Hyundai is still working in-wheel hub motors for electric vehicles, two recent patent filings show.
One filing, published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 14, 2024, after being sent by Hyundai's partner technology supplier, Hyundai Mobis, earlier this year, it includes a drivetrain that can allow for on-board electrics. motor to spin the wheel. This will include the wheel bearing, the outer race, and the speed reducer which includes the ring gear in the bearing.
Patent image of Hyundai in-wheel drive unit
The second document, published by the USPTO Oct. 29, 2024, and was originally posted by Hyundai Mobis Feb. 13, 2022, “an in-wheel device.” This is basically your setup which includes the gearshift mechanism onto the hub mounted motor rotor.
While not all patented ideas make it to production, these two patents show that Hyundai is at least still developing in-wheel motors, as they have teased similar concepts in the past, including Corner modular steering and propulsion system. It packages the in-wheel motors and steering and braking hardware into modules that can be installed at every corner of the vehicle, allowing for more packaging freedom and versatility. rotate the wheels up to 90 degrees.
Copyright image of Hyundai's wheeled device
Hyundai and Kia in 2023 also introduced another design that separates the difference between conventional motors and in-wheel motors. It is called Universal Drive System—or Uni Wheel-brought the engines closer to the wheels, but not to them.
Some car manufacturers, such as Ferrari and Toyota, have patented designs for wheeled vehicles. China's Dongfeng claims to be the first to use in-wheel motors in a passenger car, although the Lordstown Endurance pickup truck also used them before production ceased. Aptera also plans to use in-wheel motors on its three-wheelers, but that motor will be an autocycle, not a car.