The many electric conveyances I’ve posted in this blog have so far been essentially regular petrol car-bodies with a lot of batteries under the floorboard (not to downplay the hard work that’s gone into these machines), but many manufacturers, including Michelin, seems to have realized that there’s a lot more innovation to be done with the concept of electric-powered vehicles. Michelin and Valeo, French automotive companies (Michelin being the tire company and Valeo an automotive engineering ) have agreed to work together to develop electric and rechargeable hybrid vehicle systems, including the pictured “e-wheel” system.

That's what I call an all-in-one package.

Valeo was responsible for the delicious-looking concept car Volage, shown at the Paris Motor Show back in October of 2008. The concept used an earlier version of the in-wheel motor co-developed by the two mentioned parties, but this time they are pulling out all stops, even mentioning their desire to link up with a car manufacturer as a logical “next step” for developing the in-wheel motor concept.

A closer look at the concept...

As it stands, the e-wheel concept is based on Michelin’s Active Wheel Technology, a technology that Michelin has been working on for nearly a decade, and only fully revealed last year. The e-wheel integrates two motors within the confines of a wheel, with one motor transmitting power to the tire, and another motor controlling torque distribution, traction, turning, pitch, roll and suspension damping. This package is ideally installed at all four corners of the vehicle, but one of the earlier proof-of-concepts, the Heuliez Will, only installed the innovative drive units on its two front wheels, which together provides a total of 82 HP and a top speed of 87mph.

Valeo's Venturi Volage concept car uses four sets of Michelin's technology.

What’s important to note here is that this e-wheel concept eliminates all kinds of heavy and power-draining metal parts from a traditionally-designed car – things such as drive shafts, suspension assemblies, trailing arms, gearboxes and of course, the cylinders, pistons and engine block of a petrol engine. In exchange, the e-wheel concentrates all of the mechanicals into one small space – both an advantage and a disadvantage as this compact package frees up space in the rest of the car’s footprint, but exposes some decidedly essential mechanisms to the ravages of a rough road, or worse, a blown tire. Imagine trying to change a tire that requires you to remove two motors, the whole suspension  assembly, and the brake mechanism in one go. I’m sure however that Michelin would have already though of this eventuality; perhaps the next step of this design is to have the e-wheel in easily-separated components that will make changing a tire easier.

Heuliez Will concept car, a practical next-step for the e-wheel technology.

As mentioned before, this e-wheel is primarily designed for use in electric and/or hybrid vehicles, a boon for this type of vehicle due to the bulky batteries it must carry. The e-wheel however is applicable to most any kind of vehicle, especially fuel cells and other alternative-fuel vehicle concepts. In addition to freeing up space in a vehicle and providing a more efficient way of utilizing electric and other alternative power sources for vehicles, the e-wheel concept is a perfect example of how good engineering is applied towards creating a more dynamic performance vehicle

The logical next step! Perhaps the movie producers had a hint of Michelin's in-wheel motor technology.

With each wheel containing an active suspension element, instantly customizing the car to the road conditions is a real possibility, once the system is refined and applied to everyday sports cars. This is not so far out of the realm of possibility; in fact one of the hit movies of 2008 might have garnered a little bit of inspiration from this concept – or at least this is something that the e-wheel concept is aiming at as a future target.