Hyundai lifted the covers off their Universal Wheel Drive System, appropriately enough called ‘Uni Wheel’ , at ‘Uni Wheel Tech Day’ in Seoul, Korea.

 

Uni Wheel is a type of integrated wheel drive system that moves much of the electrical propulsion system into the wheel space. Both ICE and EV propulsion put the power through to the wheels through a CV joint, something Uni Wheel doesn’t need..

 

Although many EVs already have a flat floor, Uni Wheel will increase the cabin space even further by putting the reduction gear inside the wheel hub with a compact electric motor close to each drive wheel. Not only does this make the drive shafts shorter, but the increased interior space allows vehicle configuration to be better tailored to specific vehicles, such as Purpose Built Vehicles (PBVs). 

 

“We are pleased to showcase innovative ideas that could become game changers in the future mobility market,” said Jongsool Park, Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Technology Development of Hyundai Motor Group. “We will perfect the technology so that customers can experience mobility in a completely different and new way.”

See the Uni Wheel concept in action HERE

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ABOVE: Hyundai – Uni Wheel Electric Vehicle Drive System

Why Uni Wheel is such an Important Breakthrough

The last few years has seen society with advances in automotive electrification, autonomous driving and connectivity technologies. Auto makers are creating spaces that can be used for transport, and for living. The humble car becomes part of the family in a way we haven’t seen before. Once the trip was complete, the car was garaged until needed again. Now, its battery can be used 24/7 as part of the electrical grid, and mobility products can be part of living spaces. Hyundai and Kia will focus on space that will be part of the user’s lifestyle rather than an often inconvenient add-on.

For those who are interested, Uni Wheel uses a series of gears called a “planetary gear” system. It uses a sun gear in the centre, four pinion gears on each side and a ring gear surrounding the other gears to get the power from the motor into the wheel.

Those gears are connected to each other to form two linkages, allowing the multi-link system to have multi-axis movement, and thus a wider range of suspension articulation.

Those of us who have had older front-wheel-drive cars know how painful it is to replace a CV joint. Conventional CV joints loose efficiency on bumpy roads causing further wear.  Uni Wheel on the other hand, transmits power virtually no loss of efficiency regardless of wheel movement.

Ride is even better when Uni Wheel is combined with electronic air suspension that quickly adjusts to ay situation.

Uni Wheel’s high reduction ratio gives instant torque at any speed and allows for a more compact electric motor. The system has independent control of up to four efficient electric drive units, so that each drive wheel is allowed the exact amount of torque needed.

Better use of space.

Because Uni Wheel allows designers to move drive components to the wheel hub, smaller electric motors can be used without making performance a sub-par experience. The batteries are under the floor, so with the motors taking up less space, front and rear cargo holds can be larger.

Recent concept vehicles have shown what a future might look like without the cabin being designed around a driver. Interiors resemble club cars on a luxury train, but the extra space might also be used to extend the vehicle range. Further developments might include a battery placement that doesn’t require a raised passenger compartment. The space use ideas are endless.

Future PBVs might be a space where wheels are pushed to the corners with battery in between. It could have passengers in configurations other than 2 front and 2 rear. Or, they might be facing each other for a club-like journey.

Uni Wheel is adaptable to all types of regular passenger vehicles, high-performance EVs, vans, utes and any other type of vehicle that comes to mind. The same powertrain and reduction gear functions can be made any size for any application. Only the batteries themselves could offer further reductions in space taken by energy storage and use.

Uni Wheel can also be used in wheelchairs, bicycles and delivery robots. Uni Wheel’s flexibility can be made to work on wheel sizes from 4 inches to 25 inches, possibly more. Uni Wheel devices might even be used to move a personal mobility unit that climbs stairs as smoothly as an escalator.

Hyundai and Kia have applied for and registered eight Uni Wheel-related patents in South Korea, the USA, and Europe.

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