Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation has unveiled a new wheel-integrated drive system called 'Uni Wheel’ or Universal Wheel Drive System. The new technology could help free up even greater space in future electric vehicles by integrating part of the drive system within the hub of the car’s wheels. The system relocates major EV drive components such as the reduction gear into a compact unit housed in the wheel hub.
The companies say that the new system will allow the electric motors in future EVs to be mounted even closer to the wheels and reduce the length of drive shafts. This will allow for greater space efficiency to house larger batteries or provide increased storage and cabin space.
The Uni Wheel employs a specialised planetary gear setup comprising a sun gear at the centre, four pinion gears on each side, and a surrounding ring gear. The power generated by the motor gets transmitted to the sun gear, engaging the pinion gears to rotate the ring gear, subsequently propelling the vehicle by connecting to the wheel.
New drive system houses the EV's reductio gear within the wheel hub to free-up space and allow for more compact motor designs.
A distinctive feature of the Uni Wheel is its multi-link mechanism formed by interconnected pinion gears which enables multi-axis movement. This allows for greater suspension articulation enhancing ride comfort. Both companies say that the new Uni Wheel system also helps mitigate drivetrain losses particularly when negotiating uneven terrain and allows for improved torque vectoring capabilities.
“We are pleased to showcase innovative ideas that could become game changers in the future mobility market,” said Jongsool Park, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Technology Development of Hyundai Motor Group. “We will perfect the technology so that customers can experience mobility in a completely different and new way.”
Hyundai says that the Uni Wheel’s application is not limited to just passenger vehicles with the technology scalable for use in robotics, bicycles and even motorised wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices.
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