Michelin Active Wheel

Michelin is presenting for the first time in Spain, at the Vehicle and Alternative Fuel Show, the Active Wheel, a project it has been working on for more than 12 years and will keep developing for a long time before it can bring anything marketable to market. Basically, these are wheels that make use of the space inside the rim to house two electric motors: one that drives the vehicle and another that controls the wheel’s suspension.

In this way, by using that space inside the rim, many of the vehicle’s components are eliminated, reducing its weight: anti-roll bars, gearbox, clutch… and, what’s more, the space where the engine used to go can be used to improve safety or to make vehicles smaller. Incredible.

Michelin also designs this new technology so it can be used in two-wheel or four-wheel drive, while keeping each manufacturer independent. The Venturi Volage and the WILL are prototypes powered by this highly innovative system. The braking system is perfectly integrated, so in principle each wheel would have everything needed to propel the car, except for the batteries or the photovoltaic cells.

Innovation in the field of electricity is astonishing. Durability, resistance to impacts or sudden movements and heat resistance (which we discussed not long ago) may be key aspects in the coming years of development if this technology is to be viable. For now, it is enough to leave us open-mouthed.

Source | Michelin