Automotive supply giant Continental has developing a new type of wheel and braking system to meet the specific requirements of electrified vehicles.

The New Wheel Concept is based on a new division between the wheel and the axle. The wheel consists of two parts, the aluminum carrier star, which remains permanently bolted to the wheel hub, and the rim well, which is bolted to the star. The wheel brake is fastened to the wheel carrier of the axle and engages from the inside with an aluminum brake disk, which in turn is bolted to the carrier star.

In contrast to conventional wheel brakes, the New Wheel Concept brake engages the disk from the inside, allowing it to have a particularly large diameter, which improves braking performance. Unlike cast-iron disks, the aluminum disk is not subject to wear, and will not rust. The concept also reduces the weight of the assembly, and makes wheel and brake pad changes easier.

“Electromobility needs new solutions for braking technology too,” says Matthias Matic, Head of Continental’s Hydraulic Brake Systems Business Unit. “Using conventional brakes is not very effective in this case. The New Wheel Concept meets all the demands that electric driving places on the brake.”

“In EVs, it’s crucial that the driver expends as little energy as possible on the friction brake,” says Paul Linhoff, Head of Brake Pre-Development in Continental’s Chassis & Safety Business Unit. “Drivers want to be able to rely on a consistent braking effect – and too much rust on the brake disk in particular can really make this difficult.”

Source: Continental