Michelin's e-wheel eliminates gearboxes, drive shaft, and really boss rims
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted February 16th 2009 9:03PM
posted February 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.
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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!