Dutch Invention Uses Electric Engines For Wheels

Makarand writes "A Dutch invention is promising to make vehicles atleast 50% more efficient and also bring down the soot and carbon dioxide emissions. This is made possible by replacing the conventional wheels by 'in-wheel' electric engines which are normal electric engines turned inside out. No transmission is necessary as the in-wheel engines are powered by battery-packs installed on the vehicle. A diesel-powered generator which replaces the original engine on the vehicle charges the battery-pack continuously. The Dutch company E-Traction has built a bus using this technology that will undergo testing for the next six months."

Just an improvement of standard hybrid technology

[egarland]

Why is this anything more than just a slightly more efficient way of doing a hybrid gas-electric system by putting the engine in the wheel. It's a good idea, but I can't say I hadn't thought of it too. If it's technically sound it's a natural progression.

So how long before we see it in America?

[Martigan80]

Too long sad to say. It seems like every good gas saving product that comes out just mysteriously disappears. Like the cars that run on used vegi oil, or the car that get 80+ MPG. I hope this car makes it else where in the world.

Perfect 4-wheel drive

[thepuma]

I've heard about this invention, and it promises to make the ultimate 4-wheel dive vehicle! I can now take my old Land Cruiser and remove the engine, replace the wheels with these motors, and load the trunk up with batteries!

It also promises to make auto repair much easier...just swap out a wheel.

If I know something about batteries...

[Mr2cents]

..then they will all die the day after the waranty voids. Won't this create cleaner air AND dumps filled with highly toxic battery-waste?

Old idea

[swfranklin]

This is a new application of an old idea - diesel locomotive engines use this exact approach (well, their motors aren't "In" the wheel, but otherwise similar).

Diesel locos use a Diesel powerplant to generate electricity, which is then used to run the electric motors powering the drive wheels. It's very effective and proven technology.

Re:Not trying to pick nits, but...

[Anonymous Coward]

I've met a lot of people of Netherlands, and they tended to speak better english than the "North Americans"

Re:Just an improvement of standard hybrid technolo

[sparkhead]

Why is this anything more than just a slightly more efficient way of doing a hybrid gas-electric system by putting the engine in the wheel.

Well, I believe most hybrid cars today are parallel hybrids - the (gas/diesel) engine can power the drivetrain directly, and the car will use the engine or the electric motor or both depending on conditions and demand.

This bus (and potential other hybrid cars today) is a series hybrid. The only thing powering the drivetrain is the electric motor. The engine either charges the batteries or powers the motor, but never directly powers the drivetrain.

Re:Just an improvement of standard hybrid technolo

[acidrain69]

RTFA, it says there is no drivetrain. Everything is in wheel, it is more efficient that way. No gear changing, less heat loss.

Stop contributing to heat death! :)

The Mechanical Engineers sleep late at /.

[neBelcnU]

Wow, all these cogent thoughts from the EE's and CE's, but where are the ME's?!

-Too quiet for a bus?
Round my midwestern city, the noisy, stinky buses are, oh, let's say 30' long, with the engine at the stern. If you're depending on hearing them for avoidance, you're gonna be meat on the front bumper 100% of the time.

-Gyro-effect?
Intersting, a REAL ME (I only play one on /.) could calculate the precession-force but I think the more pressing problem is called "UNSPRUNG WEIGHT." For decades, wheel and tire manufacturers have made huge strides toward lighter products to reduce the UW. Lowering UW allows a more agile suspension. (Perhaps "Unsprung MASS" would be more scientifically accurate?) All that having been said, I think the benefits in design would outweigh this one problem...

-Various comments on Diesel Hybrids.
MIT's done the math, and I've ranted about this before: Forget Hydrogen as a transportation fuel (for a while), a high acceptance rate of Diesel hybrids would save the world. (Soot? Darkening of the earth? All soluble, and still more manageable problems than the far larger emissions from gasoline as a transport-fuel.)

These are a fairly logical solution to the problem, especially for allowing car-designers to make the car do what you want/need it to do: Carry your self and stuff in safety and comfort.

I, for one, welcome our new motor-in-wheel overlords. (Sorry 'bout that)

Stirling generator rather than Diesel.

[Moderation abuser]

They can give you another 5-10% efficiency on top of Diesel, are much quieter and require far less servicing due to the external combustion. They're not ideal for automotive applications normally because they can't respond instantly, but make good generators. The down side is the development cost, you can go out and just buy a Diesel generator of X size, that isn't quite true of Stirlings.

I am sure disk drive engineers would be inpressed

[tarponbill]

Nearly every disk drive on the market uses this same "invention". Have been using it for many many years. tb

Re:A quiet bus in a busy city...

[usrusr]

since buses have their engines in the back, and they are rather long vehicles, you recieve little noise from a bus coming at you anyway, especially when it is rolling to a stop, with open clutch.

You'd think so, but...

[TheSHAD0W]

The problem with adapting this sort of tech to an off-road vehicle is that the motors will be right where the vehicle takes the most abuse. With the engine on the vehicle's body it's buffered by the shock absorbers; but inside the wheel the only thing between it and the rocks it's going over is a pneumatic tire. The tire will certainly provide some protection, but it may not be enough.

One thing though, if you ever did it, you'd have a monster truck. Take a look at the size of those back wheels, and imagine 'em mounted on a Dodge pick-up.

Re:Will it stand the test of time?

[canadian_right]

All modern train locomotives use a similar setup. That is why they are called diesal-electric locomotives. This is tried and true technology that works great year after year.
How Diesal-electric loco's work [howstuffworks.com]

It is interesting that this old technology is being used with a bus, and they are adding batteries, but it certainly is not a break through.