Michelin "Active Wheel" motor/suspension/brake

[Dr Mordrid]

From the Frankfurt auto show...

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13745_7-10353087-10310244.html

Large pic w/labels here....

If new Michelin technology takes off, our cars could get very simple while wheels get more complex. Michelin showed two versions of its Active wheel at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, one with an integrated electric motor and the other with motor and suspension equipment. Tire maker and restaurant critic Michelin has been developing lightweight automotive motors, achieving an efficiency of 4 kilowatts per kilogram. The motor in its Active wheel produces 30 kilowatts of continuous power, and up to 60 kilowatts of peak power. Two of those wheels on a car would add up to the equivalent of 80 horsepower. Four and its up to 160 horsepower. The motors also contribute braking power. The integrated suspension technology is active, and can respond intelligently to body roll and pitch, with 145 millimeters of travel.

A car equipped with these wheels could do away with its own drivetrain and suspension equipment, and would merely need steering gear and batteries. Of course, the price of custom wheels would increase drastically.

[Brian Ellis]

1. Hate to think what the ride would be like with that unsprung weight.

2. How do you change a wheel in the middle of nowhere with a puncture at 2 a.m.???

3. It does give me an idea that energy could be recovered from movements of the suspension as well as braking energy.

[Dr Mordrid]

1. most wheel motor concepts are running about 30kg which isn't bad when you consider the integrated active suspension which mitigates roll etc. Those who've reported driving with them say it's hard to tell the difference, especially when used with the new electric power steering units (belt/hydraulic PS being useless in an EV)

2. rim and tire are separate from the rest. Different core shape to accomodate the new parts, but the same old techniques apply.

3. Too late Regenerative suspension has already developed and is patent pending. Some MIT types came up with it in the form of what looks like a modified shock absorber but in reality is a linear motor/generator.

http://www.dailytech.com/MIT+Students+Create+EnergyHarvesting+Shock+Absorbers/article14252.htm

....During testing of a 6-shock truck, they found each shock absorber is able to generate up to an average of 1 kW on a road, which is "enough power to completely displace the large alternator load in heavy trucks and military vehicles."

If for some reason the electronics on the shocks fail, the fail-safe feature will have the shocks act simply like a normal shock absorber.

A patent is pending, and the students created Levant Power Corp., a company so they are able to fully develop and commercialize their product. They now plan to perfect the technology on a converted Humvee in an effort to secure a lucrative government contract for a new U.S. Army vehicle that is currently in development.

The group plans to have a final product ready this summer, when they'll start contacting companies to persuade them to upgrade their shock systems. As an example, if Wal-Mart were to convert its fleet of trucks with these new shocks, the company could save $13 million per year in total fuel costs.

Levant Power Corp. has identified an alternative energy source previously untapped by conventional land vehicles: the suspension system. The energy of a vertically oscillating vehicle is significant and currently dissipated as heat through shock absorbers.
Our product, GenShock, recovers this energy and utilizes it for fuel economy gains. In addition to extending a vehicle's range, GenShock improves ride quality via an adaptable, variable-damping suspension. GenShock can generate up to 1 kW (per unit) of continuous power. It is a turnkey replacement for standard shock absorbers, requiring minimal installation time and little to no maintenance.

[VJ]

Michelin actually has presented this for the first time back in 2004:

http://www.michelin.com/corporate/actualites/en/actu_affich.jsp?id=13730&lang=EN&codeRubrique=58

http://radio.weblogs.com/0105910/2004/10/23.html

and this link:

http://forums.murc.ws/showthread.php?t=51427&highlight=active+wheel

But now apperently it is planned to be used next year....