The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics will invest €1 million to fund the AgiloDrive research project at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The project is aimed at developing a novel, agile electric motor production system based on modular product- and production-specific technologies. Professor Jürgen Fleischer, Head of the wbk Institute of Production Science, stated, “In this… Read more »
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The next nifty EV feature: perpendicular steering
Add another item to the list of neat tricks that cars will soon be learning: the ability to maneuver sideways in order to slip into tight parking spaces. The OmniSteer project, funded by Germany’s Ministry of Education and Research, aims to develop a vehicle with “a lateral and transverse guidance system capable of performing orthogonal,… Read more »
Assisted steering system uses individual wheel motors for more efficiency and better range
Modern automobiles are complex beasts, with numerous subsidiary systems that consume energy. In an EV, more energy consumption means reduced range, so it can be well worthwhile to study more efficient ways to power the various accessories. One of these accessory systems is assisted steering, which reduces the physical effort required for the driver to… Read more »
Are multispeed transmissions the future of EVs?
One of the many ways in which current EVs differ from legacy vehicles is that they don’t shift gears. While modern ICE vehicles sport 8- and 9-speed automatics, 7-speed manuals and continuously variable transmissions, which help to improve fuel efficiency, most EVs get by with a simple single-speed gearbox. Conventional wisdom is that, because electric… Read more »
oneDRIVE of a kind: KLD Energy’s new propulsion system
In August 2013, KLD Energy announced that it has received official UN and IEC certification for the battery pack solution of its proprietary electric drive system. The announcement marked the end of a five-year development effort and the beginning of high-volume production for the company’s ultra-efficient turnkey oneDRIVE propulsion system. There are hundreds of different… Read more »
In-wheel house: Protean Electric’s in-wheel drive system nears production
When Protean Electric begins production of its Protean Drive in-wheel electric drive system later this year, it could mark the stirring comeback of the wheel hub motor, a concept that’s been more than a century in the making. Electric wheel-hub motors date all the way back to 1884, and none other than Ferdinand Porsche used… Read more »
Two new in-wheel electric drive systems unveiled
In-wheel electric drive systems are a hot topic these days. Mounting the electric motor and power electronics within a wheel assembly can improve efficiency, save space and give automakers more flexibility in body design. This week, two leaders in the field introduced new in-wheel offerings. Protean Electric announced the debut of its production in-wheel motor… Read more »