At the Paris show they displayed their latest version of their Active Wheel technology. This is not exactly new, as Michelin has been experimenting with this idea for several years.
Essentially the Active Wheel is nothing more than a normal wheel that houses two electric motors. One of the motors transmits power to the ground, whereas the other controls the suspension to provide comfort, handling and stability. It's designed for battery or fuel-cell powered electric vehicles. So-equipped vehicles will no longer need any gearbox, clutch, transmission shaft, universal joint or anti-roll bar.
The compact drive motor and integrated suspension system have allowed engineers to fit a standard brake disc between the motors, which means the braking, drive and suspension components are all fitted within the single wheel.
brn says:
08:54 AM, 10/ 6/08
Maybe I'm falling for the hype, but that seems pretty cool.
bepperb says:
09:09 AM, 10/ 6/08
That is some compact packaging. That probably buys six inches in rear hiproom, or a wider cargo area compared to multilink or mcpearson rear suspension.
Still, it seems dumb to me that they package this all together. So they:
A. fit an entire suspension inside a wheel rim.
B. Fit an electric motor inside a wheel rim.
C. Use an electric motor to adjust suspension.
If they did a good job at just one of these, it would be worth marketing on it's own. You'd think.
steve_ says:
09:10 AM, 10/ 6/08
I can just see some guy tire-kicking and asking "that thang got a HEMI?." Wonder how the extra sprung weight is going to affect handling - guess that's why Michelin crammed the suspension stuff in there too.
magnus2015 says:
09:33 AM, 10/ 6/08
This is just outstanding. Now when I bend a wheel on some Atlanta pothole, I can drop several hundred dollars for a replacement. Awesome.
estreka says:
02:07 PM, 10/ 6/08
I've heard of this before, but to actually see it is quite awe-inspiring.
flicmod says:
07:58 AM, 10/ 7/08
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor
"All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best."
ateixeira says:
01:06 PM, 10/ 7/08
I have the same concerns about increasing unsprung weight, but in terms of packaging this could save tons of space for an eletric or fuel cell powered car.