Three small municipal vehicle manufacturers will use Schaeffler’s electric wheel hub motors in the next few months, including Jungo, which will debut a multipurpose car using Schaeffler wheel hub motor technology. The manufacturers will use the motor in road sweepers, vans and snowplows.

The new wheel hub motors incorporate all propulsion and braking components inside the wheel rim instead of centrally or on the driving axles, saving space by fitting inside a 14-inch rim. The inverter is not integrated and may be placed anywhere in the car. Depending on the application, one inverter controls one or two wheel hub motors and the motor’s power output ranges from 7 kW to 26 kW (nominal) and 60 kW for brief bursts. The gearbox transfers electric motor torque to the wheel, reducing energy loss.

The torque and rotation are regulated independently for each wheel. Schaeffler creates 48 V and 400 V wheel hub motors and is considering greater voltages. The company says that these electric motors can decrease sound pollution, operate for longer hours in residential areas and offer long-lasting and low-maintenance wheel bearings and gearboxes.

“The electric in-wheel motors and braking technology eliminate the need for oil changes and greatly enhance our vehicles’ performance in terms of efficiency, power-to-weight ratio, safety, handling and braking reliability,” said Nicolas Jungo, founder and CEO of Jungo.

Source: Schaeffler