Battery innovations steal many of the electric vehicle headlines. But BMW's fascinating quad-motor prototype is reported by InsideEVs to have turned the heads of the carmaker's executives during testing.
The M test car uses a motor to turn each wheel, a design that delivers power and torque with precision, per the report. BMW claimed online that the motors react spontaneously in milliseconds. It's a performance that's "unattainable with conventional drive systems," the designers touted.
It's part of exciting EV innovations from car companies around the world, including vehicles that can charge within minutes. For BMW's part, the latest news is evidence of work to up performance in the motorsports line with a "completely new all-electric drive technology," according to the promotions.
"I know this can work," BMW M Motorsport CEO Franciscus van Meel said in a company video clip.
BMW already has an EV lineup on the market, with vehicles that can produce up to 318 miles of range. The company is keeping the development of the quad-motor project a little tight to the vest, as noted by InsideEVs. They are teasing some of the process with a series of promotional videos.
The first clip included van Meel and mentioned "redefined limits" and "secret testing facilities."
Centralized control units that better manage how the EV operates are in the works, per the clip, which showed nests of wires and circuit boards being tinkered with by experts.
"For me, it's not about transformation, but about embracing new technologies and finding out how to push the limits of what is technically possible," van Meel said on the BMW website.
Multi-motor designs aren't unique. An EV being developed by China's GAC International eliminates the drivetrain and gearbox by putting an engine in each wheel, for example.
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The innovations are important for a sector with mixed headlines in recent months. Cox Automotive reported that U.S. EV sales grew by 11% in the third quarter compared to the prior year. Sales reached record highs for volume and market share, hitting 346,309 vehicles. That's an increase of 5% from the second quarter.
At the same time, Ford announced earlier this year that it is cutting back EV production in favor of air-pollution-producing, dirty-energy-burning cars. Reuters reported that interest rates, hybrid preference, and economic concerns likely impacted the market. But the October report from Cox was more optimistic. And Ford is still marketing EVs, even paying for at-home charge setups with each purchase.
"While year-over-year growth has slowed, EV sales in the U.S. continue to march higher," Stephanie Valdez Streaty, director of Industry Insights at Cox Automotive, said in the research firm's summary.
EV adoption is an important way to reduce heat-trapping air pollution, a detriment to the planet and human health, according to government experts. The switch stateside is incentivized by up to $7,500 in tax breaks. Up to $1,500 in annual gas and maintenance cost savings add to the benefits.
At BMW, the quad-motor prototype left executives "speechless" during testing, as reported by InsideEVs. The report references a 2027-28 timeline for an electric M3 production model.
"We will deliver unprecedented performance, quality, and features with our vehicles that you can't even imagine today," overall vehicle development head Carsten Wolf said on the company's site.
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