A car without a gearbox or driveshaft may sound like an incomplete ride to most motorists.
But the innovative folks in the electric vehicle design room at China's GAC International have developed a motor that is placed in the wheel of an EV, eliminating many of the drivetrain's parts. The result cuts weight and could improve EV range, according to a story on the tech by Interesting Engineering.
Aptera, the American EV company producing three-wheeled solar-powered cars, has developed prototypes with in-wheel engines as well, though the company announced this summer that its first production model would be moving forward with a traditional drive unit, according to CleanTechnica, with intentions to pursue in-wheel engines again soon thereafter.
IE and Eco News both reported on GAC's impressive performance of the inline, or in-wheel, motor, starting with 30,000 revolutions per minute at optimum speed.
"Which bests most of the existing electric motors used in present-day electric cars," Eco News wrote.
The attributes also include a compact design, light weight, and strong power output. At a size of around 13 inches in diameter and a weight of just 37 pounds, it can fit into a diverse group of wheel sizes. The motor can provide 201 brake horsepower, which accounts for power lost to road friction, according to IE, Eco News, and Auto Trader.
But it's the range and efficiency boosts that will likely catch the eye of most motorists. Eco News reports that the unique motor could add 31 miles of range to an EV, thanks to a high-peak efficiency of 95%.
That's also "higher than most traditional electric motors," Eco News wrote.
A lot of EV innovation headlines deal with improved batteries or unique designs. GAC made improvements to another key part of the cleaner rides. The motor arrives in a rising EV market. The International Energy Agency reports that global EV sales hit three million during the first quarter of 2024. That's a 25% increase from the same period a year prior. Most of the growth came from sales in China, per the report.
In the United States, valuable tax breaks of up to $7,500 for qualified new EVs make switching accessible to more people, though speaking of China, those incentives generally won't apply to vehicles with Chinese-made parts.
Elsewhere, the United Kingdom's Nyobolt recently announced a battery that can charge in less than five minutes. Ford's Mustang Mach-E has set a record by traveling 569.6 miles on a single charge.
All the accolades are contributing to an EV sector poised to overtake internal combustion engine vehicles, preventing the creation of heat-trapping air pollution that medical experts cite as a health detriment. A Harvard study has even linked decreased exhaust to fewer deaths.
As another benefit, you can save up to $1,500 a year on gas and certain maintenance costs by going electric.
At GAC, production on the new motor is expected to start next year. The automaker is open to licensing the tech to other manufacturers, according to Eco News. For its part in the EV space, the GAC Aion Y is a five-seat ride with an approximately 304-mile range. Perhaps the motor will soon be housed in a wheel.
"GAC's in-wheel engine can be thought of as another big achievement in the race to decarbonize the world through adoption of EVs," IE wrote.
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