flashpoint and derbense:
You're down ranked not because you bring up valid points, but because you seem to put yourself on this pedestal that Engadget readers have yet to achieve or something.
But what do I know? I'm just God.
Peace!
I like that... but what happens if you get a flat or if you hit a speed bump too fast... just thinking about those bumpy US highways!
How would you change tires? seems complicated
Yes, but think of the bright side: now you can replace motor and suspension all by yourself without paying to machanics or using garage. Just a parking lot near your apartment will do - remove the wheel, take it home and disassemble in the comfort of your cosy room.
Or even more - shops can sell pre-assembled e-wheels (eBay?) and you can replace your faulty motor/suspension/rim in minutes.
Modular design rules!
The same way you do now. Wheel != Tire.
No driveSHAFT?
But then who will make our wednesday nights better with spirited renditions of oasis tunes?
Oh wait, they killed him off. Freakin' Lost writers.
This things looks so sweet!
I like the idea of putting one of these on a motorcycle with a very minimalistic body made of unpainted stainless steel, with the batteries stored in the steel tubing.
perhaps even in a moocycle like in an anime....
@Darkmax
You mean a Motoslave?
I could have sworn this was on here a while back.
Nevermind... some quick Googling has revealed that it was Autoblog, not Engadget. My bad.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/01/michelin-partners-with-chinese-firm-to-create-active-wheel-syste/
Replacing tires is going to be a nightmare for your budget.
Unless it's designed so that the tire can detach from the engine.
A major repair would involve just removing a wheel and replacing it!
No more engine mounts, cooling system, exhaust system repairs!!!!!
GREAT IDEA
I'll just rebuy every single part included inside the wheel.
Can you even imagine what it would cost just to get a brake pad replacement?
How about a Rotor?
I had my sister's Ford Expedition get 4 new brake pads and 1 new rotor yesterday and it cost around $400 - took about 2 hours.
This design is ridiculous for a consumer car. It would be fine for a special vehicle - like a Moon rover - but as a consumer vehicle?
FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL.
Easy, you replace a tire using the spare in your trunk, then bring the faulty part to your auto mechanic. He will take your faulty part and give you another spare. Then he will disassemble the tire, fix what is broken there, replace the $3 part that broke and charge you $3 for the part and $30 for his work. And then use your tire to give as a spare to the next customer. Much better for all parties involved than now.
It will be interesting to see the military and off road mods that follow this up. Not to mention what street racers and car tuners will do with this. I am looking forward to seeing this in a motorcycle config as well.
Military prototypes with in-hub wheel motors exist:
http://www.defensereview.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=994
Here is it's predecessor:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/3477/
The ideea is not quite new... this is Siemens aproach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPSoNfmuBXc
I guess some patent war will rise and progress will suffer again :D
oh... electric bikes have already similar concept.
I'm not the engineer so i do not see the advantages, i do not know if 4 motors plus all other in-wheel integrated stuff is lighter and more reliable then one stuff fall all, but why i like is that they are redefining cars. I have never believed that the sollution which has been invented circa 100 years ago will be used without any major change so long - cars looks and works almost still the same and this may change it. I hope that people will not stay conservative and will like the new sollutions if they will be better, even if it would mean that they are not more sitting in 4 wheels roaring box. I hope the engineers will invent something realy revolutionary, not just doing small evolutions.
I like the recuperation of electrical cars, i like silency, and that car look can be definet by designer almost without limits. I hope that i could buy such car in e.g. 5-10 years and that we will not be still reading such posts about new technologies and new car prototypes without a real possibility to buy such cars.
I do not need long duration, i do not need high speed, i do not need some some sollutions for "electricity pumps" - i'm using the car just for every day going to work (30-40 minutes × 2, 10 km × 2), so if they would gimme something like my actual Smart, with 2 hours / 50 km duration with 100 km/s maximal speed, with excelent safety protection and good price, and i would be maximaly happy. And I believe simmilar needs got about 50 % of adults.
What do ya mean it will be $5K to fix it. All I did was hit a pothole!
And it boasts a composite input!
The tire is mounted to a plate. The unsprung mass is actually equal to if not less than cars are today because of the loss of the axle. When you change the tire the entire assembly does not come off, just the tire. The view shown is to make the point that the entire workings of the assembly is within the tire rim.
Don't describe anything with the word boss ever again. Boss is a noun. Bosses are the people who tell you what to do. They are not rims. Thanks
As several people mentioned, the tire can be mounted the same way it is now. Five bolt flange, yada, yada. All that stuff can be in a can in the hub, just like your disk brakes are now.
How about brake cooling? Or the brakes heating the motor? Seems like stuffing as much stuff as possible into one part of the car is a bad idea.
The brakes would be cooled the same way as in a conventional car of course. The brakes would not need as much cooling anyway, due to regenerative braking where the electric motor(s) act as generators, thus reducing heat friction lost in the conventional brakes.
The electric motors - or at least the larger one - appears to be water cooled; I seem to spy a set of blue-finished barb fittings next to what I would think are the power connectors.
Without a central motor how do they power the A/C compressor? I don't want a car without A/C
It would have an electric-powered compressor of course, like in your fridge at home, or today's Toyota Priuses for example.
AKIRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!