Slovenia's Elaphe emphasizes the practical use of its in-wheel electric motors.
At CES 2025, the company unveiled the Sonic 1, a small electric motor that it says comes with efficient brakes. That can be difficult with in-wheel motors, as they sit in the same area as the brake hardware. Engine reduction it allows for larger 400-millimeter brake rotors to be integrated with the vehicle's hardware inside the 21-inch front wheel, Elaphe said in a press release.
The Sonic 1 is aimed at EVs or hybrids. It produces 268 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque automatically, but can be tuned for higher output. Each car also added 88 pounds of lean masswhich can make it very difficult to adjust the ride and handling.
Italdesign Quintessenza concept
Elaphe in-wheel motors are shown in Italdesign Quintessenza GT concepta good tourer with a high ride height and a pickup-style bed. Italdesign quotes a 0-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds, or 2.2 seconds with performance tires. A 150-kwh battery pack mounted under the floor offers a range of 466 miles, though it's unclear which test cycle that number is based on.
Elaphe in-wheel motors were planned for use in the Lordstown Endurance truck and the high-performance Lightyear 0, but never made it into volume production. In 2023, Elaphe also announced a partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies—the technology arm of the racing team and supercar manufacturer—to use its automotive technology in “high-performance and highly responsive electric vehicles.”
Italdesign Quintessenza concept
In-wheel motors offer the packaging advantage of moving the propulsion hardware to the corners of the vehicle. Apart from the trade, well-known car manufacturers are also showing more interest. Ferrari has tried to patent an in-wheel motor design for working EVs, while Ford's pickup trucks have what may be in-wheel motors seen in testing last year.
Elaphe isn't the only company to downsize its in-wheel motors to achieve greater packaging flexibility and non-stop weight reduction. Donut Lab unveiled its own family of motors at CES 2025, claiming record power densities and a wide range of sizes for use in everything from cars to drones.