Wheel-integrated motors are common in electric bicycles and motorcycles, but they remain an unfulfilled promise in traditional electric cars. So far, their presence has been limited to specific concepts and prototypes, but things may change thanks to a new development from the University of Tokyo, which transmits battery power to the motor in a wireless manner.
History says the first car to combine electric power and conventional fuel was the Lohner-Porsche, developed in 1900. As well as being revolutionary for the time, a very interesting technical detail was the integration of electric motors into the vehicle's wheels. The first patent on that technology was granted in 1884, but it was in 1890 that the first practical designs appeared. Even so, the modern automotive industry has almost completely rejected the implementation of electric motors in wheels. Although there are concepts like the Peugeot BB1, the Hiriko personal module, and the Rimac Concept One, this technology still needs to go through a period of "rediscovery" by manufacturers.
The latest on wheel-integrated electric motors comes from Japan, courtesy of the University of Tokyo. There they developed a new system capable of transferring energy wirelessly directly from the batteries to the motor. The mechanism is similar to the wireless inductive charging we see in mobile devices. Each motor has a coupled coil that receives electricity from the batteries in the vehicle, and those responsible say the test electric car can reach a not-to-be-sneezed-at 75 kilometers per hour. The best part is that the energy source does not need to be in the vehicle. If someone decided to install transmission coils a few centimeters below the pavement, the motors could use that source without major inconvenience.
Integrating electric motors into the wheels also eliminates the need for a transmission, allowing for lighter vehicles that apply the weight saved to more batteries, not to mention controlling each wheel individually, a detail that increases passenger safety. On the other hand, I imagine that installing four motors will raise the final cost of the vehicle, but the proof of concept was a success. Does Japan have electric cars with wireless motors in its future?
