MiWheel - Motor in Wheel feasibility study

"MiWheel is collaborative, industry led feasibility study, between the GKN Innovation Centre, AVID technology and Warwick Manufacturing Group.

The purpose is to assess if 48V battery in wheel electric drive can be made viable for mass market adoption in L/M and CAV class vehicles; define the technology, design and manufacturing processes that will enable it to be cost effective, efficient, durable and safe.

True global mass adoption of electric drive, with the human benefits of vastly reduced street level toxic emission and potential reduction in overall CO2 produced by cars, is being and will continue to be slowed by the cost, complexity of the vehicles and the charging infrastructure required by modern high voltage passenger cars, particularly in developing countries and mega cities where the capacity of the local electric grid will be a significant and expensive issue to rectify.

48V battery would be much more affordable and easily charged from a low voltage grid. However conventional single inboard motor configuration would be very power limited, reducing the vehicle size to the smallest and hence reducing the market.

By distributing the power at each corner MiWheel overcomes this limitation, providing suitable performance across a wide range of vehicle types and market segments, enabling these vehicles to exploit the packaging benefits that in wheel drive provides, both for passenger and cargo space, crash safety and design freedom. This feasibility study will assess overall capability of such a system and research potential motor topologies and manufacturing methods to achieve a low cost, safe and durable MiWheel for global mass manufacture"