Oxfordshire based Saietta Group have released details and a video demonstrating its AFT 140 in-wheel electric motor technology for lightweight electric vehicles (EVs). The zero-emissions platform is ideal for operating in urban city centres around the world, especially as more and more starting to limit polluting internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Moving the powertrain into the wheels creates a perfectly flat floor platform with minimal intrusion. This maximises the usable space above the chassis whether it’s transporting people, cargo or even collecting refuse.
Smart mobility platform manufacturers typically position the motors outboard but not in-wheel. The circular ‘pancake’ shape of Saietta’s AFT motors is perfectly designed to be placed fully in the wheel.
The motors have been engineered to deliver the power and torque required at low voltage. This makes them a significantly safer solution than using high voltage alternatives.
These in-wheel motors also reduce parts and drivetrain complexity to offer a lightweight and cost-efficient path to vehicle electrification. It eliminates heavy, intricate and expensive components that are often found in other electric drive systems.
Typically, these types of urban mobility applications travel at low speeds in stop-start inner-city traffic. Saietta’s lightweight and compact AFT electric motors are a good match when placed in-wheel for this relatively undemanding congested city centre usage. The AFT 140 motors are designed to deliver high efficiency on urban journeys allowing vehicles to go further on a single charge.
Located at the four corners of a platform, the AFT in-wheel electric motors provide manoeuvrability, flexibility, modularity and four-wheel-drive capability. The Saietta technology is also effective at regenerative braking, which puts energy back into the battery pack, thereby extending the range.
Wicher Kist, Saietta Group CEO, said: “Saietta is all about high-tech, real-world, application-ready electric drive technology. We continue to strive to create electric drive solutions for vehicle manufacturers around the world and this in-wheel motor variant for smart mobility platforms is another example of our progress.
“Ultimately we believe that inner-city electric vehicles will be fully autonomous and our in-wheel motor technology can play an important role in this market. Now is the time to have a serious industry discussion about the potential of in-wheel electric motors in making congested cities centres quieter and cleaner spaces.”
